My Kaboodle

Melissa: "Moon" (pictured above) was one of my first paintings. At the time I was really into painting mandalas, so I thought they would be perfect as a design on the moon. I don't really use blue a lot and I very rarely use black so this piece is unique for me. But it was one of my first "sad" trees. And that theme has been very prominent in my other paintings. For this piece, I used acrylic on wood. The mandalas on the moon were painted with metallic silver and I painted gloss varnish on the tree to make the black really rich and glossy.

K: How would you describe your personal style?
M: I like interesting color combinations and usually like to mix my colors more muted or "dirty." I find these much more interesting than colors right out of the tube. And while I like "cute," I try to stay away from "precious." So I like to have a bit of an edge or sadness in my work. This makes them more interesting to me.

K: Where do you get your inspiration?
M: I love to take walks and look at the changing plant life. The leaves are just starting to turn here, which I love. And there is always a new tree or flower to be discovered. And my three-year-old son is a constant source of entertainment and inspiration. Especially for my Mother's Day paintings.

K: What's your favorite piece you've created?



M: I would have to say "lura" (pictured above), which is on the home page of my website. I love the colors and also that there is a lot going on in the painting. It took me 6 weeks to paint because it has so many tiny details.

K: What other designers inspire your work?
M: I am always discovering amazing artists that inspire me but I few that I love are Luke Chueh, Oksana Badrak, Amy Sol and Darren Waterston.

K: Where is your favorite place to shop indie?
M: Definitely Etsy. Although it can be tough to browse because there is so much stuff. But I find that whenever I have the time to look I always find something great.

Browse our favorite Melissa Moss prints by clicking on the slideshow below. You can snag her work on Etsy, 2Modern, and by browsing her own online shop and blog.