About Miley Jade!

Miley Jade
Jul 18
3 min read

So, Who’s Miley Jade?

Let’s start with the almost obvious: Miley Jade is not a real person. She’s my artsy alter ego. You know, the kind of name that looks good on a gallery wall or sounds cool when someone says, “Oh wow, I love your work!” and I can respond without cringing at my own birth certificate. I’m Emily J.—a professional photographer, digital artist, chaos manager (aka mom of four boys), and full-time explorer of things most people consider junk.

20+ Years, One Camera (Okay, Two hundred), and a Whole Lot of Wandering

I’ve been doing this whole photography thing for over 20 years, which in creative years is like, 146. I started with weddings and portraits because that’s what paid the bills—and I was good at it. But eventually, I realized I preferred peeling paint and rusted metal to posed portraits and champagne toasts. I traded veils for abandoned buildings, and predictable backdrops for gritty, forgotten spaces. And honestly? Best. Decision. Ever.

The Gear & The Grind

I shoot on a Nikon D750 (with occasional backup from my trusty D7000) and do all my editing magic in Lightroom. That’s where the “eh” becomes “oooooh” and the “kind of cool” becomes “hang-it-on-a-wall worthy.” My work tends to be dark, dramatic, and a little offbeat—kind of like me.

The Road Life: Eight States, Rubbermaid Bins, and a Weird Antarctic Sale

At one point, I was doing art shows in eight different states at the same time. Living out of bins. Living on gas station coffee. Talking to strangers about rusty barns and haunted houses. I loved every second of it. And somewhere along the way, my work sold to people on every single continent. (Yes, even Antarctica. Shoutout to that one scientist who wanteda beach vibe in their office) I’ve also been published in magazines I forgot to write down, won awards that now collect dust, and made more than a few people cry in front of my photos. Not sure what that says about me, but I’ll take it.

Why Stop at One Medium?

Because clearly, I’m allergic to free time, I’ve expanded into digital art and graphic design. Turns out, the same eye that sees beauty in crumbling architecture is also handy when it comes to designing logos, printables, branding, and fully custom digital artwork. Who knew?

Now I create:

Custom digital prints
Brand and logo design
Printable wall art
Digital commissions
…and a whole bunch of things I can’t stop making at 2 a.m.

Functional & Wearable Art (Because Art Should Be Everywhere)

Why stop at prints and pixels?

I started turning my designs into functional and wearable art—like custom tumblers, tees, hoodies, mugs, and keychains. Basically, if it sits still long enough, I’ll put something artsy on it. Because art shouldn’t just live on walls. It should live with you. On you. In your coffee cup. Wherever it fits.

Where to Find Me

These days, I’ve planted some roots (sort of). You can find me every weekend at my gallery space at:

🧭 The Windmill Farm & Craft MarketBuilding 4 – Penn Yan, NY

It's packed with my photography, digital creations, and all the odd little things I've turned into merch. Stop by, browse, and say hi (I’m the one wrangling art prints and covered in coffee and glitter).