The Gaffreys have been immersed in the arts their whole lives. As a self-taught artist with more than 20 years of experience, Justin Gaffrey’s painting career has always been about exploration, fun and pushing boundaries. As a lifelong learner in pursuit of constant inspiration, his work has been constantly evolving, making it difficult to tie to any one genre or theme of art, and amassing an international collectors base. His constantly evolving work,  which most consistently depicts coastal landscapes, wildlife and the exploration of the human condition, draws from his own life experiences and his hunger for learning. 

While his work has inspired the path for many impasto acrylic painters, perhaps his most impressive students have been his children, Justin Gaffrey, Jr. and Aria Gaffrey, who are now artists in their own right, having picked up a paintbrush before they could walk. Justin, Jr. left college to pursue his art career full-time as a mixed-media painter, and Aria has a proclivity for drawing, tattoos and graphic design, which has been an integral part of Gaffrey Art Material’s branding.

Together, the artistic family launched Gaffrey Art Material in June 2020. They also run Justin Gaffrey Gallery, also located in their hometown of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. At any given time, they can find hand-deep in the paint: exploring, testing, creating, teaching, learning and having a whole lot of fun.

Justin Gaffrey