by KATIE WATSON
Intern Lifestyles Reporter

As a freshman at Appalachian State University, graphic design major Joseph L. Toney started his own business: Jea Style, apparel that features Toney’s own artwork, designs and crafts.

“Joseph has a great business/marketing mind,” E. Shelton Wilder, Watauga High School visual arts teacher said. “I knew he always had dreams of his own company, selling and designing his own products. I always thought it was cool that he would wear his gear to school and others would see it and want to buy something like it.”

Toney specializes in sunglasses and custom crocheted hats.

Made from 100 percent acrylic yarn from Wal-Mart, he began making the hats during his junior year of high school.
“My mom showed me the basic stitch and I kept going from there,” Toney said.

It wasn’t until his senior year, however, that he began to think of himself as an artist.

“[Toney] finished up in my AP art class in 2009,” Wilder said. “I think he had one of the highest scores on the AP [art] exam of any student at Watauga High School.”

Usually incorporating vibrant colors into his artwork and apparel, Toney seeks to stand out. In order to create his own, Toney looks at many different types of styles.

“I get inspiration from just about everything,” Toney said.

Mixed media painting, which combines different materials and methods besides paint, is one of Toney’s favorite mediums.

“I try to throw a bunch of different stuff onto one canvas,” Toney said.

Serving as a trademark, Toney incorporates an image of a face in each painting and often uses Japanese-inspired themes with images of rising suns.

David Wilson, a freshman at Western Carolina University, has known Toney since middle school.

Since then, Wilson has assisted Toney with his headwear line and believes Toney has a “catchy eye for what the consumer wants.”

His art was featured at the local Music on the Mountaintop festival a few weeks ago.

During the festival, Toney sold his first portrait for $75, an experience he regards as his biggest accomplishment as an artist.

“The fact that someone wanted to pay money for something I made is always a good feeling,” Toney said.

Throughout his college career, Toney hopes to continue to manage Jea Style.

“I suspect Joseph will wind up as an art production manager in a graphics firm or perhaps an art director for an agency,” Wilder said. “No doubt he has the skills. Perhaps he will take them to the max.”

When offering advice to other artists, Toney encourages them to “follow what your heart tells you to make.”

“If they think it’s out there and weird, do it anyway,” he said. “There’s bound to be one person who thinks it’s amazing. Once you find [that one person], it’s worth it.”

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