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Hi, I'm Emily Plank!

You may have discovered me after seeing one of my hand-painted wedding dresses on social media! No matter what brought you, I'm so glad you're here. Believe it or not, I do a lot more than paint dresses.

I'm a watercolor and acrylic paint artist based in Lakeland, Florida, and I paint everything I can get my hands on (oh and I sometimes model my creations in community fashion shows!)

I started my business over 10 years ago mainly as a photographer and eventually over the years have been returning to my first love…my paintbrush!

My artwork, like my photography, reflects joy and a love of vivid color, whether it’s a pet portrait, a landscape commission or a painted dress.

Want to work together? I'd love to hear from you!

Get in touch

Available Hand Painted Dresses

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My Store

East of These Collaboration

$14.00 USD
$14.00 USD
Sale Sold out
Style & Pattern
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Christmas Ornament Collection

Discover these fun and unique Christmas Ornaments, featuring my original artwork!

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What Keeps me busy

Custom Artwork

I love putting paint on unexpected canvases, like wedding dresses, country singers' jackets, and evening gowns. I also love doing live painting at weddings, and creating sentimental pieces like pet portraits, house sketches, and more! Sound like something you'd like? Reach out today to start working together!

Custom Art Inquiry

What Keeps me busy

Brand Photography

I currently do photography for a variety of businesses located in Central Florida, including One More Child, PAINT, Carilly, City of Lakeland, and CPS. If you're a local business and would like updated images, reach out today to kick start a collaboration!

Photography Inquiry

What Keeps me busy

Creative Products

Give me a paintbrush and I'm gonna paint something! You'll find my work on cards, coffee mugs, tote bags, and tee shirts. If you want something unique, artsy, and nostalgic, check out my store and bring your favorite piece home.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Curious about something?

DO YOU HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR NEW RELEASES?

Yes, sort of…you should join my mailing list so you are in the know first! The plan is to be seasonal with my hand-painted collections such as spring for Easter Eggs, late summer for Fall Pumpkins and fall for my hand painted Ornaments.

DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH BRANDS?

Yes! Please email your project information and budget to hello@emily-plank.com to start a conversation about a possible collaboration.

DO YOU OFFER PERSONAL COMMISSIONS?

I do offer personal commissions (wedding work, hand-painted items, portraiture) at this time, there are seasons in which I have to close down my commission list. Planning ahead for Christmas Gifts is something to consider as it can be a long wait period for a commission, up to 8 weeks or longer.  Please email me to start the process hello@emily-plank.com

DO YOU OFFER CERTAIN PIECES AS A PRINT? CAN I ORDERA PRINT IN A DIFFERENT SIZE?

Because I order all of our prints in bulk quantities from a small printing company, we are somewhat limited in the variety/sizes of prints that we are able to offer for sale. What we have in stock currently is limited to what you see listed in our online shop. We do add new print styles and sizes throughout the year, so there is always a chance that what you’re looking for will show up in the future! Sign up for our email list to be notified of new print releases.

DO YOU OFFER YOUR PRINTS WHOLESALE?

Due to the current size of our company, we are only able to take on a limited number of wholesale partners at this time, but we would love to hear more about your store/wholesale needs. Please email your store name, address, and products(s) of interest to hello@emily-plank.com

DO YOU OFFER HAND-PAINTED ARTWORK WHOLESALE?

Due to the time and labor it takes to hand-paint individual items (such as eggs, candles, ornaments, and other seasonal items), we are unable to provide a wholesale option for anything hand-painted.

CAN I CHANGE MY ORDER ONCE IT HAS BEEN PLACED?

Since most of our orders are filled by a third party, we are unable to change orders once they have been placed. If you have entered the incorrect shipping address for your order, please email us at hello@emily-plank.com and I will assist you. Please know I am a one man show as of right now.

DO YOU OFFER GIFT WRAP OR GIFT MESSAGES?

Because a third party fills our orders, we are unable to include a gift message or gift wrapping.

Here is the pop up schedule for the next two weeks! Then it is likely the my next pop up won't be until June unless I find something for May! The first pop up is a sold out ticketed event that I am super excited attend as I was the photographer for their first ever WOC event years ago! The second pop up is at a private residence for a Women United of United Way of Central Florida - Garden Party, you can visit @uwcf for more info and to register! Get dressed up, grab a friend and come on out! The last one is a 2 day event at Bonnet Springs Park, back by the event center, it's called BLOOM at BSP and I will be popping up from 10am - 2pm both Saturday and Sunday! So come on out they are going to have SO much to do and see in addition to the market full of fun vendors!
A little sneak peek of some of the Hand Painted Easter Eggs I have for my upcoming pop ups! I’ll be posting more details about the pop ups tomorrow! #handpainted #handpaintedsigns #eastereggs #easterdecoration #eastertablescape #easter #instaartist
A little behind the scenes of painting @lanettestrong purse! #artistsoninstagram #artist #handpainted #painting #art #paintedleather #paintedpurse
Painting this one for @lanettestrong was so special, their family entered a new season of life with their son being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and this momma needed a bigger bag, so why not make it pretty? My instructions were simple: color scheme is blue florals and incorporating a ribbon for type 1. I’m so happy how this turned out and I can’t wait to paint another purse so I bought myself a little clutch to do 🥰 #handpainted #handpaintedflorals #handpaintedpurse #paintedpurse #purse #katespade #oneofakind #type1strong #type1warrior
Painted project number one done for this week! I’m so excited to ship this off and can’t wait to see this bride in them for her wedding in April!! I promise I’ll get back to posting the order of the dresses soon I got distracted! 🫠 and content about how I prep for pop ups is coming too! #artistsoninstagram #artist #painting #handpainted #acrylicpainting #weddinginspo #handpaintedboots #weddingboots #weddingstyle
How Flynn feels about bath time. 😛 #doodles #doodlesofinstagram #dogs_of_instagram
I’ve completed 20 down and 54 (or more) to go! This weekend, I dove into the design painting after the tablescaping event. I had already finished the base colors for 74 eggs, and there are still a few blank ones left — just enough, I believe, to hit an even 100. I have 12 more of this size to complete and then I’ll move onto the medium size one eggs, I’m excited to share that I will have 3 different sizes this year to choose from. This week I will start to see all the orders trickle in with all the new merchandise I’ve purchased for the pop ups and I can’t wait to share them with you! #artist #artistoninstagram #easter #eastereggs #easterdecor #paintedeastereggs #handpaintedsigns #handpainted #spring #floralart
All things pretty and great inspiration ahead of painting a lot of things for spring! I actually got home after this event and painted a bunch of Easter Eggs! Yesterday I got to stop by @jlglakeland event: The Art of Tablescaping and take in All things pretty, our building has never looked so beautiful! I also got to meet @lydiamenziescelebrates along with so many wonderfully talented artists who brought this event to life! #tablescaping #supperclub #florals #spring #dinning #supper #whimsical #instabeauty #design #southern #southerncharm #tabledecor #tablesettingideas
The final dress I painted for the fashion show—the one with gold leaf paint—is this stunning Badgley Mischka piece I found on Poshmark. I was drawn to its simple sheath silhouette, elevated by a dramatic side ruffle. After seeing how beautifully the gold leaf paint worked on the teal dress, I wondered, What if I used only this? To my surprise, the liquid leaf adhered to the fabric effortlessly, creating a striking effect. With each dress, I discover something new about how paint interacts with fabric, and this one was no exception. This one is also available for purchase! DM me for details! 📸 @elinarosestudios #painteddress #painteddresses #painted #paintedclothes #paintedclothing #handpainted #artistsoninstagram #artist #springfashion
Next up is another dress I painted for the same fashion show I mentioned yesterday. We needed 3-4 looks, so I quickly started sourcing dresses to paint. This one was a fantastic find during a sale at @saks, and the dress I’ll post tomorrow came from Poshmark! For this piece, I kept it simple, and it’s actually available for sale on my website! This dress was the first one I used liquid gold leaf on, and I’m absolutely in love with how it turned out. You’ll get a sneak peek of how I used only gold leaf on tomorrow’s dress! A fun (and slightly terrifying) side note: I was never meant to walk the runway, but on the day of the show, Auburn called to tell me that all the models were too small to fit into the dresses—and, well, they all happened to be my size! So, I ended up being the only non-professional model to walk the runway. It was nerve-wracking, but so much fun. I’ll never forget the cheers as I hit the catwalk! If you know me, you know I’m not one for the spotlight, but this moment was unforgettable! 📸 @elinarosestudios #artistsofinstagram #artist #handpainted #handpainteddesigns #springfashion #painteddress #paintedclothes #painted #gold #teal #cocktail #fashiontrends
The next dress I painted was this extraordinary silk creation commissioned by @ashleygibsonbarnett for the Spring Fashion Show at the @agbmuseum. I was lucky enough to have four dresses featured in the show, but I’ll share more about those tomorrow! This dress certainly challenged me—crafted from 100% pure silk, it was a bit of a curveball compared to the silk blends I’m used to, which usually have cotton mixed in. The fabric absorbed the paint in a way I hadn’t expected, despite its delicate feel. To make matters even more intense, we faced a last-minute crisis when we realized the dress was designed for someone much taller than the model it was intended for. We had to make some quick alterations just days before the event! 📸 @elinarosestudios #painteddress #painteddresses #paintedclothing #handpainted #painting #artist #fashionshow #springfashiontrends #florals
Next up is another custom-painted dress I designed myself and had crafted through @southernswanbridal. I still have this one available, so if you’re looking for a ready-made painted wedding dress, feel free to DM me for more details! I painted this piece specifically for a local bridal expo, where I wanted to showcase what painted wedding dresses are all about. Fun fact: when you tell people you paint on wedding dresses, it often gets met with a lot of confusion! This dress offers a fun twist for your wedding day: it comes with a full tulle overskirt that can conceal the painted design for a traditional white dress moment. Then, for the reception, you can remove the overskirt to reveal a bold pop of pink. I also think a skilled seamstress could help style the overskirt in different ways, as shown in the shot above. Be sure to swipe to the end to check out my concept sketches! This shoot was also captured by @m.a.s.memories for the Heartland Living article. Next up: the fashion show! #paintedclothing #painteddress #weddingdress #weddinginspiration #weddingstyle #handpainted #artistsofinstagram
Next up is the first dress I painted for myself! I thought, “Why not?” and was curious to see what it would be like to work on a darker fabric. While the process was similar to my previous work on wedding dresses, this one really challenged me. It took multiple layers to achieve the effect I envisioned, but the result was totally worth it. I wore this dress to the Black Diamond Ball, a fundraiser for the Junior League of Greater Lakeland. It was also featured in Heartland Living Magazine, and I had the exciting opportunity to walk the runway in it, along with a few other dresses. I’ll share more about that experience tomorrow, as it ties into the next dress I painted! 📸 @m.a.s.memories #handpainted #painteddress #paintedclothes #paintedclothing #artistsofinstagram #artoftheday #fashiontrend
My first bow!! 🎀✨ After a reel of Molly’s dress went viral, @lhartso reached out to me—my first time being contacted by someone I’d never met to paint on their wedding dress! Lindsey is an incredibly talented wedding designer and event planner (go check her out at @magnoliaed!), and working with her was such an honor. We collaborated on every detail, incorporating butterflies, hummingbirds, and pea pods into the florals—each element holding special meaning. The trust it takes to ship part of your wedding dress across the country to a stranger isn’t lost on me, and I’m beyond grateful. Luckily, her dress material was identical to what I had painted on before… though I’d soon learn not all mikado silks are created equal! 😅 Lindsey and I have kept in touch, and I know we’d be besties if we lived closer. I’ve even had the chance to paint more pieces for her since! 💕 📸 @emilyloeppke #painted #painteddress #weddingdress #weddinginspiration #handpainted #weddingfashion #fashiontrends #paint #weddingflorals
Next up: THE DRESS. The dress that marked a turning point in my artistic career. A true one-of-a-kind, this @southernswanbridal original was designed with intention, heart, and an explosion of color. I had the absolute joy of collaborating with Olivia (owner of Southern Swan Bridal) and Molly (the bride) on this dress for what felt like forever—over a year in the making, if I’m remembering correctly! Molly and I sat at The Joinery, dreaming up ways to weave color into her wedding day. (Fun fact: I also designed her Save the Date and collaborated on her Wedding Invitation with @stationeryloftgifts !) This dress is, without a doubt, my most documented piece. I have hundreds of photos and videos because I was lucky enough to be at the wedding! The painting process alone took over 24 hours, and if I’m being honest, I was still adding final touches right up until the moment Molly left for her wedding weekend. I was there when she got dressed. I was there for the first look. I was there as she walked down the aisle. And in that moment, I wasn’t just witnessing two friends get married—I was seeing the culmination of a year-long creative journey come to life. Now, onto the next piece! I know what I painted after this, but I’ll need a moment to sort out the full timeline of dresses and pieces that followed. Stay tuned! 📸 @sunglowphoto for wedding day photo awesomeness!
I thought I would take the next few days and share one by one all the painted dresses I’ve done over the past few years and try to post them in chronological order. A lot of people asked to see photos in the comments of my reels so I hope this reaches them! This is the very first painted dress I did exactly 5 years ago this month. I can’t believe this was that long ago, it seems like a lifetime but also like yesterday all at once. We did it as a spec piece because it was an idea Olivia @southernswanbridal had. It would take almost two years to find our first official bride! 📸 @terrieimages #paintedclothes #paintedclothing #handpainted #painteddress #weddinginspiration #weddingdress #bride #gown #chinoiserie #artistsoninstagram
Gearing up to paint a bunch of Easter Eggs for two back to back weekends of back to back pop ups! I’m so excited that I will be vending at BLOOM at Bonnet Springs Park Market which is April 5th & 6th from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The weekend prior I will be popping up at Women of Compassion and Women United Events, which are two private ticketed events. Im SO excited to share new items, hand painted items and original artwork! #artist #art #spring #market #popup #shoplocal #lakelandflorida #lakeland #lkld #artistsoninstagram #florals
The next two projects are a deviation from painted dresses and I’m really excited because they are totally different color palettes! I’ll have these both done in the next two weeks or so! #artistsoninstagram #painting #handpainted #painteddress #artist #art
Every night I feel like the most beautiful person in the world even though I know he’d trade me for a chicken nugget. #foodmotivated #doodle #labradoodle #doodlelove #haha #valentine #puppiesofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #dogoftheday #dog
My little valentine. 🐶 #labradoodle #doodle #valentines