Visit Jerry's Artarama: The Art Supply Megastore in Tempe, AZ

Jerry's Artarama, in Tempe, Arizona, is the place to go for all of your art supply needs. For many years, without a car-accessible, quality art store at my disposal, I have relied on various art mail-order services, including Jerry's. While most comparable services were satisfactory, I usually ended up giving my business to Jerry's. The reasonable prices, comprehensive selection, and prompt delivery times earned my loyalty.

As a recent transplant to Tempe, my sensors perked at the possibility of no longer having to squint at paper tones on my monitor, or anxiously hit "submit" with the hope that my computer, in all of its mysterious glory, would process my order properly. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a good local art store? Imagine my excitement when I learned that, in Tempe, I would be but a quick car ride away from a brand new Jerry's Artarama store - and countless other art supply stores, for that matter. If it's one thing that Tempe has, it's art stores. Trees, no. Art stores, yes.

To borrow the old cliché, walking into Jerry's Artarama is the artist equivalent of being a kid in a candy store. The store is deceptively large, with aisles and aisles of canvases, paper, paints, paint brushes, drafting materials - you name it. Who knew that there were so many varieties of gesso? Large mat boards and illustration boards, perfect for this artist, fill the back wall. Additional "craftier" supplies round out the inventory.

Jerry's also offers custom framing services. As a budget-conscious artist, I have used Jerry's on numerous occasions to frame my work cheaply, yet attractively. Jerry's has a full stock of basic, solid wood gallery frames in all of the standard sizes, as well as some fancier options. Scrap mat is available in the back, and for under ten dollars, the staff will trim it to size. The frame and mat selection may not be as broad as that of other professional frame shops; but the efficient service makes up for it. At least once or twice, the staff has been kind enough to rush a frame job per my request (and lack of foresight).

Jerry's is tucked in (surprise!) a strip mall, conveniently located near the intersection of Highway 60 on Rural Road. You can even stick around and go bowling nextdoor once you've purchased your paints, or head up the road to Denny's for some hotcakes. I wouldn't advise doing the latter. Just stick with Jerry's; you'll have a well-stocked studio.