INK

We're famous!  Check out the Examiner's story on us!  I couldn't do Painting365 without you!

Emily Jeffords is an artist who calls Greenville, SC her home. Emily works in oils, watercolor and pen and ink. “As an emerging artist I feel like people needed to get to know my work, learn how to relate to it, and develop a sense of loyalty to my art. In order to do that they need to own a piece. But the question was, what incentive can I give people to buy my artwork when cash is short and people are nervous about jobs and the economy?”

Emily’s answer to this question shows a creative mind that can think outside the box. “I decided to start a blog, Painting365.blogspot.com, that will run for one year. During this year I am going to paint one painting every day totaling 365 paintings. These paintings will be sold on my online shop for the dollar amount of the day. The first painting will cost $1, the last will be $365.”

Emily has changed both her approach to art and to marketing that art after the economy took a downturn. “Before launching this blog, I was focused on word-of-mouth sales and gallery openings. Now, I am reaching out to a global market via the internet, and my gallery is open 24/7. Featuring my artwork in a blog format also allows me to share my thoughts, ideas, and stories, about each piece. I want the artwork people purchase from me to become very personal and special to them…to directly involve people in my art making process. So, I asked the readers of my blog to send me photographs that they would like to have painted for them, and the response has been amazing. While this is great, it is also very challenging for me to create a very personal work of art for each individual.”

Emily’s advice to other artists is to let their art speak from the soul. “Our artwork must be hard to look away from, and even harder to walk away from. It must illicit meaning and deep emotion for the viewer. I believe, as Michelangelo said, that “the true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”