Journey Art Supplies Blog
Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.
Create a Mobile Art Studio with Scaled Down Sup...
It's almost effortless for us as artists, beginners or experienced, to begin to collect art supplies that we never end up using, forget we have, or hold onto "just in case." I am often guilty of indulging myself with art supplies, which may make my art studio appear impressive but quickly turns into something overwhelming when it comes time to try and find something or clean up.When my son was born, I lost my studio space to make room for the new addition to our family, and while I have no complaints there, that meant I had so many supplies with very little space to put them. I had to ask myself, "How can I still create art without having my entire studio in storage?"The question I asked myself forced me to take a long look at what I thought defined an art "studio" and whether or not I truly needed my own space. At the time, my son was 18 months old, and I admit that I was never genuinely great at organizing, and it was more difficult now with my son here, but I needed to learn how to purge myself of the too-long list of requirements I thought I needed to make art. But how? People say that one of the most complex skills to learn and put into practice is understanding how to keep things simple, but I hear that it's also one of the most rewarding once conquered. I loved the idea of being able to carry an entire art studio wherever I chose to paint, but that didn't sound so simple at first.I recalled that many master watercolor artists tend to create the basis of their paintings with watercolor instead of carrying a set of pencils about, and that seemed like a good place to start for less baggage. I knew I needed to fit my new "mobile art studio" into as tiny of a space as possible, and I wanted something I could tuck into my car door, possibly my pocket, or on a table next to my favorite chair.I began with my favorite American Journey Voyager set. However, as I carried that around, I occasionally found it to be a bit too much. Later, when I studied my Voyager set, I noticed that I hit some specific color pans more than others: red, yellow, blue, flesh tone, quinacridone gold, and black. Since I typically used just these six colors most often, and since the Voyager set was three-quarters of a pound, I realized I was carrying around a lot of extra weight that wasn't even being used. So the next question I posed to myself was: "Can I make my palette even smaller?" With this question in mind and the goal of de-cluttering and reducing the scale of my everyday art supplies, I found that I could! I only truly needed a few items to have the perfect assortment of uncluttered art supplies for a portable studio. What I Ended Up Keeping for my Scaled Down Portable Art StudioSmaller Palettes and Empty Watercolor PansI purchased and began using Cheap Joe's American Journey Nomad Tins. These tins are great for creating your own palette. Depending on the pans, you can fit up to 3 empty American Journey full pans or six empty American Journey half pans, which was perfect for me. You could also buy magnetic strips to use with the recommended American Journey Nomad or Voyager tins. Using the half pans allowed me to fill the empty compartments with the colors I use most and carry the palette virtually anywhere. Magnetic Tape In addition to the small Nomad Tin, I made sure to get some magnetic tape. Magnetic tape allows me to switch out my palette in seconds with any other color I might want to take with me.Travel Sized ToolsI have a single travel-sized pencil for sketching and a single travel-sized watercolor brush in my preferred size.All together, everything in my new mobile art studio could be placed in a briefcase or carried in one hand wherever I needed to go—and I still had the same art supplies I reached for as if I were in my old studio at home. If you find yourself overwhelmed with the cycle of too many supplies and no space, I hope my findings and suggestions help give you peace of mind on your journey to de-clutter.
Create a Mobile Art Studio with Scaled Down Sup...
It's almost effortless for us as artists, beginners or experienced, to begin to collect art supplies that we never end up using, forget we have, or hold onto "just in...
Group Art Ideas to Inspire and Challenge
Sometimes at Cheap Joe's, we love tackling unique group art ideas. We also understand that coming up with those group art ideas can be challenging whether you are an art teacher, student, or simply encouraging creativity around you. You might have noticed that I've been absent lately, and I apologize for that! We've been busy working hard here at Cheap Joes, but now that I have a moment, I have something exciting to share that might inspire you! For the past month, we've also been working on a group art idea centered around the beautiful painting, A Wheatfield with Cypresses, by Vincent Van Gogh. Our group art idea was to re-imagine this gorgeous classic painting into a collaborative project done between 36 different artists, and it's finally finished! So how did we do it, and how can you do something similar? 1. PlanningFirst, we chose a famous painting. In this case, A Wheatfield with Cypresses, by Vincent Van Gogh. Next, one of our talented Graphic Designers, Erin, collected the names of all the artists interested in participating and divided the painting into equivalent sections. You can see the divided section of the artwork that I chose, circled below. 2. SectioningOnce every artist was assigned a section, we sent each of them an 11"x14" Joe's Prime Cradled Painting Panel along with a printout of their section, and then the painting as a whole for further reference. We chose to-scale printouts of each section to help us ensure that our edges would line up as seamlessly as possible without a mess of crooked designs. Here's Erin, hard at work, distributing panels and printouts for all the artists. And below, here's one of our fantastic Marketing Assistants, Lori, providing much-needed group art support and unique flare. 3. Create!This part of the process is, in my opinion, the most fun. Each artist is free to recreate their painting section in their style or medium of choice. In my case, I decided that I wanted to make sure my panel lined up with its neighbors as much as possible, so I grabbed a piece of Saral Wax-Free Transfer Paper. Next, I placed the transfer paper between the panel and my printout to trace the major lines to get a good basic shape, paying attention to the bars along the edges the most. Though you can't really see it well in the image above due to the angle, the lines came out perfectly crisp, which is excellent. I've got a solid base down and am ready to choose paints. I decided to go with acrylic paints and grabbed an assortment of our Joe's Prime Really Good Lightfast Acrylic colors that mostly matched the colors I saw in my panel. (I say mostly because I knew to match better, I needed to mix colors for the perfect shades I wanted.) I mixed a combination of Bright Aqua Green, Light Blue Violent, and Titanium white to create the shades I felt matched best. I began with an even layer of a mixture of teal, and while it was wet, I quickly added a few dollops of Titanium White for blending. I chose to add white within the teal so that I could mimic the almost chunky, 3D, and heavy strokes found in the painting, something that Van Gough is most famous for, and I wanted to emulate that as closely as I could. I mixed up some purple clouds for my finishing touches and added the very top corner of the cypress tree that I had in my section. I wanted to give my panel a bit more of a personal touch, something in my own style, so I considered doodling over the basic outlines of my panel. I wasn't sure yet, so I decided to test my idea without ruining the panel to prevent making a mistake I couldn't return from. I decided to tape a sheet of 11"x14" Polyester Film over my panel and began doodling on that instead. I began by just lining the major shapes of my brush stroke texture, and I really enjoyed that effect on its own. But I decided to try and take it a step further and began to doodle lines in some of the corner sections. I eventually realized that I felt as if the little circles were so close together that they began blocking out entire sections of the painting underneath. I tried a second attempt at circles on a larger scale with a different shape, and I thought it looked much better. I was still experimenting, so I continued this process until I mainly had one corner covered where I could take a break, stand back, and gauge my feelings on what I had done so far. I ultimately decided that the doodling of shapes made it far too busy and scrapped my polyester sheet. I did, however, learn that I really loved the way everything looked by being lined in a simple black. So I took my black brush-tip Pitt Artist Pen and decided to go over my lines, but this time directly on my painting. Above is the finished, lined image of my section of the painting and all that was left was to wait to see what the other artists in our group did with their pieces before putting it all together. Here's how it turned out! As you can see, everything lined up so well! I am really impressed with the talent and different interpretations and artist styles on each of our separate panels having turned into a cohesive and natural-looking finished group art piece. It's incredible to see one of our inspiring group art ideas being hung up and displayed as part of an exhibition in the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum. If you get the chance, drop by the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum today to experience fantastic art!Collaborative art ideas are a great way to promote and foster community and learn new group art skills, so we highly encourage you to take a group art idea and run with it!
Group Art Ideas to Inspire and Challenge
Sometimes at Cheap Joe's, we love tackling unique group art ideas. We also understand that coming up with those group art ideas can be challenging whether you are an art...
Getting Started With Watercolors: The Basics
Have you ever found yourself fascinated with watercolors' delicate and luminous nature? There's beautiful transparency and freshness to it that isn't as easily duplicated through mediums such as oil or acrylic. Watercolor painting is an incredibly versatile medium that can provide a subtle effect that can accent or create elaborate, bold colors and patterns for a painting that has head-turning appeal. However, it is also a painting medium that has long been associated with difficulty. You might hear that it is a medium challenging to master, as it can be known to be unforgiving and unpredictable. Mistakes may be difficult to correct at first, and learning to control the water on your brush or paper can be the most complex challenge to overcome. Nevertheless, if you've been considering trying watercolors, you shouldn't be discouraged. Half the fun of watercolors is their unpredictability and how unexpected moments can turn into something unique and beautiful. The most complex decision you may be facing is figuring out where to begin. What do you need when getting started with watercolors? How much is too much? What paints are the best quality, and which paints are the best and most affordable? What paper works and what doesn't? Do brushes matter? If you find yourself at a loss for where to start, take a deep breath in and join us as we go over everything you need when getting started with watercolors. The Basics There are only 5 most basic art supplies you need to begin with watercolors. 1. Paper 2. Brush 3. Watercolor paints 4. Water 5. Mixing palette Anyone can begin watercolor painting with these items on hand. However, not all of these items are created equally. What does that mean? Paper Matters What's in a paper? Any old piece of paper will do, won't it? Unfortunately, your paper does matter when it comes to practicing and learning. Have you ever played with watercolor paints as a child—or watched a child paint with them using, for example, generic printer paper or paper in a notebook meant for writing? If you have, or even if you haven't, trying to paint with watercolors on paper not meant to handle water soon becomes a very frustrating mess. What happens when you watercolor paint on 20lb paper or paper for writing? • Water on writing or cheap paper will immediately buckle or warp. Buckling and warping create an uneven, wrinkled surface where your paints will run or pool. • Paper not meant for watercolors will become extremely weak when wet, meaning something as simple as a brushstroke, or going over a place twice with your brush will create paper piling (rolling up) or worse—tear. When it comes to your journey in learning watercolors, one of the important choices is ensuring your paper has been created specifically for watercolor. What are the best watercolor papers? The Best Affordable Watercolor Paper: What is important when looking for the right watercolor paper is its weight. For instance, generic printer paper is roughly 20lbs or 75 gsm (Grams per Square Meter.) A paper that is weighted between 20lbs/75 gsm to roughly under or at 100lb/270 gsm is generally not hardy enough to handle the water you will use for painting. The ideal paperweight you will be looking for is 140lb or 300 – 360 gsm. Which brands of watercolor paper at this weight are the most affordable for a beginner? • Canson XL Watercolor • Canson Montval Watercolor • Fluid Watercolor Paper • Strathmore 400 Series Watercolor • Cheap Joe's Cardmaker Watercolor Paper Killamanjaro 140lb The Best High-End Watercolor Paper: If you can purchase the best, high-end watercolor paper, you'll notice that these papers occasionally come in weights higher than 140lb, and some are made from 100% cotton. What is fantastic about cotton, or high-weight watercolor paper, is that it can take more significant amounts of water without issue. The stronger the paper, the more they allow you as an artist to play with various effects such as wet washes or wet-in-wet painting, and a more remarkable ability to layer when working on underpainting and watercolor blooms. Some of the best high-end watercolor paper on the market today are: • Saunders Waterford 200lb cold-pressed watercolor paper • Saunders Waterford Watercolor 300lb Rough sheets of paper • Arches 300lb watercolor • Arches 300lb Bright White cold-pressed watercolor paper As a beginner, if you are worried about wasting paper as you learn, it's perfectly acceptable to go with a more affordable option for practice. The Brushes Does it matter what brush you use with watercolors? What about what the brush materials are? Most importantly, it is critical to use brushes specially marked for and made for watercolors? Why? • Watercolors, acrylics, and oil paints all have different chemical compositions that interact differently with different brushes. • A watercolor brush's construction and shape are also different from that of other brushes specific to other mediums. • Acrylic brushes are designed to deal with the viscosity and drying time of acrylic paints, and the rougher handling acrylic brushes tend to go through. • Watercolor brushes are optimized to work with the fluidity of water and delicacy of both the watercolor paints and the techniques used to paint them. Synthetic or Natural Hair Brushes? As a beginner, whether you choose synthetic or natural typically comes down to your budget. Synthetics are fantastic to start with to get the feel of a brush and practice techniques. Naturals brushes (kolinsky sable, red sable, fox, squirrel, ox, and goat) use real hair from the animal that have natural ridges and scales within the hair strand which makes a natural hair brush hold more water better than smooth synthetics. If it is feasible and within your budget, we recommend purchasing natural hair watercolor bristles because natural means you spend less time having to re-wet and work with your brushes. Which Brush Shape? The best shape for your watercolor brushes as a beginner will be round brushes. Round brushes are the most versatile as their shape makes them suitable for tiny details, delicate lines, and broad, bolder strokes and washes. Which Size Brushes? When buying your first brushes, we highly recommend three-round brushes. One small (size 2-3), one medium (5-6), and one large (10-12). Because of how adaptable round brushes are, they are genuinely the only three sizes you will need to learn in the beginning. The Paints As a beginner, there's no rush to run out and purchase the most expensive watercolor paints. You will undoubtedly be using too much or too little as you learn on your journey toward the perfect balance between water and paint, how to mix it, and what works best. However, that doesn't mean you should be using any old set from the bargain basket. There are fantastic watercolor paints that are bright, well-pigmented, and at a perfect price not to break the bank while you experiment. It's possible to have quality pigmented watercolors at affordable prices without compromising or worrying about muddy colors. For the best of both worlds (color, performance, and cost) we highly recommend your first set of paints come from: • Winsor & Newton • Cheap Joe's Sketchmaker • American Journey We also advise starting with a smaller pan of mostly primary colors to help you learn about color mixing and color theory and how watercolors react to one another when layered. Having too many colors to choose from can often feel overwhelming as a beginner. The most important aspect of learning a new hobby is having fun and enjoying it! With the right paper, brushes, and paint, you'll build a solid foundation to begin your journey with watercolors! While this doesn't cover nearly all of the great tips and tricks or techniques for a beginner—this is a fantastic starting point! We hope we've been able to help you and inspire you to make more art!
Getting Started With Watercolors: The Basics
Have you ever found yourself fascinated with watercolors' delicate and luminous nature? There's beautiful transparency and freshness to it that isn't as easily duplicated through mediums such as oil or...
Oil Painting Tips for Those New to Oils
Hello Artists, beginners and experts alike! This week, our blog post is inspired by a request from Tanya M. Nevin of Van Gough's Ear Paint Studio (check out her work!). She recently inherited a ton of oil paints from her late father, also an artist. Tanya has been painting with acrylics for over twenty-five years and she's not quite sure how to transition into working with oils. Well, Tanya and I are actually in the same predicament! I've never really used oil paints heavily either. So, what do we do when we don't know what to do? I start by asking questions of others that do. I was all to happy to take this opportunity to research the fascinating world of beginner oil painting and share the top 5 oil painting tips I found most helpful. Let's dive in and learn some great first-time oil painting tips together, shall we? 1. Prepare Your Painting Space Oil paints themselves and the solvents you will need to clean brushes with will come with strong scents; as such, you'll want the space you'll be painting in a well-ventilated area. If possible, make sure there is also plenty of room to keep all the items you need in reach and ready, like mediums, painting surfaces, turpentine, brushes, paints, etc. If possible, you may want to make sure your oil painting space is entirely separate from your acrylics or watercolors. In some cases, it's incredibly easy to grab a tube of Opera Rose watercolor instead of oil because the tubes look very similar. 2. Slow and Steady There's nothing more exciting than trying something new and learning a new art medium. However, it can frequently go from exciting to overwhelming very quickly if you jump right into trying to get all the colors, brushes, canvasses, etc. There's no shame in starting small and slowly. It's always good to start with a small painting surface and a limited paint palette to experience the way the paint applies and feels on the brush and how mixing it differs from other mediums you are familiar with. If you're looking for an excellent budget option, did you know that Gamblin creates a free paint called Torrit Grey? Torrit Grey is Gamblin's solution to ensuring high-quality pigments that float in the air of their factories and get filtered away from workers to keep them safe. To keep the environment safe, Gamblin re-uses these pigments to create a one-of-a-kind color tube of grey. Each shade of grey is different, and they also run an annual contest that artists can enter for a chance to win free stuff. 3. Prime your Surface If you don't have some Joe's Prime Stretched Cotton Canvas or Joe's Prime Cotton Canvas Rolls, which are 100% cotton duck that has all been pre-primed for painting with oils, you will absolutely need to prime your surface. Why? Oil paints have oils in them, and when you paint with them on an unprimed surface, the oils begin separating from the paint. Once they separate, they start seeping into an unprimed canvas, wood, or paper and can quickly ruin the piece of art you've worked so hard to create. Luckily, at Cheap Joe's, not only can you get pre-primed surfaces, but you can get highly budget-friendly primer options like our Joe's Prime Really Good Gesso, which starts at $3.59 for an 8 oz jar and can be used to prime for oils and acrylics. 4. "Thick over Thin?" "Fat over Lean?" Have you discovered the phrase "fat over lean" when researching oil painting tips yet, but have no idea what that means? These phrases refer to the layers in which you should try and paint with oils. Thinner paints with less oil for the bottom, or first play, then thicker, more oily paints go over the thinner layer. This ensures your painting dries at the correct rate. If your painting dries at the incorrect rate, you could have cracking. To make paint 'fatter' or oilier, you add more oil to it, and to make it 'leaner' or thinner, you add a solvent such as turpentine or a fast-drying medium. This helps each layer absorb oil from the layer above it evenly. If you didn't know it already, certain colors are known to have faster drying times too, and they can be incorporated into your lower layers. Paints that contain Cobalt, Manganese, and Lead can be added to other paints to speed up the drying process. On the other hand, certain paints are known for drying slowly, such as Quinacridones, and should be avoided on lower layers. 5. Keep Clean Oil paints, like many art mediums, can get extremely messy. In some cases, depending on the ingredients, oil paints can be pretty toxic if ingested or absorbed into your skin—but don't let that frighten you! It's all about keeping your work area and self as clean and organized as possible (and out of reach of children and pets) while learning how to dispose of everything responsibly and adequately. Paints, mediums, palettes, and anything else with oil paint should be disposed of in or at a Hazardous Waste Facility. Rags, paper towels, and items with less mess on them can be contained in a glass jar or a fire-safe trash container. But the containers must be fire safe because oil paints and solvents are highly flammable, and they could spontaneously combust when drying out! Hopefully, these five beginner tips will help you transition into your new oil paints, Tanya! I can't wait to see what you learn and all you can do! Good luck and good painting!
Oil Painting Tips for Those New to Oils
Hello Artists, beginners and experts alike! This week, our blog post is inspired by a request from Tanya M. Nevin of Van Gough's Ear Paint Studio (check out her...
Mark Mehaffey on \Personal Abstraction\""
Mark Mehaffey was featured in the New Palette Magazine issue #61 which is now out of print. In this reprint, Mark shares with us his process in creating abstract shapes.
Mark Mehaffey on \Personal Abstraction\""
Mark Mehaffey was featured in the New Palette Magazine issue #61 which is now out of print. In this reprint, Mark shares with us his process in creating abstract shapes.
Watercolor Wet into Wet Demystified - Wes Waugh
In this offering, Wes shows us the difference between a dry approach to painting versus the "wetness" technique in creating a landscape. Wes is one of our local (Boone, NC) artists and uses color in a very bold way. His early spring workshop at Cheap Joe's has been rescheduled to November 9-13 due to Covid-19. His workshops are very "heavy-duty" and inspirational.
Watercolor Wet into Wet Demystified - Wes Waugh
In this offering, Wes shows us the difference between a dry approach to painting versus the "wetness" technique in creating a landscape. Wes is one of our local (Boone, NC)...
David R. Smith Watercolor Demonstration: Master...
David created this watercolor demo especially for Cheap Joe's as a way to share some painting skills that you can master while you stay home and make art. You'll learn how to paint a misty landscape step-by-step, as well as a wealth of painting tips that will help you improve your art no matter what subject you're painting.
David R. Smith Watercolor Demonstration: Master...
David created this watercolor demo especially for Cheap Joe's as a way to share some painting skills that you can master while you stay home and make art. You'll learn...
What Is An Abstract Painting Anyway? by Skip La...
Skip Lawrence is another one of my "favorite" artists. He has been teaching at Cheap Joe's forever and after interviewing him in 2017, I asked him to send me something for the first New Palette Magazine that I edited. My question to him was to help us understand the abstraction process as it pertains to his paintings. I think the following two pages help. Enjoy!
What Is An Abstract Painting Anyway? by Skip La...
Skip Lawrence is another one of my "favorite" artists. He has been teaching at Cheap Joe's forever and after interviewing him in 2017, I asked him to send me something...
An Update on Jim Bailey's Art Studio and New Pa...
First, I want to thank you for including my art studio in the New Palette Issue #61. Since it has been over a year I thought it was timely to send you an update showing the addition to my studio and my new painting innovation that I refer to as, "Luminous Paintings." There are also photos showing a portion of the interior of the studio that included about 200 of my paintings, mostly attached to the ceiling along with a 1914 Ford Model T Speedster that was a retirement gift. I enlarged the studio in order to accommodate a 10 ft. easel with a 4 x 5 ft. easel board that raises and lowers with an old sailing ship's block and tackle. On the easel is the 3 x 4 ft. luminous painting, "OLGA." It has the appearance of a typical acrylic painting of an old fishing boat with natural lighting. I painted the sky with colors thinned-down like watercolors so the light, either natural or electrical would reflect through the canvas. Further, I painted a portion of the back side of the canvas with warm colors suggesting the glow of a sunset. Finally, I attached an LED light to the back of the canvas to turn on for night-time viewing. I have also included photos of my luminous window paintings that were painted on standard canvases with thinned-down acrylics and are lighted by natural daylight similar to stain glass windows. I have shared this luminous painting idea with several of my artist friends and they tell me that they have never seen this technique used before. I like to think of myself as an experimental painter, always looking to try something new. The greatest compliment I receive is when someone walks into my studio for the first time and tells me that it looks like several artists' works are on display. I feel very fortunate that at 85 I have a studio to go to each day and fill my time having fun and doing creative things. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to share my ideas with others. Jim Bailey
An Update on Jim Bailey's Art Studio and New Pa...
First, I want to thank you for including my art studio in the New Palette Issue #61. Since it has been over a year I thought it was timely to...
15 Minutes of Painting
“I want to get back into painting, but I just don’t have the time.” I hear it every day. “Maybe that’s because you’re in the art world,” you might say. Well, I’m here to tell you, I’m not the only messenger of the Society of Degenerate Painters, but I’m also its president. Correction – it’s former president!
15 Minutes of Painting
“I want to get back into painting, but I just don’t have the time.” I hear it every day. “Maybe that’s because you’re in the art world,” you might say....
When Is A Brush Not A Brush?
When Is A Brush Not A Brush? When it is a Catalyst Tool from Princeton Artist Brush Company. Crafted from flexible silicone or hard nylon to allow artists a new form of expression.
When Is A Brush Not A Brush?
When Is A Brush Not A Brush? When it is a Catalyst Tool from Princeton Artist Brush Company. Crafted from flexible silicone or hard nylon to allow artists a new...
Artist Chat With Gerald Brommer
Gerald Brommer Interview August 28th, 2015 Interviewer: Terry Henry Gerald Brommer was born in 1927 in Berkeley, CA. Gerald grew up in Northern California then studied to be an educator in Nebraska where he earned a Master’s degree. After moving to Southern California, he received instruction in watercolor painting from Watson Cross, Noel Quinn, and Robert E. Wood and since the 1950s, he has produced watercolors on a regular basis. The subjects he has chosen to paint vary widely from California coast views to desert landscapes and European city scenes. Throughout his life, he has been interested in geology and rock formations that are often included in his work. He finds their varied textures and unique shapes particularly interesting as subject matter. Gerald has also become an internationally recognized teacher of watercolor painting and is the author of eighteen art instruction books and numerous articles in art magazines. He served as president of both the California Water Color Society and West Coast Watercolor Society. Through the years he has actively exhibited watercolors, holding 110 one-man shows and having his works displayed in 204 group exhibitions. Since the 1960s, he has been in demand as an instructor of watercolor workshops and has traveled all over the world conducting these classes. https://newmastersgallery.com/artists/painters/gerald-brommer/# Cheap Joe's: Let’s begin our chat today with the question I have asked each artist I have interviewed: When did you first realize you were an “artist”? Gerald: I was an elementary teacher for 5 years and taught high school students for 25 years and in the process of doing that, the art stuff was always there as far as the teaching of it was concerned. After I’d been married about 5 years, my wife gave me a set of oil paints for Christmas and I started to paint. However, I really didn’t enjoy oil painting that much and wasn’t that good at it either. Then I took my first watercolor class from Noel Quinn and began painting in that medium and really enjoyed it. So during my teaching career, I was always doing watercolor at home after work. Noel Quinn was the president of the National Watercolor society at that time and he talked me into joining them and so I submitted a painting and became a member. After that, I started showing my work in a couple of galleries and though it might sound crass, I began making more money selling paintings than I was teaching school. At that point, I think during the seventies, I had to make a decision as to what I wanted to do. During that period of time, I literally couldn’t paint fast enough and remember selling 100 paintings that year. That will never happen again. Now you are fortunate to sell ten paintings a year. What I think happened is that people were building houses and needed things to decorate them with and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. So I quit teaching school with the proposition to the principal that if I couldn’t stand working at home that I would come back and teach the next year. Well, it only took a week for me to decide that I didn’t want to go back to school again, especially since my paintings were selling at that time. So for the next couple of years, I just painted and sold what I made. Workshops were just starting to happen and I kept getting calls to teach and I told them I was too busy. Then one day as I was driving down the freeway and listening to an interview of Steve Garvey, who used to play first base for the Dodgers. The interviewer asked him why he went to school in order to talk with the kids after he quit playing and I will always remember his answer. Steve said, “Baseball has been so good to me I am impelled to put something back into the pot”. It was like he was talking directly to me. I just about drove off the road. So the next time I got a call to teach, I said yes. The class was in San Antonio, Texas and there were about 35 people in attendance and when I started talking, and everybody’s eyes were locked to mine, I realized that this was not like teaching high school. That’s really how I got started teaching workshops. Cheap Joe's: That is a very interesting story and really leads me into my next question. Who has inspired you during your very interesting career? And if you could be any artist in history, who would that be. Gerald: I probably would be Winslow Homer because I really like his work and he was very prolific and he has probably been more of an influence than any other artist. Cheap Joe's: How would you describe your style of painting. Gerald: Most artists don’t do what I do in the sense that I do both abstract and realistic art. When I teach I teach all of it. I might get really excited about doing abstracts and focus on that style when I get home. Over the years I have absorbed techniques from different teachers. As far as influences Robert E. Wood was a friend and incredible painter who I took a class from. I also studied with Millard Sheets and learned a lot from him as well. Whether I work from a realistic point of view of an abstract perspective I mostly paint landscapes. I can look out of the window here at Cheap Joe’s and literally see dozens of paintings. Cheap Joe's: You have briefly described your journey and your style so my next question would be this: what do you want your 25 students this week to leave with at the end of the class. Gerald: Excitement! I have never had any trouble motivating people. You didn’t get to see what we turned out yesterday but it was phenomenal what they did in one day. That’s what I feed off of. I get so excited seeing how the class is responding and what they are doing and learning in the process of taking a workshop. When I begin a workshop I have no idea how it is going to end up because there are twenty-five different people who are all at different skill levels. Some are struggling with their art and I have to work with them a lot more than those who are at the top of their journey. I only have each person for five days and all I can really do is try and motivate them and get them to take what they have learned home and continued with their art. Cheap Joe's: Have you ever had a low period where you struggled with making art. Gerald: After I began painting full-time I can’t remember ever having a low period in that sense. I have always had a goal or a place I wanted to go with my art. The lowest I can remember being was when I broke my wrist last year and couldn’t paint for a couple of months. It hurt to hold a brush and it was really frustrating. Cheap Joe's You have had a long, successful career and are approaching 91. What’s in the future for Gerald Brommer? Gerald: I thought that this (2015) was going to be my last year. I don’t think I even sent anything in for the Cheap Joe’s Workshopper magazine. But I already have six workshops lined up for 2016. Cheap Joe's: In closing could you share with us a favorite story about Cheap Joe’s. Gerald: I think getting together with Joe and his wife Lynda and going out to eat and tell stories is one of my favorite things to do. This place is phenomenal and what Joe has done for art and artists is a story I never get tired of telling. I remember visiting Boone after having done a workshop for North Carolina Watercolor Society in Charlotte. I had not met Joe at that time and one day my wife and I went looking for the store and we drove up and down the main drag looking for this big sign that would be Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. I was thinking blinking lights and Las Vegas and when we finally saw the little sign at the bottom of the hill I thought that this can’t be Cheap Joe’s. So we found the store and learned the story of how it all began. We met Joe and he asked me to come back to Boone and do a workshop which I thought was really wonderful. It is a great success story and I am proud to be involved. Cheap Joe's: Gerald, it’s been a pleasure talking with you today and we will see you next year. Gerald: Thanks Gerald will be back in Boone teaching September 11-15, 2017. Here are some examples of Gerald's work:
Artist Chat With Gerald Brommer
Gerald Brommer Interview August 28th, 2015 Interviewer: Terry Henry Gerald Brommer was born in 1927 in Berkeley, CA. Gerald grew up in Northern California then studied to be an educator...
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