Trader Joe's is one of the fastest growing supermarket retailers in the world. In May 2009, Consumer Reports ranked Trader Joe's the second best supermarket chain in the nation, after Wegmans. They sell a variety of gourmet products and exotic specialty items hand-picked by their buyers from around the world including many different varieties of nuts, cheeses and for some stores, even wine.
Whole Foods is primarily a health-food superstore with a wide range of organic and specialty products. Alot of Gluten-Free and harder to find items are found here.
Ideal Artist Job?
In every Trader Joe's store, there is an artist or two working on their next masterpiece to be displayed. One of the distinctive qualities about Trader Joe's is the hand-made signs; every single sign, even the little ones, are drawn by hand, colored and laminated. For artists and illustrators, the freedom of creating concepts for designs and illustrations for signs and murals is a liberating and rewarding experience and a dream job for those still pursuing a fine-art career.
Before holiday times such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, the artist may be asked to help out on the sales floor for a while to tame the crowds. The hours can be long especially for bigger projects, but the notoriety in the community and exposure can be very good for promoting fine-art created outside of the store.
Qualifications For Store Artists
Although an associate degree or major in an art field is preferred by management, for the most part, it is not required. An amazing portfolio or sample pieces of art that pertain to signage and mural work are all factors taken into consideration during the interview process. Illustrator work with a whimsical, cartoon or animated feel are just as valuable as illustrations that are more based in comic-book style and realism. A knowledge of a variety of lettering is vital to the job, so samples of hand-made signage or logos are a big plus.
What Are The Benefits?
The benefits of working for either Trader Joe's or Whole Foods varies, but both do offer health insurance after a specified period of time has elapsed. Trader Joe's has a reputation of hiring very down-to-earth people and treating them very well. Even the consumers tend to be on the friendly side, and for a place where getting the customer to smile is a priority, it isn't a surprise.
Both stores have a very different approach to signage so it is best for an artist to look at the signs in each store to see which would accomodate their style more willingly and effectively.
Maya Trimner - Maya L. Trimner is a food-allergy awareness activist and portrait artist. She manages mayashappyplace.com, a safe place for people with ...
