I'm doing something brave - scary - generous - loving - needed - luxurious - important - countercultural... 

I'm RESTING. Not yet -- right now I'm diving headfirst into Making Art Work and I'm SO excited to nurture and empower the Creative Community in this way. My sabbatical will begin in 2023 and will be focused on creativity, inspiration, rest, writing, and nurturing the parts of my that have been patiently waiting for attention.

 

I'm so excited. 

 

If you're feeling thirsty for inspiration and creativity, maybe this is your nudge to think about prioritizing those things just a bit. 

You don't have to have a sabbatical year -- you could start by carving out 2 hours a week to nourish that part of you. Create a terrarium around your inspiration and walk in it as often as you can. 

This big dream is living in you for a reason. Creativity is blooming inside of you because it has found a home there. That's an honor. Elizabeth Gilbert has a theory about inspiration being a living thing that is looking for a receptive home to give it form – YOU are that form.  You are that home.  You have that ability.  And Creativity will never take from you more than it gives. It may give you joy, connection, purpose, money, impact, or a vehicle for change – I think it will give you ALL of the above. Trust it. Honor it. Empower it. 

 

My inbox and DM's have been spilling over with big-hearted creatives eager and nervous about taking the next step in their creative journey – trusting me to walk alongside them. What an honor! Making Art Work is open for enrollment through TOMORROW!   If you're feeling those same nerves, eagerness, readiness, but also a bit of uncertainty, please take some of my confidence. This work is GOOD. YOU can do it. I will help you accomplish big, beautiful things.    xo Emily   @Emily_Jeffords emilyjeffords.com 

Practical Tips to Grow Your Dream Career + Move Past the Lies

Welcome to the final episode in the Share the Work series! You can watch all the video trainings + access the workbooks + community here.

The more you value the deep creative work you offer, the more your audience will value your work as well.

As you progress through your journey, you might find a few “lies” creep onto your path — let’s talk about them and very practically move past them!

• Learn more about Making Art Work
• Go to the Share the Work Videos
• Join our private Share the Work Community
• Follow @Emily_Jeffords on Instagram 
• Visit Emily Jeffords' fine art website

Making Art Work is OPEN! Come join me in this transformative creative course. Making Art Work is a 12-week course where I teach Artists and Creatives how to build a soulful, profitable business. I’ve watched hundreds of Alumni sell their high-end creative work consistently, they create collections that are often purchased in minutes, launch products with their dream companies, grow their collector base (way more important than your IG followers), and run profitable, sustainable, multi-passionate events.

 

Today, we're going to dive into marketing effectively. 

Marketing Your Work Effectively and Sustainably Email Marketing

Make your studio emails a vibrant and exciting place. This is an intimate space — the perfect place to not only sell your work, but also share behind the scenes, your inspiration, peek inside your studio, stories and insights, and early access to artwork or collections.

Social Media

Show up on social media as a fine artist, designer, maker, and professional. Share your work beautifully and consistently: photograph it well, bring people into the studio, allow them to get to know your story and brand, and don’t be afraid to share/sell your work!

Use the Magic of Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the VERY best places to share your work as a visual creative! Users come to Pinterest as a way of gathering inspiration, ideas, aesthetics, and to find products — sounds perfect, right? Pin your work directly to Pinterest from your website, listing, social media, and/or blog post.

Work with Designers

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...

Go Offline

Find ways to share your work in real life – OFF the internet. This could be at art shows, galleries, craft fairs, wholesale your work in shops, 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!

 

• Learn more about Making Art Work
• Go to the Share the Work Videos
• Join our private Share the Work Community
• Follow @Emily_Jeffords on Instagram 
• Visit Emily Jeffords' fine art website

This is the third episode in the Share the Work Series and things are getting more practical by the day!

 

Remember, You bring the VALUE to your work.

 

Now we’re going to talk about all the aesthetic elements that surround your work and think through how they communicate your brand message.

As the creator, you also get to create an elevated brand. 

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. And now that you know you have a brand, let’s discuss how you can refine and elevate your brand.

 

• Learn more about Making Art Work
• Go to the Share the Work Videos
• Join our private Share the Work Community
• Follow @Emily_Jeffords on Instagram 
• Visit Emily Jeffords' fine art website

One of the first challenges we have as artists are finding "the right" audience for our 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.

In this episode, I'll help you DEFINE YOUR WORK

Outward expression & aesthetics of the vision

01/ Keep imposter syndrome to a minimum - honor the beauty and importance of what you have created.

02/ Get clear on why your work matters to you

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

04/ How are you conveying the value of your work to others? I recommend good photography, speaking about it well, consistently and effectively sharing your work in your soulful marketing, and making it easily accessible to your ideal audience.

05/ Define who your ideal audience is and where they feel most comfortable.

06/ Determine how to use empathy to share your work effectively.

 

Learn to evaluate your work honestly, treat it with respect, and elevate it so others can value it too! Honestly, this episode feels a little vulnerable to share, but I'm doing it because I trust that when creatives thrive, we ALL thrive.

• Learn more about Making Art Work
• Go to the Share the Work Videos
• Join our private Share the Work Community
• Follow @Emily_Jeffords on Instagram 
• Visit Emily Jeffords' fine art website

Welcome to Share the Work 2022! Each day this week, we're going to explore ways that YOU can honor your creative process and share your work beautifully and intentionally with the world.

The first step in growing a profitable creative business and sharing your work is: Creating work that you find valuable -- and then creating work that sells! 

As you begin to grow a business around your creativity, understanding the heart and soul of your inspiration and practice is so important. The beauty that comes out of you first begins inside of you — and that beauty (and by that I mean, meaningful work) is deeply valuable.

When you feel confident & empowered, you are able to SHARE YOUR WORK generously with the world.

Learn to evaluate your work honestly, treat it with respect, and elevate it so others can value it too! Honestly, this episode feels a little vulnerable to share, but I'm doing it because I trust that when creatives thrive, we ALL thrive.

• Learn more about Making Art Work
• Go to the Share the Work Videos
• Join our private Share the Work Community
• Follow @Emily_Jeffords on Instagram 
• Visit Emily Jeffords' fine art website

THIS IS YOUR YEAR TO SHINE! I know that sounds cheesy, but honestly, if you decide that it is true, then it IS. 

 

Look at the year as a whole and be open to all sorts of wild ideas. You KNOW you can overcome anything. Don’t allow any limiting beliefs in at this point. Projects, collections, collaborations, events…nothing is off-limits to you.

You have full creative control over your ambitions & efforts.

 

Download the Goal Setting Workbook HERE and begin transforming the year into something remarkable.

Ready to see some massive growth in your creative business? Join me in Making Art Work on March 3rd! Your creative work is about to grow into something even more beautiful. 

 

xo, Emily Jeffords

emilyjeffords.com

@Emily_Jeffords

Welcome to 2022! Being an artist is one of the most fulfilling vocations on earth, but, let’s be honest, it isn’t the easiest career (especially without clear a clear vision for how to accomplish your goals)!

HERE’S THE DEAL, YOUR DREAMS DON’T COME TO LIFE BY CHANCE. THEY COME TO LIFE WHEN YOU CLARIFY YOUR VISION, TRUST THE BEAUTY INSIDE OF YOU AND AIM TOWARDS A GOAL.

 

Download the Goal-Setting Workbook HERE and begin transposing your vision and dreams into reality! 

 

Ready to really take those dreams up a level? Join Making Art Work 2022! Learn more about the course and all the goodness it holds HERE. 

 

xo, Emily Jeffords

emilyjeffords.com

@Emily_Jeffords

Join me for a real and honest conversation about how to move through the creative process -- from inspiration to mastery. It takes some intentional care to grow a sustainable practice around your creativity. Understanding the very natural flow of ideas is so helpful on that journey.

 

Inspiration, learn, practice, perfect, improve, master, repeat.

 

• We also talk about goal-setting. Get the FREE Goal-Setting Workbook HERE.
• I offer tips for nourishing inspiration
• We discuss HOW to take a sabbatical -- practical tips and mindset shifts
• And why "doing it for the process" is crucial to success in your creative work.

I hope 2022 is full of creative flow and that you settle into your process and create some good work. 

In March of 2022, consider joining me in Making Art Work if you are ready to see your creative business grow along with your creative practice. Doors open on March 3rd! Learn more HERE. 

 

Please RATE and REVIEW this show if you have a moment. Thank you! 

 

Artists mentioned in this episode: Picasso, Willem de Kooning, and Tanya Val. 

----more----

Thank you for joining me today! As always, you can find me, Emily Jeffords, over on Instagram and my artwork on my website: emilyjeffords.com  Instagram: @Emily_Jeffords

Hello dear listener! Before we begin, would you please rate and review this podcast? TY BB!

 

This episode of going to be a bit raw and real. A lot has evolved in the studio since we last talked.

• I've hired a whole new team (including my husband!).
• We are continuing the things that work while doing our best to weave sustainability into the productivity.
• My creative practice has ebbed and flowed and I'll bring you behind the scenes on that process. 
• I'm opening the doors to The Creative Maven Mastermind tomorrow (October 21st)! I am SO EXCITED about offering this year-long mastermind again. If you are craving a space to nourish your dreams, grow your business, and step into greater success, then apply to join us! Applications are open for just under a month. 
• Traveling, resting, working on health...

Last summer we talked about burnout (episode 41, August 30th 2020) and the process of healing from Burnout has been slow and constant. A metaphor came to me while expressing how this process feels that I think is helpful. 

Our journey happens within a beautiful mountainous landscape. There are meadows, cliffs, valleys... When you "burn out" you are, essentially falling over the edge of a cliff -- you might fall incredibly far or just a few feet. The recovery time may look different depending on how far you fall and how much energy you have to tap into. Climbing back up the mountainside is just part of the healing process.

The other part is a bit sneaker. We know that falling over the cliff is less than ideal - right? that makes sense. However, we tend to flirt with danger just a bit. Maybe it's the hustle culture. Maybe it's the stack of shoulds and "musts" consistently in our orbit. Maybe it's poor habits formed early... regardless, learning that hovering near the edge of that cliff is not a sustainable way to live. I like to be close to that edge. I like the pace of it, the energy required, the "effort" of it all -- however, health (mental, physical, emotional, relational health) is not possible when near the cliff. People can't come near you. You can't make one wrong move. There is too much at risk. 

My focus for 2021 and 2022 is learning to take consistent steps away from the cliff edge and into the safe and gentle spaces of the meadow where I can dance and sing and create without risk or fear. Where there is space to move and take bolder actions because the risks are less extreme if they fail. There are a lot of layers to HOW we can do that as profitable entrepreneurs (we can't just play all day -- though that would be lovely).

Practically, this means hiring a team, establishing boundaries around my energy, setting expectations, being a bit more flexible/generous with deadlines and timelines, and (most importantly) respecting myself enough to care for myself. 

 

If you can resonate with this, you are in good company. We can grow and progress together -- away from the cliff. Just back away from the cliff a little more each day. We can do this. ;)

2020-21 has been exhausting. We're doing so, so well. Now it's time to allow a little ease and healing into our lives. 

This is important because when we are nourished we are able to create good and nourishing work. Let your work be big and bold in the world, dear Creative!

 

 

LINKS:

• The Creative Maven Mastermind (applications open tomorrow!)
• The Collective: a membership for Creatives Entrepreneurs
• The Collector's Club (for first dibs on the new studio holiday products)!