We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacqueline Medeiros a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jacqueline, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Sometimes I feel like as an artist I take risks all of the time. “If I paint this will is sell?” You don’t know so it’s a risk of time and money but you have to do it because you never know WHAT will sell. I have just learned to paint what I am passionate about and trust that my work will find the right clients. “If I do this outdoor show will I sell anything?” The majority of time I sell more after a show through the contacts I make. It’s tough to not see sales from a show you’ve invested time and money in. But I’ve come to realize that the risk is worth it. It’s all about putting the irons in the fire and the persistence has paid off for me. As an artist who specializes in people and pet portraits, the outdoor shows have been an invaluable way for me to meet new clients and forge new relationships with them. I actually cringe when people ask me “So, how was the show for you? Did you make any money?” One shot out of the gate doesn’t necessarily pay off at face value but the risk of repeatedly doing the shows is always worth it in the end.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been artistic all of my life but didn’t pursue fine art until 2012. I grew up in a very conventional family and making money as an artist didn’t fit into that framework so I never considered it as a career. But after being an interior designer and a decorative painter I was still drawn to painting so I took the plunge into the fine art world. I am mostly a self taught artist which led to a lot of self doubt about the way I was approaching my creativity. I was always second guessing my abilities and talent because I wasn’t classically trained. But my work was garnering a lot of attention so after several years of that I finally let go and stopped judging myself so harshly. Once I did that, my whole career changed and doors started opening up for me. I found a niche in people and pet portraits. It turns out that one of my biggest talents is capturing the essence of the soul. Eyes are my favorite feature to paint. They always make or break a piece I think. Eleven of my figurative pieces have just enjoyed a two month stint at The Arts Garage in downtown Delray Beach. And that came about because the curator at the time saw my work at an outdoor art show in January. It’s been a great boost to my career.
I truly enjoy the commission process with a new client. Most artists dislike commissions because they feel clients just can’t be pleased. I’ve never had that experience and I think it is due to the way I approach the process with my clients. I allow them to be as involved as they like and I take the time to get to know them and their desires for the project through a series of questions and photoshoots where applicable. I just have an innate ability to read and capture personalities which makes my work special. I love making clients happy. It’s a thrill to know that my work will exist in their families for generations to come.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Well, this is an interesting topic. Some of the digital NFTs I’ve seen making waves these days, I just shake my head at and say whaaattt??? But some wonderful new companies out there today are starting to make digital art a great platform for fine artists as well. It’s very new so it remains to be seen just how big it will become. I’ve decided to try it so I’m not left behind and have joined the band wagon just this month. This is the age of Aquarius. Time for thinking outside of the box. As an older artist I don’t really understand why the digital art age can be so popular but none of the younger generations think that way and they are the future. You know the old saying about sitting on the tracks. This venue is just that, another venue for promoting my artwork. I am always looking for another iron to put in the fire. I found the company Prism has been very artist friendly and I am enjoying my relationship with them so far. When done right the investment is pretty minimal so I think it’s going to be worth it due to the potential upside.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s knowing that I bring so much joy to people through my art. I can’t count how many people have told me how my art touches them. How they can sense the emotions in my work. How it speaks to them, or makes them stop and think. I believe it’s due to the emotion and loving energy I put into every piece I create. It’s nice to know that effort shines through in my work. And I love when a client comes to me down the road and reiterates how much they are still enjoying my artwork hanging on their walls. Things like this always make my day and fuel me to keep creating.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jmedeirosfineart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmedeirosartist
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmedeirosartist
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jmedeirosartist