About the Artist

Welcome my friends, I am honored that you are here!

I love to create art. I am especially mission driven to spread love, inclusivity, and the peace of Jesus Christ. My emphasis as an artist is to create artwork of female discipleship. I believe women have tremendous power for spreading good in this world. I am beyond delighted to promote beautiful and empowering artwork to support all my sisters- and of course all my brothers. 

I grew up with 4 brothers- I being the smack-dab middle of them all. At times, our home was quite busy and ever since I can remember I frequently found myself lost in my artwork. I would draw everything and everyone. 

Much of my artistic abilities grew out of our church’s weekly sacrament meetings, where I would practice analyzing and drawing the shapes, angles, and lighting of the faces of those who spoke at the pulpit. 

I especially love drawing faces. Drawing people, animals, and objects has helped me to be humble to what I don’t know and helped me see how beautiful and mysterious the creations of God are.  In order for me to draw something realistically, I have learned that I must drop all preconceived notions of who or what they are- which is a spiritual practice for me.

I am doing my best to share what I have with the world. I want to make an influence for good and I believe beautiful, encouraging, and edifying art can do just that. Art can preach a 20 minute sermon in a split second.

I believe the goodness and mercy of God is the most beautiful thing there is and I want to share that message with everyone. You can say that I am mission driven. 

In 2009 I married my favorite person in this world who gratefully is an art appreciator and who I see as responsible for the majority of my artwork, as he supports me and cheers me on in so many ways. He believes in me when I don’t.

I studied painting and drawing at the University of Utah where I obtained my bachelors in fine arts. My senior year at the University of Utah fine arts department was amazing! I left the campus beaming almost every day- I remember my cheeks feeling sore on the daily because I had been smiling and laughing so much.  I made the best of friends- I truly love my art comrades- and I was probably the most chatty (and possibly most annoying) person in the room. Art really is my favorite form of play. 

University was also challenging for me at times. A professor once publicly and angrily ridiculed me for painting an art piece that looked, in his opinion, “too spiritual” as he thought it looked like a temple. It was actually a water tower. To be honest, I struggle with confidence in myself and when I chose to actually pursue spiritual artwork I was initially hesitant and didn't want to upset anyone. 

Even to this day, I find it a complete miracle that anyone would buy my artwork. 

To each of you who support my art I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Each purchase is still actually quite moving to me. When I hear that what I do matters and makes a difference in your life it encourages me to keep creating art that feels most authentic and true to me.

With all my heart, thank you for your kindness and support- it means far more than you will ever know. 

With great love and gratitude for you,

Emily Tjomsland

P.S. Please feel free to connect with me on Instagram @you_belong_fine_art to watch my full art creation processes or if you need to reach me feel free to submit the contact form below, or shoot me an email!