Celebrated natural oil painter Emily Jeffords lets joy be her guide
“I’ve always been a painter,” says Emily Jeffords, who left Greenville after college but returned in 2013 to put down roots. “I have a fine art degree in two-dimensional painting, and I interned at galleries as well as with the late Carl Blair, an incredible artist whose work is internationally collected. Painting with him and seeing his process—and his tenacity—up close was really fun.”
Standing inside her light-filled home studio, it feels natural to take a moment to breathe in the meditative grace of Jefford’s work. The modern impressionist paintings often remind collectors of a certain destination or a complex emotion, such as celebration or grief, and exude feelings of groundedness, peacefulness, and exploration—for a good reason.
“I grew up all over the world. I lived in Ohio and Texas, but spent time in Damascus, Tunisia, Amsterdam,” says the painter. “I still travel extensively, but when I come back to the studio, I don’t necessarily try to capture each place in a picture-perfect way. I try to synthesize everything that both travel and home have brought into my life and convey an emotion more than a location.”
Emily Jeffords’ use of Natural Oils
From the beginning, innovation has played a key role in the expansive growth of her career. Jeffords was an early adopter of connecting with art enthusiasts online, building a following all over the globe that engaged with her intimate storytelling. She extended those conversations into a well-received podcast, and turned her passion for mentoring into multiple series of online courses for artists.
“I try to make sure that I always have two branches of my business: The side that is me as the artist, sharing and selling my art; and the side that is the educator, where I help other artists learn how to run businesses,” adds Jeffords, who leads retreats and workshops throughout the year.
A less expected result of her progressive mindset? Stripping away the innovation in modern painting materials, which have become more toxic over time. Jeffords uses only natural oil paints, which she processes herself in the same way artists did hundreds of years ago. “Natural oils are mineral-based pigments, which is literally just a rock crushed up and mixed with a binder like linseed oil or walnut oil,” reveals Jeffords. “You can find all kinds of colors in the natural world. You can make pigment from plants, bark, roots, gems. The entire world is art supplies, if you look at it that way.”
While her multifaceted career keeps her busy, the entrepreneur stays true to her heart instead of chasing new trends. “Something I’ve always recommended is this: Find the things that align with your vision and feel most exciting. Those are the things that you’re going to do best, want to do often, and will probably find the most success in,” Jeffords says. “That’s how the retreats that I lead began. I asked myself, ‘How can I just follow pleasure, and make a living based on the things that make me happy?’”
On the Horizon
- A new artwork collection launching in April
- A new creative retreat coming in the fall
Words of Wisdom for Other Creators
“In a time when artificial intelligence is so prevalent and the internet is extremely loud, I think the more we can make our creative practices be extremely valuable for us as artists, the more valuable they will also be for everyone who sees our work.”
“It is really hard to share your work, but doing so is more accessible and streamlined than ever. We just have to find balance between being a tender, gooey, creative soul in a really plastic, noisy, machine-driven world.”
