Planning, organizing, and getting ready to paint!

Artwork coming soon!

Happy Saturday!

I've sent my husband off to the grocery store, put my daughter down for a nap, and made some coffee. I am now ready to sit down with the computer and note pad to map out all my creative endeavors. I hope you all are getting as excited as I am about Monday! Wow, I never thought I would say that!

Painting365 is going to kick off then, March 1st, with my first painting. 1 of 365!  Artwork coming to your walls soon!

Thank you also, to Going Home To Roost for featuring my work on your blog!
Check it out! http://www.goinghometoroost.com/2010/02/shopping-local-greenville-south-carolina/

Have a beautiful Saturday!

weekend plans

I hope you all have your calendars out, your big fat sharpies ready, stickers, arrows... Mark your calendars!!! MONDAY is March first - and subsequently, the start of Painting365!


"The beginning of the rest of my life." Ok, maybe that's a bit to dramatic....

Thank you for the MANY photographs I have received so far! It has been such fun opening my email and getting to look at the beautiful places you have been, awesome things you have done, and sweet memories you’ve made. I'm getting so inspired! I'll be spending the weekend preparing my painting schedule, and getting the rest of my marketing plan in order.

A little Q&A

I understand, this is a moderately confusing project, and you may have some questions... In this post I try to answer some questions I have been asked!

1. Who decides on the medium and size of the painting? I do. I will take into consideration the size I think it "needs" to be based on the details in the photograph, and subject matter,  and price (I tend to paint the more expencive paintings a little larger). The same with the medium. Some photos would look great as a watercolor, some as oil... I'll pick the medium I feel fits best.  I'll try to make it look as amazing as the rendering in my mind!


2. Who pays the shipping? You do. I will apply that to your Etsy bill, UNLESS I can hand deliver it!


3. Will each painting be started and finished in one day? I'm not going to say yes to that exactly. One painting will get finished every day. For example, a couple days ago, I painted three paintings in one day (and they weren't small), but for the past three days I've been working on ONE! It's taking forever! But I will attempt to do one painting, from start to finish, each day. That's my goal.


4. Will the photos we send be returned? Most people are sending me digital photos (which I prefer). However, I will return hard copies along with your finished painting if you request. I can't promise that it will be in pristine condition... (I'm a messy painter).


5. Do we pay in advance or what? As I complete a painting, I will list it on my art shop (EmilyJeffords.etsy.com). There you can buy the painting with either check, cash, or PayPal!


6. How is your position determined? As I receive photographs, I put them into a two week section. That way you will know within a $15 range the cost of the painting, but it gives me a little flexibility as far as my schedule goes.


7. How do you actually sign up? If you would like to sign up, email you photograph to theartist.emily@gmail.com  If you would like to sign up for a painting that I chose to paint (not based on anyone's photograph) then just check my blog often! I'll post paintings frequently that were not actual commission pieces and they will be up-for-grabs!


Thank you all for your questions, comments, and support

The beginning has begun! Examples of art to come.

For the past two days I have been basking in the sunlight, streaming in through the large windows in my new studio... painting, and painting and painting! It's been so wonderful.


Here are some of the fruits of my labor!

These paintings will reappear throughout the next couple months as Painting365 kicks off on March 1st! Knowing my crazy life and schedule, I thought it would be prudent to work ahead a bit.



Painting365 starts in 12 days!!! On March first I will officially start painting, posting, listing, and selling one painting every day. These paintings will be sold on my etsy shop for the dollar amount of the day (for example, on day 33, the painting will cost $33).
I would love to paint a painting specifically for you! Send me a photograph of one of your beautiful memories, and I will paint it!

DIY manicure... bohemian, big brush style.

I have resigned myself to my fate... stained fingernails... for the next YEAR. I'm trying to get a little head start on March 1st. Only 13 days from today project Painting365 will start!
I am still accepting photographs! Send me your vacation photos, first home, garden, beach, city scenes... anything you love and want to treasure forever! I'll be posting a few examples I've been working on within the next couple days! Stay tuned!
Send your photographs to theartist.emily@gmail.com

Sentimental V-day

Happy Valentines day!


I have always loved valentines day... (appropriate, right?) It always seems to sneak up on me, but I love the glitz and romance wrapped around it. This V-day, my husband and I hosted a party for 16 newlywed couples. It was such fun. More than that, I think I enjoyed decorating for it! I made these super cute streamers out of vintage print paper, put candles everywhere, and cut out about 50 hearts. I used to cut out hearts with my mom every valentines day. we would stick them all over the walls to create a funky Bohemian decor for the big day. I wonder if she remembers doing that? I wonder what my daughter will remember...?

We have a wonderful, 4 season garden around out house. So I gathered all sorts of greenery, flowers to decorate the tables with. It was so pretty when all was said and done.

btw, the photos on our mantel were taken by GetzCreative photography. I love their work!

...happy faces, snowy places...

I live in Greenville, SC. Not a very snowy, cold, place... so when we get a little snow everyone freaks out, hides inside and stays inside for at least two days after the snowfall. I am not originally from the south (in fact, I'm not really sure where I'm from... oh well) so I laugh at the hysteria a little snowflake can cause.



Today there was a sudden snow fall in the middle of the afternoon and it was SO beautiful and everyone was out and about in the big fat flakes (because it was so sudden...) and smiling from ear to ear. It was so wonderful.


But... this blog isn't about weather patterns. It's about art!  So, on that note, I want to let you know that sample photographs of the art I will be doing for the next year will be posted within the next week! So stay tuned.

Casting Call

Project Painting365 (that's what I've decided to call the project after several failed attempts to explain it clearly) is starting in 20 DAYS!!!

Send me you photographs asap! I am looking particularly for cityscapes, landscapes, your back yard, your house, your favorite beach scene, your child running around the woods, that adorable little store front downtown...

The reason you need to send these soon is quite simple. If I paint your picture on the first day, it will cost $1. Ya, that's right... $1. The tenth day: $10. You can do that math. Earlier = less expensive.

After I paint the painting I'll send you a message letting you know when it will be for sale (at least 12 hours before) so you can check it out and decide if you'd like to by it.

I can't wait to start Painting365 and want you to be excited too!
You can email me photos at theartist.emily@gmail.com

New Spaces

This evening my husband and I are setting up the "Art Room" in our new house. Dan (my husband) is amazingly helpful. I am so glad I have a creative and supportive husband!

So this is where it will all happen... probably.... I have this horrible tendency to set up a studio, then paint everywhere else in the house except in that room.

I'm sure this time will be different... There are four large windows, hard wood floors, and plenty of space! In our old home, this room would have taken up most of the up stairs! I'll post some pictures when I get it all done. Don't hold your breathe though. I have a LOT to do! It's a bit of a fixer-upper!

Don't forget! I need pictures of your favorite places! If you have photographs of your last lovely vacation, or lush backyard, or any other pretty (or not-so-pretty) place you love, send it to me! I'll paint it and let you know when I post it. The earlier, the better for you!

Return - with a bang

So, after many months away from this blog, I've returned.

In the time that has lapsed, we had a BEAUTIFUL little girl we named Annalisa Grace Jeffords who is now 5 month old, helped my husband jump into a new and excited career, moved into a lovely 1920's house, had an art show in down town Greenville, travelled across the country (at least the eastern side) more than once... and continued loving life, God, and family.

I am looking forward to this year very much. I have some very exciting artistic ideas floating around my head. The one I'm most excited about is also the project that scares me the most! Painting 365. Starting March 1st, I'm going to do a painting everyday for a year! I want to really develop my painting style this year, so I am going to paint mostly landscapes and cityscapes with a variety of mediums (oil, acrylic, or watercolor). The exciting part, and where I will need the most help is subject matter! We live on such a beautiful earth, and I want to see it from your perspective as well, so send me your pictures! I'll paint them, and let you know when I post them and they're for sale.

The paintings are going to start at $1 and go to $365 along with the days, so send me your photos early (but lets be honest $365 for an original, beautiful painting, of your favorite place? not bad at all....)

This is going to be a very challenging and exciting project, so your encouragement, feedback, photos, and comments are welcome and needed!