Thomas Griffin, Winner of the Springboard Elevator Pitch, has launched an online art gallery exclusively for college students.

Griffin, senior business marketing major from Marble Falls, started emineoart.com as a passion project to help promote talented young artist by providing a place where their art could be viewed and purchased by a large market.

“I want to give talented art students a really good launching place to start their careers.” Griffin said. “Art students have artwork that’s just sitting around. Normally they just sell the art to family and friends. Especially in Abilene where the art community is not the strongest, I thought I could connect these artist to these networks that are far away.”

Griffin’s website has sold 20 pieces so far including paintings and photographs submitted by students at ACU, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry. The market for these artists has already started to expand as pieces on eminoart.com have sold to buyers across Texas, as well as a few out of state.

Connections on campus have helped Griffin strengthen his business in a number of ways. By pairing up with Mike Wiggins, associate professor of art and design, he has been able to reach out to artists who are looking to sell their art. Griffin was also the 2012 winner of the Springboard Elevator Pitch, a competition that provides an opportunity for students to pitch new business ideas for a grand prize of $1,500.

“The connection between the art department and him [Griffin] is mostly between the students and him, which is a good thing because it’s treating the students as professionals. I think that it’s appropriate because it gives maturity to the whole thing,” said Wiggins.

“Winning the Springboard Elevator Pitch went a long way towards getting people to hear about the website,” Griffin said.

Griffin’s website is unique because it exclusively caters to college students. This creates a more personal relationship for young artists so they can have help while they’re launching their careers.

“I want to prepare students so that at graduation they have a really good grasp on what it takes to run a gallery and what it takes to be successful as an artist,” Griffin said.

Griffin is always looking for more talented artists who want to get their art promoted and sold. Students who are interested can contact him at info@emineoart.com.

“Life is no fun alone. Neither is business. Or art. Let us forge a community of equally passionate and talented individuals with the purpose of making things better,” said Griffin on emineoart.com.