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Art Suppy Resources
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Although most grocery stores and bookstore carry the basic sketchbook and pencils for my art classes, most students want other art materials from time to time. I´ve reviewed our local resources and revise the list occasionaly based on my experiences of each store´s helpfullness, price, and variety of materials.
1st Choice: Jerry's Artarama behind the Melting Pot on Wake Forest Road- After pay day, you'll find me at Jerry's Artarama because it's got the best selection and the most knowledgeable and friendly sales help in the area. Jerry's is a catalog and Raleigh is fortunate enough to have a "front store" for the catalog in our little town. There's a great little coffee shop in the middle called "Starving Artists' Café" where you can sip coffee and read art books like at Barnes and Noble. There are even white paper rolls across the tables so you can draw on the table as you sip your latte. This is definitely the place to go if you're considering a major purchase such as an easel or starting a new hobby like silk painting.
2nd Choice: Michael's on White Oak, Capital Blvd, Glenwood Ave, and at Crossroads in Cary- I've checked the same basic items such as canvas, books, and paint at several stores and Michael's has the best prices. Unfortunately, they don't have a really good selection and it's usually some teenage clerk who knows nothing about art supplies working there. If you know what you want, go to Michael's first for a good price.
3rd Choice- AC Moore on Capital Blvd and at Crossroads in Cary- While AC Moore is my favorite mega art store the prices are a little bit more expensive than Michael's but cheaper than any of the other stores I've listed. There's a pretty good selection and friendly staff.
4th Choice: Askew Taylor on Glenwood Avenue near Hillsborough Street- This place is where all the art teachers and college professors in the area seem to shop and send their students. It's a hole in the wall and you can barely find the cash register amongst piles of boxes and paint cans much art supplies. But, it's got some of the highest quality art materials and students and teachers get 20% off. While the sales help may not be the friendliest people to jump out and help you, they really know what they're talking about and a couple are even aspiring artists. This was once on the top of my list but I´ve found some inks and paints were not stored properly and became overheated. |
