LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Aimee Griffith never planned to become an artist; it all started with a vacation.
"We were living in Australia at the time, actually, and I was on a vacation and took a painting class where the teacher teaches you how to do a painting step by step," Griffith said.
That single class sparked something she didn't expect.
"I just loved it and I fell in love with it and I started doing paintings and posting them for my friends online," Griffith said.
A few years later, an opportunity came out of nowhere.
"They just reached out to me and asked me to submit some, some paintings, and I did," Griffith said.
When the response arrived, she could hardly believe it.
"I got the email and I was like, this can't be real. Like they, surely this is something different," Griffith said.
Griffith was named the 148th Official Derby Artist, a moment she says launched her career. She has since painted for many companies, including Bluegrass Distillers.
"Recently partnered with them to do a bottle for Thorpedo Anna and then a bottle for Mystic Dan to kind of commemorate them," Griffith said.
Balancing that growing career with raising three kids wasn't always easy.
"It's just about finding the right balance of like quality time with your family, being present, enjoying the moment, but also like having the creative outlet. And I'm just lucky that I get to do it," Griffith said.
As her work continues to grow, Griffith has her sights set on a milestone goal, painting the Woodford Reserve bottle. And through it all, she holds onto a simple belief that keeps her grounded.
"I do believe that everything happens for a purpose," Griffith said.
If you would like to see some of her work, you can visit her website here.
