Unapologetically elevated neutrals that are unexpected, whether it is a landscape of adventures taken or play-driven abstracts.
I am Mande Gaffney, a peace-seeking painter living in Johns Island, SC. My story is a little unique compared to traditional artists in that during art school, I got a lot of “you aren’t doing that right” and “don’t mix that with that,” and honestly, I gave up on traditional painting and started making digital art instead.
"I don't try to be perfect. I try to be true to me."
Over the next ten years, I grew my digital art practice and became a Creative Director, working in digital agencies. I did not touch a brush again until I began to wish for the absence of screens. My love of nature and peace are what drove me back into the arms of painting.
Fast forward a few years: I grew my hobby into a small business, , LLC (mandecalhounart, LLC) while forming partnerships with Minted.com, Juniper Print Shop, Pulp Print Shop, and others. My work has been featured on Apartment Therapy, HGTV, and Vogue. I mostly paint on scraps of paper that I hand rip, and because of my digital background, I can scan, scale, crop, and edit them into 60x40 prints. I use whatever medium I want, often mixing pastels with watercolors and acrylics, and if I am feeling it - sand, tea and pencils. I paint to find peace, usually on the floor with loud music playing in the background (leading to the occasional dance break).
