Do It For The Process

What does creativity look like during covid-19? ⁣Is it quiet? ⁣Is it lonely? ⁣Is it an escape? ⁣Is it a home within a home?Is it a way to scream without sound? ⁣Is it a balm? ⁣Is it a memory of the past? ⁣Is it hope? ⁣   The role of an artist is to feel and translate the things we are seeing, feeling, and receiving into something we can all see and feel and receive. But, creating during hardship can be hard. Or easy. Or it might make you feel guilty. Or it might bring you peace. Whatever you’re feeling when you step into your home art studio is valid and the world WILL return to normal again soonBecause this time can be especially lonely for many of us, I thought I would read some of the words of our fellow artists and creatives. I hope they bring you some comfort and maybe you feel less alone as we work through this time together.   If you're looking for a little added inspiration and clarity during this time, the Artist's Success Guide is FOR YOU.  A transparent look at growth as a creative entrepreneur, ho

A few tips for setting up a functional at-home studio: First and foremost, make sure the supplies you are using are SAFE.  Do not use toxic materials in your home.   I've created a free guide to help with that.  Get the Studio Setup Guide.   Once you're ready to set up your studio space, keep these tips in mind: Make your home studio an easily accessible space but not in a space that will impede normal life.  I bought a little table on Amazon and set it up in the corner of my living room. Have a variety of art supplies on hand.  Feeling free and explorative is always important, but especially right now!  Gather all the mediums you think you might want and bring them into your home studio space.   Tupperware bins.  Keep all the paints and supplies out of reach and contained (especially if you have little ones!)  Jars with lids for all the liquids and to store brushes.  Spaghetti sauce jars, fancy mason jars...  Dedicated cabinets and drawers. You might need to change what or how you create to make working-from

As concerns about the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 increase, I wanted to personally reach out to you and offer some honest thoughts.      I understand how scary and uncertain this time can feel, and the news is so loud and deeply unhopeful.     However, though the whole world feels a little (a lot) crazy, I hope that you are able to transform this storm into a season of GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION, and (dare I say) EXPANSION!     I know this pandemic is causing pain across the globe.    People are sick and scared; they are hungry and desperate. I am watching many of my dearest friends who are small business owners scramble and wrestle with some huge questions as they try their best to stay open and profitable while also safe (and I know their story is being repeated a million times over in each of our communities.)  Low-income households and those that work in retail or service industry are feeling another layer of pain and fear through all of this. Heroic medical personnel around the world are literally

It's time to share your work with the world -- but HOW? Get all the notes and PDFs in this dedicated, thoughtful email series.  GET IT HERE.   How can you create work that has great weight and meaning in the world?  How can you meet collectors?  How can you establish a brand around your work (and do you even want that?).   In this episode, we're going to dig in and figure out how to define your work and bring it to the world in a way that is so deeply attractive and so welcoming to your ideal customers.   Verbalize the message you feel strongly that the world needs to hear Acknowledge that your work is valuable and your IDEAL audience wants to appreciate it (this might not be their current audience, but you can and will find and attract them with the right actions) Understand that there is a collector base/customers/audience out there for you. With direction and clarity, you can and WILL attract that audience Your work is with the clarity, focus, and love needed to bring it to the world elegantly and consiste

Ther are a lot of lies that rattle around our heads and sink into our hearts -- some chosen, some given.  In this video, we dispell these common lies so fast, and so completely that, hopefully, their hold on you, on US, will be massively diminished.     Before we dive in, here are a few links you might want! Join the Share the Work CHALLENGE!  Facebook will be the home-base for the content but I'll also be sharing the prompts via email as well.     Want some extra-pretty graphics and images to share on your IG Story?  Here ya go!   Ok, and with that, let's start busting some lies!   Lie No. 1:Your worth as a human is directly tied to the success of your work Nope.  Don't listen to this sneaky, toxic lie.  You are always worthy and beautiful. The success of your work does not play any part in your value, however, I understand why it might feel that way at times. Let’s get to the heart of THAT longing: You want your work to be valued. And it hurts when it’s not. I get it.And again, let’s get to the heart of t

So far we’ve talked about The 3 things you must know to sell art online, how to know if your art is worth selling, and TODAY, I’m sharing 5 super practical, actionable tips that you can use to support your work in the world. Marketing your art in 2020 is very different than marketing in 2010, 1980, 1800, 1600...  We have had to evolve exponentially as Creative Entrepreneurs.  We have SO much freedom and creative control over our work and careers.  The ability to meet collectors on our own -- the ability to grow and expand our work as we would like...  it's all very exciting!   Wondering where you can go to meet all these amazing, elusive collectors?  Let's talk about marketing your work in 2020!      If I were to choose only 5 areas to market, it would be these:   Email Marketing ake your studio list a vibrant and exciting place.  Share behind the scenes, your inspiration, offer a peek inside your studio, stories and insights...  This is an intimate space!  Create a “studio email list” of people that are inte

How do you know if your work is "worth selling"?  In this video, I break down exactly how I evaluate my work, my collections, and my voice in the world.   While this title might sound intimidating, keel listening!  I think you're going to find that your creativity WANTS TO REWARD YOU.  It wants you to be successful.  It wants to live boldly and beautifully in the world.     10 tips for evaluating your work Does it resonate with you? Does the concept excite you? Can you sit with it in peace for a few moments? Did it feel good to create on an emotional and physical level? Did you enjoy the creative process? Were your motives pure in the creation phase?  If you are creating from a place of peace and abundance, the work will reflect that. Do you enjoy living around the work? If I can spend time with the work then I am proud to sell it Does it feel true to your vision, worldview, and voice? With all the history you have accumulated as an observer, how does this match up? Is it a rough first attempt? Is it a master

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE VIDEO SERIES, you still can!  The videos are live until Feb 25th, 2020. Watch "Share The Work" here   WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MAKING ART WORK?  This is my signature 12-week course for Creative Entrepreneurs and it is full of all the goodness and direction you need to thrive in your creative career.       Began simply but with a vision. Your website is your gallery, but start simple. Less is more and the most important thing is that you share your gorgeous work with the world. Don’t let a website hold you back (that’s what MAW is for — hint hint) Your collectors won’t find you unless you invite them into your gallery (marketing, social presence, art shows, craft fairs, gallery shows, email marketing… use your compelling storytelling, showing up on behalf of your work because it is worth your support and love). Your work will only be attractive if you are actively attracting people to your work (story, brand vibe + photography) DON’T BE BORING. The key to attracting people to yo

Welcome to Share the Work! This is a 4 part series + challenge and by the end of this short series you will feel empowered and excited to share your work in the most vibrant and passionate way possible. Over the next few episodes we’re going to dive into: — 3 things you must know to sell art online — How do you know if your art is worth selling? — 5 ways to share your work and get the attention of collectors — Breaking the mold: The 5 most hurtful lies artists believe (and 5 ways we can overcome those blocks). I suspect that, because you’re here, you create beautiful work that you are proud of and want others to appreciate You are a little tired of artwork stacking up around your studio or in the corner of your spare bedroom Your creative vibe is THRIVING but your business is withering If you have a creative business, you wonder HOW LONG will this thing keep sustaining me? Can I really make this a life-long career? HERE’S THE DEAL Hoppin creative careers don’t just happen to people. Vibrant creative bus

Imagine creating artwork for weeks, without thinking about selling.  Imagine putting your whole vision into the world clearly and beautifully.  ...And what if there were also eager collectors ready and waiting for your work?  AMAZING, right? When I began my creative career I did what most (if not ALL) artists do: we create something and then sell it.  Create, then sell.  And repeat.  In fact, I did that flow on high speed because I began my career by doing a painting each DAY and selling it the next day!  This is fine for a while, but I soon found that I was creating and hustling far more than I needed to!  Here's what happens when you DON'T work in collections: It can be very easy to create from the WRONG HEADSPACE Creating it for the single sale rather than for the idea.  Creating artwork for $$ rather than the message or vision behind the work Never getting to spend time with your work and feel a sense of ownership over it It can also really mess with your artistic flow to have to interrupt your process to

Progress is Quiet and Slow.  Lasting growth rarely happens in a flash -- if it did, it would be far too painful.  I began supporting my family with my artwork business in 2013, selling originals, commissions, and prints.  Once that shift happened in my mind and in our lives, a whole world of possibility was opened to me.  The next seven years brought consistent and gentle growth -- more profits, exciting opportunities, saying YES to things that felt just a tiny bit outside of my comfort zone, scaling, stretching...  All that growth has brought tremendous blessings and profitability, but it has also led to a lot of personal development (which is rarely comfortable) and pretty intense "growing pains" (aka anxiety) as I stretch to fit my new role and be the person my work needs me to be.     In this episode, I bring you through that journey step by step from 2013-now (running two separate businesses, making well over 6-figures, doing things that thrill and excite me daily.)    LINKS Making Art Work The Artist's

TEN YEARS as a professional fine artist!  Woohoo!  What a surreal moment this is for me.  What a journey it has been!  But it hasn't been easy.  Would you believe me if I told you I sold my first painting for $1?  The $2?     In this episode, I bring you through the early years of my creative career, from spare bedroom studios and $1 paintings, to West Texas and the start of my (old) blog BeautifulHelloBlog.com, to Charleston and my new creative adventures as a REAL artist making $400 a month, a failed art show, the beginning of my Instagram account, waves of bounty and poverty... it was a hard start with a lot of growing pains, but a beautiful, expansive journey.   In the summer of 2013, after what felt like a true crucible and test of my resolve, I began supporting our family with my art.     I am so thankful that art kept me grounded.  Otherwise, where would we be today?  Maybe the risks are the reason we are here today and the reason art feels so deeply beautiful.    Please know that if you are feeling ad

here’s the deal, YOUR DREAMS DON’T COME TO LIFE BY CHANCE. THEY COME TO LIFE WHEN YOU WORK YOUR MAGIC AND AIM TOWARDS A GOAL.   In this episode: we plan out the year season by season discuss dates you should avoid  tips for planning out your year advice to increase your creativity + profitability   I also share a look into my year-calendar and insight into how a thriving creative business.   Download the 28-page workbook and plan some brilliance!  Download the booklet here. 2020, The Artist's Year of Growth!

Welcome to 2020!  The Year of growth and expansion.   In this podcast, we explore the importance of dreams (how can you grow without vision?) and then dive into practical ways to grow your business, nourish your creativity, and fall in LOVE with the process.   There is a BEAUTIFUL free 28-page workbook that goes along with this two-part episode series.  Download it here.  It is designed for your success and I can't wait to hear how it impacts your bottom line + creativity this year!    

Whew!  We're nearly there.  It's almost time to stuff some stockings and eat fruit cake -- the holiday sales season is wrapping up soon!   I first shared this exercise with The Collective (a mentorship I offer for creatives and artists) but I wanted to share it with you too!        Regardless of how you are taking on this season (aiming for record sales goals or sitting this one out) the energy in the air can be a bit much sometimes.  Am I right?   And here's a little secret for you: the energy you feel affects your work.  And the energy you bring to your creative process affects the quality of the work.  And the energy you feel towards your work affects its success in the world.   Did you follow all of that?   It's a whole cycle of input and output and if you are not keeping yourself well balanced the cycle fails.     So we're going to take a moment in the middle of all the hubbub and come back to the heart of it all.  Now.  In the craziness.  Because this is when we need it most.     This creative prompt is

The holidays are (nearly) here and it's time for your creativity to SHINE!  In this episode, I share 5 tips that will majorly increase your holiday sales: 1. Think of your website like a storefront.  Make it beautiful, tidy, enchanting, and easy to navigate. 2. Be consistent and constant.  Remember that, during normal times of the year, if you say something five times, your audience is just beginning to hear you. During the holidays I recommend saying something at least 7 to 10 times in order to be heard!  It might feel like too much to you, but it doesn't feel that way to your customers. 3. Photography, photography, photography!  You can do it yourself or hire a pro, but having good photos is really the only way to stay in business these days. 4. Offer a variety of price points to meet a variety of your customer's needs 5. Make your gifting easy. Curated collections, suggestions for different people, bundles…   BONUS: find joy in the season.  You really have to store up energy and bring it during this time o

Welcome to part two of our creating authentic art conversation: What do you do when someone COPIES your work?    I'm coming to you from Europe today but before we begin this episode, go download the FREE GUIDE TO SELL YOUR OWN WORK. “How to Sell Art Online” https://www.emilyjeffords.com/howtosellart This guide is going to make the whole process of bringing your work to the world clear and inspiring.   Two weeks ago we talked about ways to create authentic art that is pure and from YOUR inspiration     Before we dive into this too far, we need to lay a foundation:  EVERYTHING IS A REMIX Everything builds on something that came before. Acknowledge the massive amount of inspiration that went into the formation, creation, and execution of your own work. You and I are part of a long, long lineage of artists building on ideas and working within mediums. What an honor!     Thoughts travel at the speed of light in our connected world If your ideas are good, and if you share them (which you should) they WILL travel

Having been in the creative world for quite a few years with a pretty wide audience, I've had the "honor" (lol) of having my work copied many, many times.   In this episode, I get into why copying someone's work is harmful to not only the original artist but also for the person who is being heavily inspired.   We also get into mental shifts and practical tips for creating good, authentic, ORIGINAL art that is going to help your work thrive.  Creating work you are proud of and that speaks from your point of view and personal aesthetic leads to great success in your career.   This topic is sensitive, and I want to approach it with love and understanding, but I also want our industry to grow and improve, and the only way we can do that is by exposing our wounds and allowing them to heal.   Keep creating good work.  XO   Learn more about Emily Jeffords: www.EmilyJeffords.com www.EmilyJeffordsLearn.com  www.instagram.com/emily_jeffords     

Shouldn't we be competing?  Shouldn't we keep everything locked away and behind closed doors?  What if I were to tell you that honesty and transparency in your creative business could be the key to your success?  What if I were to tell you that it was my key to success?  Would you go for it?     In this episode we hear from 6 women who have been a vibrant and powerful part of my creative community: Jan McCarthy (http://www.janmccarthy.com/) Jennifer Allevato (https://jenniferallevato.com) Katherine Corden (https://katherinecorden.com/)  Lucy Reiser (http://lucyreiser.com/) Joyce Chiang (https://www.shopjoycechiang.co/) Sarah Bourne Rafferty (https://www.atwaterdesigns.com/)    After these beautiful artists share their perspective, I dive into the benefits of Community and some ideas to help you form your own.     Rate + Review this podcast if you have a second!  I will love you forever. And share it on your IG stories!   xox

Yes, you read that correctly.  A path that your creative career can move and evolve through so that you can just create and rest in the knowledge that you and your business are exactly where you need to be!   Where does your business fall right now? Hobbyist, Emerging Artist, Pioneering Artist, Aficionado, and Creative Maven.   Learn SO much more about each phase in the booklet and video series.     Join us on this journey at EmilyJeffordsLearn.com.  You can find all the links to the success path right on the homepage.