It's time! Today, we’re having a conversation about goals. Yes, in the middle of the year. This is the best time to check in and see how your goals are progressing and what you want for the rest of the year (especially before the holiday season takes hold). 

In this episode, I'm checking in on my goals for 2024; many of which I have achieved, but many I didn't. We'll discuss what to do when you realize you're not reaching your goals or need to adjust some expectations. Enjoy, my sweeties!

The Collective // www.EmilyJefforsdsLearn.com (doors open September 5th) 

The Non-Toxic, Healthy Studio Guide // www.emilyjeffords.myflodesk.com/jme7kfx6fl 

This is a delicious talk about creativity, friendship, and what you can create when collaborating with someone you admire and trust. 

Tanya Val is an artist and plant shop owner living in Anchorage Alaska. She is one of the most WILDLY talented humans I know. Seriously, just visit her site to see. 

We have been working and traveling together for years, created some of the most beautiful retreats ever seen, and are writing a book together!   

But in this conversation, you are going to hear about SO much more than just our professional work. We share our heart, passion, and love for our creative work and our shared (and very deep) passion for creating with nature.

We're also hilarious. We think. :) 

Creating With Nature Retreats: creatingwithnature.art

This helps me keep going and flowing and I love them so so much. 

The Collective Opens on May 30th! This is the most transformative place for Artists to grow their studios and practices because we normalize the success of Creatives. There are so many training and lessons in there so you can find success in your work a little more easily and gently. 

Go visit the Nature and Silk Scarf Collection I mentioned at the end of this episode! It will be available Thursday at 2:00pm est. 

This episode is a bit vulnerable and took a lot of inner work to even get to the place where I can talk about this so confidently and from tried and true experience. Thank you for being the most generous and kind audience. It is a delight to share my experiences and story with you. 

This summer, work towards feeling safe, healthy, and whole in your creative practice. It will pay off in multitudes in your creative work and the output you are able to step into. 

I'm cheering for you.

xo,

Emily

emilyjeffords.com

This episode is SO precious (stay til the end to hear my whole heart MELT). I sat down with two of the most beautiful parents/artists I know and we talked about balancing, blending, and maintaining your whole self and your studio practice while also being a mother. 

Hint: balance is a juggling act, everything comes back around, you are capable of SO much more than you imagine, and also you don't have to do anything at all but love yourself and love your kid(s). 

Please let me know what comes up for you as you listen! You can always reach me at [email protected] 

Meet Cait and Skye!

Caitlyn Zarate is my Program Manager and keeps Making Art Work and The Collective (and so much more) running smoothly so that I can be an artist and mother! Visit Caitlyn on Instagram. 

Skye Como Miller is our Community Support Queen. If you've felt a warm glow from our community, emails, or social media, it probably had Skye's touch! Check out Skye's Instagram and Website

Want to WATCH this episode? Head to my YouTube

Your creativity is boundless, your imagination is unyielding, and the weight of this world is unrelenting.

Vyana Novus joins us in this very tender and open discussion on creativity, trauma, beauty, and safety in this interview-episode. You will walk away feeling so deeply seen and reminded that pain is integral to our growth and often plays a part in the creation of good art. Vyana is one of my dearest friends and we talk like two people who have a deep understanding of one another and a lot of mutual admiration -- but you're also going to hear a lot of curiosity and vulnerability as we get into some deep topics.

TW: We discuss SA, ED, intimate partner abuse, and trauma. Nothing is described in any graphic detail but I want you to be aware in case you are looking for a purely light episode. I have 100 others you can listen to. However, this episode is BEAUTIFUL and full of safety and love. 

Find me (Emily Jeffords) at @Emily_Jeffords and emilyjeffords.com 

Hey there, friend! Welcome back to the Do It For The Process podcast – it's so great to have you here again. I've been pouring my heart into creating a fresh body of work in the studio and the painting process has taught me SO much -- yet again.

Here's the thing I've realized: pleasure is the goal. Finding joy in the process is everything. Sometimes your own happiness can be the only goal -- in and out of the studio.

Trying things that excite you and feel new can make the entire process come to life.

Perfection is boring. Let yourself create what feels most alive and most alive. Be someone more focused on receiving inspiration rather than how you or your work is affecting others. It's so powerful when I can shed perfectionism and just appreciate the goodness in my work. It feels so good and so alive and freeing! 

As always, it is a delight to create and share my practice and this gorgeous collection of work with you.

See some behind-the-scenes on Instagram: @Emiy_Jeffords

Explore TikTok with me: @emily_jeffords

Follow my daily musings on Threads (It's genuinely delightful over there)

Get the full experience and tune into the workshops (and get all the conversation, Q&A, extra goodness, and worksheets) HERE.

The Share the Work videos are available through March 21st! 

• MAKING art WORK

if someone buys something for their home or themselves, they want to enjoy that thing. In order to enjoy something, we have to VALUE it. In this episode, we talk about all the ways we might be devaluing our own art and efforts before ever showing our work to someone else! 

As you let your imagination expand, your aspirations will follow.

And your aspirations will soon turn into goals

So much of Making Art Work is deeply practical – HOW TO grow a business around your art, when to take certain steps, the methods that make the magic… but so much of the work we do is loosening the mindsets that keep us from creating bravely and sharing our work well. 

This is where Making Art Work shines. Inside this Masterclass, I get to walk with you through every single area of running a creative business. Everything from web design to wholesale, branding to creating a collection, email marketing, running ads for your art, SEO for artists and SO much more! 

Tune into the LIVE workshops and get all the conversation, Q&A, extra goodness, and worksheets HERE. They are available through March 21st! 

MAKING art WORK is OPEN! Learn all about this life-changing and STUDIO-GROWING masterclass HERE. 

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 2024 is very different than marketing in 2014, 1924, 1400...  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 2024!  If I were to choose only 5 areas to market, it would be these:

• Email Marketing

Make your studio emails 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 who are interested in you + your work

Nurture those people with a beautiful “welcome sequence” — a collection of 2-10 emails that are automatically sent to your subscribers sharing:

Send early access to artwork or collections

• Social Media

Show up on social media as a fine artist, designer, maker, PROFESSIONAL

Understand why you are there and why you are posting. Choose 1-2 platforms and get to know the culture and content that is doing well on those platforms. 

Share your work beautifully and consistently: photograph it well, bring people into the studio, allow them to get to know your story (as it relates to your creative work), and don’t be afraid to share/sell your work! 

Share your work regularly – when someone comes to your account, is your “highest” work front and center.

Many more practical tips inside of Making Art Work on growing your social media accounts, creating effective content, and maintaining a marketing calendar. 

• Use the magic of Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the VERY best places to share your work as a visual creative!

Pins tend to mature over age and offer benefits to your work 1-12 months after they are pinned.

Pinterest ads are also something to consider if you're ready to invest some $$ and thought into marketing.

Pin your work directly to Pinterest from the listing or blog post.  Also, pin your Instagram posts!  Why not reuse that glorious content? 

Vary the content you pin: original content from your site or other platforms, photos, videos, as well as pins from other sites that will compliment your work.

• COLLABORATE 

Working with another creative, a designer, blogger, editor, podcaster… be your best advocate and PR.

Cross-promote, share platforms, go live with your friends, offer value to other brands and media.

Reach out to designers in your local community and offer them a trade discount (10-20% off).  You can also request or barter for amazing photographs!  

I didn't mention this in the video, but you can also with designers to rent your artwork for staged homes.  Some wonderful passive income!  

Commercial designers: restaurants, offices, hotels...

• Show up IRL

Find ways to share your work in real life – in the real world. This could be at art shows, galleries, craft fairs, wholesale your work in shops, liscence your work and be known in your community. 

The connections you can make in-person are so much greater and more effective for both marketing and for sales. One in-person meeting is worth at least 10 online meetings.  Be warm, welcoming, intentional, and get ready to welcome new people into your community!

MARKETING and growing your studio is where Making Art Work shines. Inside this Masterclass, I get to walk with you through every single area of running a creative business. Everything from web design to wholesale, branding to creating a collection, email marketing, running ads for your art, SEO for artists and SO much more! 

DOORS CLOSE ON THURSDAY

Join the LIVE workshops and get all the conversation, Q&A, extra goodness, and worksheets HERE. They are available through March 21st! 

Let’s get to the heart of the issue: You need to elevate your BRAND.

Yep. You. You have a brand.

I know… It's weird. 

And also kind of fancy!

Let's talk about what a brand is before we get all bristly and closed off. A brand is far more than a logo. It is far more than your website. It's not your icons, graphics, images, the tiny alligator on your shirt, the label inside of your coat…

Your brand is the feeling people experience when they come in contact with your work. How cool is that! Now, allllll the things mentioned above absolutely matter and help to convey your brand, but they are not the brand.

>>>> You are in charge of bringing value to your work.

Your work might be lovely and you are authentically sharing it with your audience, but if you’re not presenting it beautifully and effectively, they won’t have the chance to appreciate it.

As you create a brand, you have space to elevate and grow.

This is where Making Art Work shines. Inside this Masterclass, I get to walk with you through every single area of running a creative business. Everything from web design to wholesale, branding to creating a collection, email marketing, running ads for your art, SEO for artists and SO much more! 

Join the LIVE workshops and get all the conversation, Q&A, extra goodness, and worksheets HERE. They are available through March 21st! 

Today we set the foundation. The MOST important step of all. Falling in LOVE with your work, with the process, with the beautiful energy you feel while creating. That sweet sweet magic translates to the way you share your work with your (ever-growing) audience which connects to how you grow your studio and business. And it all starts with that love. 

IS YOUR VISION COMING THROUGH IN YOUR WORK?

>> Before you can expect to attract customers, you have to understand what your work is saying as it is active and living in the world. 

1 Understand why your work is worth being seen

2 Get clear on why your work matters to you

3 Look at your work from the outside; is it speaking in the way you intend?

4 How are you conveying the value of your work to others?

5 Define who your ideal audience is and where they feel most comfortable

6 How can you use empathy to share your work effectively?

This is where Making Art Work shines. Inside this Masterclass, I get to walk with you through every single area of running a creative business. Everything from web design to wholesale, branding to creating a collection, email marketing, running ads for your art, SEO for artists and SO much more!