January 3, 2025 • 39 mins
Creative Living host, Jane Clauss, introduces you to Melissa Ellis, the Dallas-based artist redefining oil painting with her bold, hand-sculpted creations. Using palette knives and thick layers of paint, Melissa transforms canvases into textured, three-dimensional masterpieces that command attention. Her process? A delicate dance between organization and spontaneity, where imperfections aren’t flaws but opportunities. Inspired by nature’s raw beauty, Melissa embraces the unpredictable to create art that feels alive.
In this episode, Melissa shares the behind-the-scenes challenges of being a one-woman creative powerhouse. From managing her business to following her artistic passion, she opens up about her journey—how encouragement from friends sparked her first brushstrokes, and how she made the financial and emotional leap to pursue her dreams.
Melissa also gives us an insider’s look at her commission work, including a jaw-dropping project for Louis Vuitton (yes, that Louis Vuitton!). She talks about the art of collaboration, blending her style with her clients’ visions, and how fashion, travel, and nature fuel her creativity.
But the heart of the conversation is Melissa’s deeply personal new series, The Beans. Born from a challenging chapter in her life, this series celebrates relationships, resilience, and connection. Each piece tells a story, resonating universally with viewers who see their own loved ones reflected in her work. Melissa credits a transformative artist residency in France for helping shape this poignant new direction.
Whether you’re an artist, an art lover, or someone chasing a creative dream, this episode is packed with inspiration. Melissa’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, risk-taking, and embracing the beauty in imperfection.
[0:00 - 2:30] Welcome to the Creative Living Podcast!
Jane kicks things off by sharing her own story—how she embraced creativity despite doubts, what she learned at Art Basel in Miami, and her excitement about a fresh season filled with inspiring guests.
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Episode Transcript
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VO (00:00):
It's time to tantalize your earbuds with creative makers and
shakers. It's creative living.The podcast with Jane Clauss,
Jane Clauss (00:10):
Welcome to Creative living, where we help you live
your most creative life. I'mJane Clauss, and it is creative
living. The podcast season six.I am super excited about this
podcast in season six, because Iam focused. I used to do radio
for many, many years, and nowI'm focused. I am focused on
(00:31):
creativity. And radio is great.I love it, but the world has
changed, and so have I, and itreally has been a journey, a
journey that I love taking ajourney that I love being on.
When I was growing up, myparents used to say you can't
have a career being creative.And I was like, Well, yes, you
can. I mean, I think that anycareer you choose has a creative
(00:55):
side to it, whatever you wantthat to be, there's always a way
to make it creative, and that iswhat this podcast is all about.
It's talking to the people,talking about the places and
things that they feel iscreative that will inspire you.
So yes, it's been a journey, butcreativity is a journey. Am I
(01:17):
right? I'm right. I am always onthe pursuit of new ideas of
finding inspiration. I lovehaving great conversations with
like minded people who live andbreathe creativity. So before
the new year, I went to Miami,and I went to Art Basel, where I
met artists, and I saw art, andI had so many ideas, and there
(01:38):
was so much inspirationeverywhere I looked, it reminded
me just how powerful creativityand art can be on the way we see
the world. So I'm excited tokeep that conversation flowing
and going by talking to anamazing artist who I met at Art
(01:59):
Basel, who embodies that spiritof creativity she is. Melissa
Ellis. Melissa is a Dallas basedartist known for her bold and
hand sculpted oil paintings.Melissa's meticulous yet
spontaneous process brings hercanvases to life and is
(02:19):
captivated art enthusiasts andcollectors all over the world.
So let's dive into it. Let'stalk creativity. I am super
excited to welcome to the show.Melissa Ellis, hello, Melissa,
Hi,
Unknown (02:34):
Jane. How are you? Thank you for having me.
Jane Clauss (02:36):
I'm great. I'm so happy you're here with us,
because I know that you love totalk about creativity.
Unknown (02:42):
I do. I do a lot. As
Jane Clauss (02:44):
a matter of fact, when I met you, you said I could
talk about the creative processand creativity, like all day
long, non stop. And then yousaid, I'm a talker. And I said,
Hey, why don't you come onpodcast?
Unknown (02:54):
And I said, Great. Sounds wonderful. He's like, you
won't
Jane Clauss (02:56):
be able to get me to shut up. So I want everyone
to understand before we diveinto all of this, when I say you
are a hand sculpted oil painter,explain to everyone, why don't
you paint and sculpt the visualimage for us? What do your
paintings, your sculptures, looklike? So
Unknown (03:17):
people are probably familiar with impasto oil
painting, but I kind of take itslightly different from there.
So impasto oil painting, orimpasto painting in general, is
really thick, heavy texture on acanvas or wood panel. But what's
a little different about what Ido is instead of just taking a
brush and sort of leaving heavybrush strokes or using a palette
(03:39):
knife to just sort of scrapesome paint on a canvas, maybe,
say, doing a beautiful landscapeand really giving texture to
trees or mountains. I actuallyuse mounds and mounds of paint,
and I'll lay out, I love lots ofcolors, so usually lots and lots
of colors, and I lay out moundsof oil paint, and then I take
(04:00):
two palette knives, depending onthe style that I'm creating,
different size knives willcreate different shapes and
textures, but I pick up thepaint. So I'll pick up a little
red, a little blue, a littleyellow, and I'll hand sculpt
with my knives different shapes.So I do petal pieces that kind
of look like flowers or leaves,I'll sculpt seashells or what I
(04:26):
think look like rocks or bugs orcandy or all kinds of different
shapes, and I hand sculpt all ofthose with knives like a
sculptor would sculpt, but thenI apply it to Canvas or wood
panel. So I do all of it whileit's wet. So I'm really
somewhere between a painter anda sculptor.
Jane Clauss (04:46):
So it's like 3d art too. Very three dimensional.
Unknown (04:50):
My pieces come off the canvas an inch, two inches, the
bigger pieces even more the onthe edges of my canvases. I.
Have the texture come off, andthey'll come off an inch to two
inches, so very threedimensional, which I think
really gives it some extramotion and depth and just that
(05:12):
really thick texture I love.
Jane Clauss (05:14):
Yeah, and in doing some research on your work and
looking at it, and it's amazing,and everyone needs to experience
what you do. A lot of peopleconsider it organized chaos, but
I think that is a greatcompliment.
Unknown (05:27):
Thank you. Thank you. I actually really like that too. I
I really like things in itsplace. You know, I everything
just sort of has a place. And Ilike things straight and neat
and organized, just in everyaspect of my life. But art is
handmade. It always is going tohave an organic feel. I'm not a
(05:48):
machine, I'm not a robot, I'mnot a computer. So there will
always be imperfections, and fora really long time, I struggled
with that, because I want thingsto look a very nice, neat lay
and over time, I really startedto lean in and embrace that
organic, handmade imperfection.I still get that desired effect
(06:14):
I want because I like I do myStarburst, which look like three
dimensional flowers. So I sculptall those pieces, but each
individual petal, even when I'mmaking them the exact same size
and have them in a pattern,they're never exactly the same.
And there's something reallybeautiful. So if I'm doing
(06:37):
really any of my pieces, whetherit's through color pattern or
both. I, I haven't I, I knowwhat style I'm going to do
before I get started, but I andI have my colors laid out, but I
don't map it. So I I want to,let's say I'm you're picking out
(06:58):
the orange in the piece. Youshould be able to sort of squint
and go pick out the orange, andthey're evenly distributed
throughout the canvas, butthey're not perfectly in order.
So I plan with without beingthere's still some chaos in
there, if you will,
Jane Clauss (07:14):
which is great. And by the way, the most beautiful
things on earth we say, well,that's in nature. You could go
to places all over the world andsee different colors and
textures, and it's not perfect,but that's right,
Unknown (07:29):
it is perfect. That's what makes it perfect, exactly.
Imperfection.
Jane Clauss (07:33):
Yes, right. So talk about balance, though, because
you had said that you aremeticulous in your planning, but
yet you're super spontaneouswhen you don't really know where
you're going. So how do you findthat balance in your work when
you get to your studio?
Unknown (07:51):
A lot of it is getting into flow, which doesn't always
happen quite like you want orthink that it will. But I start
out with my space veryorganized. I have a plan. Okay,
this is the size piece that I'mgoing to create. Here are my
colors I'm laid out. I mean, Iwrite out my colors, I have a
fully organized space, and thenI pop in my earbuds and put my
(08:15):
music on, and I just get lost.And so I'm obviously paying very
deep attention to what I'm doingas I'm picking my colors and I'm
making my shapes, and I go,Okay, this needs to go here, and
this needs to go here, but Idon't overthink it, because I'm
in this great, you know,organized space, and it's just
(08:37):
me, and I've got my mute I lovemusic. I always am listening to
music, very big influence ofmine, and and I just go and sort
of let happen. What happens oncea piece is on there, once I have
the texture on the canvas, it'soften very difficult or
impossible to change. So I haveto go, okay, that happened, and
(08:57):
now we're gonna, you know, movealong accordingly, and try not
to overthink too much.
Jane Clauss (09:03):
And I love the idea of flow, because, although I am
not a sculptural painter, whenI'm sewing, when I'm using, you
know, doing sustainable fashionor creating something a garment,
I'm in flow, I for me, it'sabout getting over the little
speed bump pump to get started.But once I'm in, I am in, and
(09:24):
then you're in the flow. And youknow what? If I make a mistake,
and whatever it is, because Idon't actually like to use
patterns in my sewing, I justmake it up as I go, Uh huh. I
say, well, there is no mistake.There are no mistakes. You kind
of just said the same thing.
Unknown (09:37):
That's my favorite thing about art. And when I say
art, all creativity, there's noright or wrong answer. Whatever
you feel, whatever you see,whatever you create, is, is art.
And that's what's beautifulabout it, that it's not, oh
well. It was supposed to bethis, well, I can make it
whatever I want. Yeah, that thatflow. You just feel a little
less stressed, a little lessmust be perfect. All the time.
(10:01):
And it's a, really, it's anincredible state to be in when
you can get to it. And when I'min it, I just, you know, you
look up and you go, Oh, I forgotto eat. I, you know, it's dark
outside. I, you know, like, whathappened? Yeah. And then you
look up, you go, Whoa. Look at,look at all I accomplished. And
Jane Clauss (10:18):
isn't it cool, too. You do the one thing, and then
you look at it and you're like,Oh, that's cool. You know what I
mean? Like, you even surpriseyourself, yeah, of where you're
at. And sometimes you don't seethe big picture. And that's the
best part of this process ofcreativity. So you talked a
little bit about your creativeworkflow, or your creative
process. Give it. Give us a day.You walk in the studio, you
(10:42):
start, is there a writer'sblock? Quote, unquote. Or you
Unknown (10:46):
go, there can be certainly, I think in again, in
any creative field, sometimesyou just go, oh, what? Because
once I get started on a piece, Ihave to decide on my texture of
what I'm going to do, becauseeach of my styles, they're very
different, and once I get going,that's what the piece is going
(11:06):
to look like. So that helpshaving a plan in place before I
get started. I do a lot of a lotof commission work, so I know in
advance, okay, I'm making a 48by 60 Starburst, or a Biju piece
and so and we've chosen thecolors together. I very rarely
have any kind of block on color,because I go by feeling by
(11:28):
emotion. What mood Am I in? AndI typically use most of the
colors under the rainbow. Soit's really that that usually is
a great kickstart for me, one ofmy tricks, and I try to tell
people this all the time. Ifyou're really feeling stuck,
you've got that writer's block,or maybe you're lacking a little
motivation for the day, ortired, or whatever may be going
(11:48):
on, always start with thesimplest thing. What is
something really short, sweet,easy and fun that you can do?
And one of those things, pickingout colors is always one for me.
Another one is just startpainting some backgrounds on a
campus, even if I decide laterto change the color, it just
sort of, it gets your handsgoing, gets your mind going. It
(12:10):
loosens you up a little bit. Sofinding that little something to
just kind of get my creative,you know, thought process going,
Yeah, is always a great way tostart and then just dive in. I
usually need a lot of hours at atime, because by the time I lay
out all my colors, pickeverything and get all set up.
(12:30):
That can take me a couple hoursjust to get set up before even
starting. When I'm working on apiece, depending on size, it'll
take from a couple days to abouta month or so per piece. And
when I'm working on a piece,I'll do 1012, I've done 22 hours
straight in the studio before.Just wow, when you get going,
you get going.
Jane Clauss (12:51):
That's awesome. Your family, like, where did she
go? You know, my husband gets
Unknown (12:55):
a little nervous sometimes calling. Where are
you? Are you okay? And I'm like,I'm still up here. Sorry. Like,
Jane Clauss (12:59):
I'm having a great time. I've gotten those calls
myself. I will tell you that theyou said takes anywhere a couple
hours to to a month or 20 days.I'm thinking about this unique
process that you use, and thatis using your knives with this
paint, and you're making these3d sculptures coming off of the
canvas. Silly question, but howlong did they did they take to
(13:22):
dry? Because they're they'rebig, I would think that they do
take for Yeah, yeah,
Unknown (13:28):
that's definitely my number one question that I get.
Oil Paint is the slowest to dry.And I don't use any fillers,
mediums, anything. So it is 100%straight oil paint, and
different colors will dry atdifferent rates and different
temperatures. So the colder itis, the longer it will take, and
it will basically keep it fromdrying. So I live in Texas, and
(13:51):
so that's good. It's very goodfor me. Typically, I like to say
about four to six weeks to startto dry to the touch. But the
thicker they are, the longerthey're going to take to cure
and harden. So it could beanywhere from nine months to a
year. It can take years to cureif they ever do, but that's
(14:12):
perfectly fine. They'reperfectly safe to sit and hang
on a wall over time and andthey'll dry and so they I always
equate it to icing oil paint hasa similar consistency. So you're
going to ice a beautiful cake ora cupcake. And let's say you
have a beautiful cupcake andswirl and you have the pretty
icing on top. It'll keep thatshape, hold that shape and be
(14:35):
exactly like that. You leave iton the counter overnight, and
when you come back, if you stuckyour finger in, it feel crusty
on the outside, but you're goingto come up with fresh icing.
That's how oil paint dries fromthe outside in
Jane Clauss (14:46):
Wow. I so it's okay to hang on the wall after it's
almost dry or medium dry, youcan still hang it. It's not
going to lose its shape becauseof that outer crust. Never
speaking of icing because. Whatyou do? Are you an amazing cake
decorator?
Unknown (15:02):
I do like to decorate just about I don't bake a whole
lot. I do enjoy baking, butwhenever I bake goods in the
house, then I eat the bakedgoods. So I try to limit myself
a little
Jane Clauss (15:12):
bit. You can use the same like maybe process, but
you can just do it
Unknown (15:15):
with ice cream. I like to test my my knife skills,
yeah,
Jane Clauss (15:19):
I guess on smaller projects, yeah, and if you mess
up, you just eat them, andthey're delicious. Exactly. Your
art is delicious too. Okay, thedrying process, I can't believe
it. It could be a year. Could beyears. So good thing. You live
in Dallas, it's a little bitwarmer there. Things will dry
faster if you're working on acommission piece, because art is
different for everybody, orcreativity is different for
(15:41):
everybody. So you have acommission piece, you they say,
Okay, I want this size. I wantthese this color palette. How do
you ensure that their visionaligns with your artistic style?
Uh, it's actually,
Unknown (15:55):
I have a lot of fun with it. So commissions can be
tricky for depending on the typeof art. Some artists love them.
Some artists do not love them.For me, I only do commissions of
work that I create. If you cometo me and say, Melissa, will you
paint my dog or my kids on thebeach? I'm going to say, I can.
(16:16):
But no, I'm not going to that'snot the kind of art that I
typically enjoy creating. So Irefer them to wonderful friends
who do that type of artcommissions. It's always going
to be my style. I've gotmultiple different textured
styles that I do. I have acouple flat different flat work
styles that I do as well. Soit's really fun. I come over. I
(16:39):
do free in home, or virtualconsultations with clients, for
businesses, restaurants, officespace, residential. And I really
try to get a feel for what, whatis their personal style. My
personal style is very bold,very colorful, unique, funky,
and just about everything I dothat's not for everybody, and
(17:01):
that's okay. I can really tailormy work to exactly what your
personal style is. So if youhave a beautiful white helm with
lots of, you know, neutrals andsoft beiges, I can create a
piece in those soft whites andbeiges, or a stark black or, you
know, soft blues, whatever itworks for the client. And so we
(17:23):
really, we meet in person orvirtual chat really about what
they're looking for, and, youknow, kind of how they live and
their style. And then I create acustom palette from what I
visually heard you say. So yousaid you you love all these
colors, maybe, maybe you don'twant any pink in your piece.
Okay, well, I heard that. Do youlike this shade, that shade?
(17:46):
Then I send it to them forapproval. They say yes to all
the colors, or we can make anyedits at that point. Because,
again, once I get started, Ican't change. There's no turning
back, and everybody's a littledifferent. You know, some people
say I know exactly what I want,or I'm not entirely sure what
that's going to look like, or, Itrust you do I want.
Jane Clauss (18:04):
I want what you do. Here's what I like, and I'm
going to love what you end upget. You know? Yeah. So
everybody's
Unknown (18:09):
a little different, and there are some people that just
really still have a hard timeenvisioning what that color
palette is going to look like inthat style. So I always will go
a step further. I want to makesure my client is 100% happy. I
guarantee all my work. And soI'll make small samples and go
visually. Okay, you want thisbig piece for your wall? Well,
(18:31):
let me make a small one for youso you can get an idea. I have
some clients that we have to gothrough many samples till they
Yeah, and that's totally fine,because I art is so personal,
and it is an investment, and Ihope that it's something that
lasts in families forgenerations. So let's get you
exactly what you want.
Jane Clauss (18:49):
That's cool, and you did an amazing commission
piece for a very big fashionbrand, Louis Vuitton, really,
yes, yes. That is like whatthat's so exciting. I
Unknown (19:02):
got an email from Louis Vuitton corporate office, and I
thought I was being scammed. I'mbeing punked right now. And so,
you know, I'm looking and I'mgoing, this all seems legit,
okay? But, yeah, they wereopening a store in the Dallas
area. This was 2021 and theycommissioned me to do a piece
(19:26):
for their permanent collection.It is a 42 by 77 big Starburst
painting, which it's, you know,pretty good size. It is hanging
in their Plano location atLegacy West here in Dallas. And
every five to six years, it willrotate around to another store
around the world. Wow,
Jane Clauss (19:46):
oh my gosh. You can base your vacations off of where
your painting is. I'm happy todo that. I figured you are. So
do you go? There is it likeseeing your face on a billboard
in Times Square? You go to.Ubuton store, and you're like,
there is my work of arts. It'spretty surreal.
Unknown (20:04):
Yeah, when they open, I got to go to the opening and the
ribbon cutting ceremony, whichwas really neat. And they had
matched the entire shoe andpurse collection to match my
painting, which was really,really exciting. So it's always
neat when I get to go there, butthe best is when friends pop in
and they see it, and I get textsor messages and just oh my gosh,
(20:28):
I saw you were a clipper I amtoday. And it's just, it's still
pretty surreal. It was very coolmoment.
Jane Clauss (20:33):
It's so cool. Everybody wants to put that on
their resume. Seriously, hasfashion inspired your sculpting,
painting, your paint, sculpting.How do I say that?
Unknown (20:46):
Sculptural? Painting? Yeah, I think they both
influence each other. They Ilove fashion. It is self
expression. It is wearable art.It is how you want to outwardly
present yourself to the world.It affects your mood. It it just
does so much and and you shouldhave fun with it. I just try to
(21:06):
have a lot of fun. I have fun inmy art. I have fun in my
fashion. I have fun in my homedesign. Certainly as you get
older and you get moreexperienced, you become more
confident. I create for me andand certainly for my clients,
but what I feel is best and formy art and the vision that I
have, and it's okay to takerisks and have fun, and if you
(21:31):
make a mistake, okay, who cares?You learn something from it
probably no big deal. And so Ithink the two very much go hand
in hand. I love
Jane Clauss (21:40):
that you're inspired by your clients, your
commission pieces, the fashionicons that you are around, and
the work that you do there. Andyou said, everybody had a start.
Everybody started somewhere.Obviously, you started your
career years ago. But where didyou start when it comes to
creativity and painting and art.Did you grow up in an
(22:03):
environment that was like,here's a paintbrush?
Unknown (22:06):
Yes, I did. I'm very, very lucky. I grew up in a very
creative household. Began makingart as soon as I was old enough
to hold a pencil. But my parentscollected art, and they would
take us to art museums. And Ihave, I got a Monet coffee table
(22:26):
book when I was six years old,six years old, and I used to
just sit on my floor and look atall our pictures and talk about
inspiration. Yeah, I had Monetand Chagall painting posters,
posters, I should say, I fell inlove with painting and painters
when I was really little. But itwasn't until college that I
(22:47):
started, that I actually firststarted painting. I was I mainly
was into drawing. I triedseveral different things, but
just illustration, drawing,coloring was always my favorite.
And I went to school for arthistory, because I thought, who
makes who makes a living as anartist? Exactly
Jane Clauss (23:05):
what I said in the very beginning, you can't be an
artist. You can't be creative,right? Cut your hair short and
go to law school. I'm like,right? You're gonna be broke
forever and you're gonna live ina cardboard
Unknown (23:14):
box, right? So I had to take studio classes for my
degree, and I took everythingbut painting. I took sculpture,
I took woodworking, I tookjewelry, smithing and all these
different classes. And then formy 21st birthday, my friends
threw me a huge surprise party,and they bought me paint, paint
(23:36):
brushes, canvases, one of theeasels I still paint on today,
and they said you have beentalking about wanting to paint,
so go do it. Wow.
Jane Clauss (23:46):
Amazing Friends.
Unknown (23:47):
Amazing still some of my very best friends in the
whole world. What I love about
Jane Clauss (23:51):
that story are your 21 year old friends at that
point in your life were actuallypaying attention to something
that you had been talking aboutand talking about probably all
through college and growing up,and they, they had the, you
know, the mindset, to give youthat little nudge, because at
that age, I mean, that's sopivotal, you're going to decide
what you're going to do andlisten, there's always room to I
(24:11):
always say, Don't decide whatyou're going to do to 28 because
you have to, like, figure itout. But I love that your
friends did that, and that's astory that you're going to write
in your book?
Unknown (24:21):
Yeah, yeah. And painting is very intimidating
when you've never done itbefore. Sure, you go, here is a
blank canvas. Make anything,make anything, and then you have
to learn how to use materialsand how do they work. And, you
know, it just and then I studiedthese masters my whole life. And
I just, I had this very deepfear, which I'm usually not a
(24:46):
very fearful person when itcomes to trying new things. But
I just went, that's what youknow, the big dogs do, right?
And they bought me. They boughtme all acrylic paint. Mm. And I
by, my birthday is in December.So that next semester, I signed
up for painting 101, I was like,Okay, I'm doing this. I put
(25:08):
myself through college, and myset of paints cost $300 Wow,
2020, plus years ago.
Jane Clauss (25:19):
That's a lot. Kid,
Unknown (25:21):
yes. And I went, you know what? I'm just gonna do it.
I'm gonna try it. I've alwayswanted this. Screw it. I'll work
extra shifts, fine. And that isalso how I ended up in in oil
paint. You
Jane Clauss (25:32):
talked about a blank canvas, being like, go
ahead, make something. Makeanything you want. That is what
happens to me when I go into afabric store and I brought my
best friend into a fabric storein New York, a very famous one.
She does not so and she'll claimto not be creative, but I do
believe that everybody iscreative in their own way. But I
agree. Walked into the store,and you probably do this with
(25:54):
your with your paints and yourcanvas. We walked in and I said,
you can pick out any fabric,anything, anything that speaks
to you, and you can makeanything, whatever you want. You
could make from this fabric thatyou like. It's that same feeling
that you're jumping off thecliff of creativity when you
look into all the colors and allthe fabrics. So you look at that
(26:17):
blank canvas and all of thesebeautiful oil paint or oil
paints next to you. You know,it's that feeling that you know
that the unknown is next.
Unknown (26:30):
Oh, it's, I mean, take me to an art supply store. I'm
the happiest school in the worldthat and Home Depot, because I'm
like, oh, what can I get inthere and make right there,
there's tools, there's supplies,there's colors, there's just
possibilities are endless, andthat could feel overwhelming at
times, but it can be, but youbut if you lean into it and just
(26:53):
go, I'm gonna see where my moodwhere, where the supplies take
me, and maybe you end up down anaisle that you weren't
expecting, and that's where yournext greatest idea can come
from, just letting yoursurroundings inspire you, yeah,
in a place where you canliterally make anything
Jane Clauss (27:10):
or just a little inspiration, you and I met at
Art Basel in Miami. You go tofashion galas. You and your
husband are world travelers. Allof those things just expose you
and all of us to so muchcreativity, so many things. And
we talked about it earlier,just, you know, I'm thinking of
Sedona and the colors of therocks. I'm thinking, you know,
(27:32):
of all these different placesI've been in the world, the
color of the water outside ofGreece like this. It really can
take you places in yourexperiences, in your travel, how
does that influence your work?As you grow as an artist, my
Unknown (27:49):
travels are my biggest inspiration because that's also
nature. So it's very allencompassing for me. My dad
always told me, there are nogreater colors and found in
nature. It's true. God createdall the colors. And whatever,
whatever you believe the colorsare out there in nature, and so
step outside, go, be inspired. Ilove shapes and I love really
(28:15):
looking at the small things inlife that are often overlooked
because we are so busy, I am onewho literally stops and smells
the flowers, and I love takingphotos, not to be a
photographer, but just formyself, I'll see beautiful bark
on a tree, a pattern mossgrowing on it, or leaves on the
(28:40):
ground or a little you know,critter crawling. I absolutely
love the nature of the ocean. Ilove coral and fish sharks. I
with my paintings, I try not tobe too literal, so they're still
very abstracted. Sure I haveshapes that look like some
(29:04):
things. I think the seashell isprobably the closest to a shape
that I that's very more literal.I want the viewer to be
imaginative. I'm not here tojust slap some stuff up on my
hand, but it's it's my wholeheart and every piece, it is
Jane Clauss (29:22):
your whole heart in every piece, it's your
creativity that's coming out. Wetalked about balance earlier,
and there's got to be a balancebetween the business artist
Melissa and the creative artistMelissa talk about the balance
there, because I know from acreative perspective, we can get
(29:42):
in flow and get lost in ourcreative work, because that's
fun. And then sometimes businesscan be all business, and it's
just not fun, like we should alljust be mullets, like we're a
party in the back and businessin the front, like that's our
life. Is a creative person onthe business and the art like,
that analogy, yeah.
Unknown (30:01):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's hard. It's really hard. I'm a
one man show, so I do everythingmyself. So yes, I'm an artist,
but I'm an entrepreneur, I'm asmall business owner, which
means I have to handle all thosethose duties. So all the
(30:23):
computer work, the invoices, theinventory, organizing, my taxes,
finances, the photography, thesocial media, the editing. I
built my own website fromscratch. I mean, you name it,
literally anything that's beendone in my business over 22
years, I've done it myself. SoI'm an artist, and I'm not great
(30:48):
at that part
Jane Clauss (30:50):
I asked. I think I
Unknown (30:52):
know that scheduling is wise and something that I try to
be better at now I will. Icertainly block off time of
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, orall day in the studio. I'll have
a meeting, you know, Thursday.But when you you know, things
pop up, just like in anything.So it's a blessing and a curse
(31:15):
to get to, you know, make yourown schedule. So
Jane Clauss (31:20):
I ask everybody this, and usually save it
towards the end of theconversation, but tell us, what
does creativity mean to you?Melissa Ellis,
Unknown (31:30):
that's a great question. It's a big question
for me, creativity is selfexpression, and I am creative in
a lot of different ways,certainly through my art, but
it's everywhere. It's an it'screative problem solving. It's
(31:52):
how you how you get dressed,and, you know, how you want to
do your makeup that day, or whatdo you want to cook for dinner?
They don't all have to be, youknow, these huge, big projects,
but it's all around you, andit's your opportunity to share
your thoughts, your vision,yourself with the world. And
(32:14):
again, no right or wronganswers, right? I think that
that's, that's what makes theworld beautiful, is everybody's
uniqueness and creativity isstepping into that unique and
Jane Clauss (32:24):
nobody will ever be the same. Tell us about any new
projects or any new series thatyou have coming up this year you
want people to know about. Well,
Unknown (32:35):
I'm actually very excited. I just moved into a
brand new studio a couple weeksago, so but I actually, I
started a new series A coupleyears ago by accident, one of
those happy accidents, but wasnot so happy at the time. I was
dealing with a reallychallenging family situation,
(32:56):
and my mom became incrediblyill, and she had severe
dementia, and I was her maincaretaker for a large portion of
that time. And I could not leaveher alone like, literally, 24/7
I had to have her eyes on her,yeah, so I would bring her up to
the studio with me. And I wasworking on some really big
(33:18):
commissions at the time, and Ijust really could, I couldn't
focus that, you know, I hadreally detailed work, and that's
my head was your reality was notyour reality,
Jane Clauss (33:28):
right?
Unknown (33:28):
So I just went, I need to, just like, doodle or do
something else that doesn'tmatter, just to kind of get, get
the gunk out, you know. Andthese shapes just started coming
out, and I didn't reallyunderstand them, or I thought
they looked like jelly beans andand I just put it aside for a
couple years. I was dealing withthat with my mom, and it was
(33:49):
just really hard and painful andbut I I kind of they were just
around little sketches, a couplesmall paintings, and people
would see them and go, what'sthat? What's that? I'm like, I
don't know it's for later. It'sfor later. And then last year, I
got accepted into an artistresidency in France, wow, which
was absolutely incredible. I gotto live in a chateau in the
(34:12):
French countryside for fun. AndI didn't know what I was going
to do while I was there,specifically, but I knew that I
was not going to do any of myoil paintings. And for me, the
point of a residency was go dosomething new. Sure, like you
already, this is already thosewheels are in motion. That's
(34:33):
that's happening. I want toalways continue to explore
different styles while I wasthere. These beans, is what I
call them. Just started comingout, coming Wow. The people at
the residency shout out toChateau Orca. VO, we all just
bonded immediately, and it was areally safe place. And I ended
(34:57):
up going five days after my mom.Had passed away, and so it was a
very challenging time. She hadbeen very sick, and so, like,
she's no longer suffering. Sothere's peace and relief there.
But obviously I've lost my mom,and yeah, major grief with that.
Yeah, as I was painting thesebeans, which started while I was
(35:19):
with your mom, sure, which camefrom a really sad, hard, painful
place. Through my residency, Irealized that those beings are
relationships, and they arepeople. They are loved ones.
Yeah, as I say, life, theirlife, absolutely yeah, because
talk about a universal truth,every person that has ever lived
(35:43):
will ever live on Earthunderstands a relationship. You
know, everybody has parents,whether you know them or like
them or love them, but you knowwhat a relationship is like you.
You meet people out in theworld, you work with people. You
have family, you have friends.Everybody knows everybody, and
no two relationships on Earthhave been, or ever will be the
(36:03):
same,
Jane Clauss (36:03):
just like your beans, never the same, just like
Unknown (36:07):
the beans and they I painted two large pieces while I
was there, and one of them wasreally bright and colorful,
almost like a totem pole stackbeans. And again, I didn't
realize it till I was abouthalfway through with the piece,
I went, Oh my goodness. I waslistening to a song by
widespread panic called climb tosafety, and it's about the
(36:27):
people in your life that liftyou up, that cure you, that
support you. And I realizedthese beans, wow, are the people
who have saved my life andhelped me get through this
horrific time. So all of my beanpaintings are just a love letter
to people that I love and that Iwant them to be for people. And
you know, some, some of thosebeans, you know, they're,
(36:50):
they're delicately balanced oneach other. Because, you know,
some relationships can be alittle tricky. But that doesn't
mean that they that they don'tserve a purpose. And
Jane Clauss (36:59):
the thing is, too the beans, you can look at those
specific pieces, and those beansare certain relationships to
you, but others, because of artand creativity, if I look at
them, those beans can mean otherrelationships that are
meaningful to me. So what you'vecreated is something to help you
(37:19):
heal, to help you grow, and thenalso something that means
something to you, that meanssomething to others, like it is
so deep.
Unknown (37:28):
Well, not like I've had clients go, Oh my gosh, I love
the three beans, because it'sme, my husband and my daughter,
yeah, or those are my five kids.I have one piece that I did that
I think I named it Pool Party,because I think it looks like,
you know, the pool floats whereyou're just on a summer day,
it's you and your best friend,your partner, your sister,
(37:49):
whatever, and you're laying inthe pool, yeah, not even
talking, just listening to musicand just being, just being. But
for me, it reminds me of my twodogs,
Jane Clauss (37:58):
yeah. Tell us about how we can find we need more
beans. We need more MelissaEllis art, we need to see the
sculptural oil painting photos,but we need to see the new
series too. Instagram, handlewebsite, how do we get more?
Melissa Ellis art,
Unknown (38:14):
well, you just said it. So my Instagram, Melissa Ellis
art, everywhere. So my websiteis Melissa Ellis art.com my
Instagram is and Tiktok and allthat. Facebook is at Melissa
Ellis art, you can email me atMelissa, at Melissa Ellis
art.com
Jane Clauss (38:35):
reach out Melissa Ellis art.com at Melissa Ellis
art if you have not met MelissaEllis, you need to go and look
at her work today, because she'san incredible person. She's an
incredible artist. MelissaEllis, thank you so much for
joining us on creative living.Live better
VO (38:57):
creatively for more inspiration. Visit Jane
clauss.com thank you forlistening. You.
It's time to tantalize your earbuds with creative makers and
shakers. It's creative living.The podcast with Jane Clauss,
Jane Clauss (00:10):
Welcome to Creative living, where we help you live
your most creative life. I'mJane Clauss, and it is creative
living. The podcast season six.I am super excited about this
podcast in season six, because Iam focused. I used to do radio
for many, many years, and nowI'm focused. I am focused on
(00:31):
creativity. And radio is great.I love it, but the world has
changed, and so have I, and itreally has been a journey, a
journey that I love taking ajourney that I love being on.
When I was growing up, myparents used to say you can't
have a career being creative.And I was like, Well, yes, you
can. I mean, I think that anycareer you choose has a creative
(00:55):
side to it, whatever you wantthat to be, there's always a way
to make it creative, and that iswhat this podcast is all about.
It's talking to the people,talking about the places and
things that they feel iscreative that will inspire you.
So yes, it's been a journey, butcreativity is a journey. Am I
(01:17):
right? I'm right. I am always onthe pursuit of new ideas of
finding inspiration. I lovehaving great conversations with
like minded people who live andbreathe creativity. So before
the new year, I went to Miami,and I went to Art Basel, where I
met artists, and I saw art, andI had so many ideas, and there
(01:38):
was so much inspirationeverywhere I looked, it reminded
me just how powerful creativityand art can be on the way we see
the world. So I'm excited tokeep that conversation flowing
and going by talking to anamazing artist who I met at Art
(01:59):
Basel, who embodies that spiritof creativity she is. Melissa
Ellis. Melissa is a Dallas basedartist known for her bold and
hand sculpted oil paintings.Melissa's meticulous yet
spontaneous process brings hercanvases to life and is
(02:19):
captivated art enthusiasts andcollectors all over the world.
So let's dive into it. Let'stalk creativity. I am super
excited to welcome to the show.Melissa Ellis, hello, Melissa,
Hi,
Unknown (02:34):
Jane. How are you? Thank you for having me.
Jane Clauss (02:36):
I'm great. I'm so happy you're here with us,
because I know that you love totalk about creativity.
Unknown (02:42):
I do. I do a lot. As
Jane Clauss (02:44):
a matter of fact, when I met you, you said I could
talk about the creative processand creativity, like all day
long, non stop. And then yousaid, I'm a talker. And I said,
Hey, why don't you come onpodcast?
Unknown (02:54):
And I said, Great. Sounds wonderful. He's like, you
won't
Jane Clauss (02:56):
be able to get me to shut up. So I want everyone
to understand before we diveinto all of this, when I say you
are a hand sculpted oil painter,explain to everyone, why don't
you paint and sculpt the visualimage for us? What do your
paintings, your sculptures, looklike? So
Unknown (03:17):
people are probably familiar with impasto oil
painting, but I kind of take itslightly different from there.
So impasto oil painting, orimpasto painting in general, is
really thick, heavy texture on acanvas or wood panel. But what's
a little different about what Ido is instead of just taking a
brush and sort of leaving heavybrush strokes or using a palette
(03:39):
knife to just sort of scrapesome paint on a canvas, maybe,
say, doing a beautiful landscapeand really giving texture to
trees or mountains. I actuallyuse mounds and mounds of paint,
and I'll lay out, I love lots ofcolors, so usually lots and lots
of colors, and I lay out moundsof oil paint, and then I take
(04:00):
two palette knives, depending onthe style that I'm creating,
different size knives willcreate different shapes and
textures, but I pick up thepaint. So I'll pick up a little
red, a little blue, a littleyellow, and I'll hand sculpt
with my knives different shapes.So I do petal pieces that kind
of look like flowers or leaves,I'll sculpt seashells or what I
(04:26):
think look like rocks or bugs orcandy or all kinds of different
shapes, and I hand sculpt all ofthose with knives like a
sculptor would sculpt, but thenI apply it to Canvas or wood
panel. So I do all of it whileit's wet. So I'm really
somewhere between a painter anda sculptor.
Jane Clauss (04:46):
So it's like 3d art too. Very three dimensional.
Unknown (04:50):
My pieces come off the canvas an inch, two inches, the
bigger pieces even more the onthe edges of my canvases. I.
Have the texture come off, andthey'll come off an inch to two
inches, so very threedimensional, which I think
really gives it some extramotion and depth and just that
(05:12):
really thick texture I love.
Jane Clauss (05:14):
Yeah, and in doing some research on your work and
looking at it, and it's amazing,and everyone needs to experience
what you do. A lot of peopleconsider it organized chaos, but
I think that is a greatcompliment.
Unknown (05:27):
Thank you. Thank you. I actually really like that too. I
I really like things in itsplace. You know, I everything
just sort of has a place. And Ilike things straight and neat
and organized, just in everyaspect of my life. But art is
handmade. It always is going tohave an organic feel. I'm not a
(05:48):
machine, I'm not a robot, I'mnot a computer. So there will
always be imperfections, and fora really long time, I struggled
with that, because I want thingsto look a very nice, neat lay
and over time, I really startedto lean in and embrace that
organic, handmade imperfection.I still get that desired effect
(06:14):
I want because I like I do myStarburst, which look like three
dimensional flowers. So I sculptall those pieces, but each
individual petal, even when I'mmaking them the exact same size
and have them in a pattern,they're never exactly the same.
And there's something reallybeautiful. So if I'm doing
(06:37):
really any of my pieces, whetherit's through color pattern or
both. I, I haven't I, I knowwhat style I'm going to do
before I get started, but I andI have my colors laid out, but I
don't map it. So I I want to,let's say I'm you're picking out
(06:58):
the orange in the piece. Youshould be able to sort of squint
and go pick out the orange, andthey're evenly distributed
throughout the canvas, butthey're not perfectly in order.
So I plan with without beingthere's still some chaos in
there, if you will,
Jane Clauss (07:14):
which is great. And by the way, the most beautiful
things on earth we say, well,that's in nature. You could go
to places all over the world andsee different colors and
textures, and it's not perfect,but that's right,
Unknown (07:29):
it is perfect. That's what makes it perfect, exactly.
Imperfection.
Jane Clauss (07:33):
Yes, right. So talk about balance, though, because
you had said that you aremeticulous in your planning, but
yet you're super spontaneouswhen you don't really know where
you're going. So how do you findthat balance in your work when
you get to your studio?
Unknown (07:51):
A lot of it is getting into flow, which doesn't always
happen quite like you want orthink that it will. But I start
out with my space veryorganized. I have a plan. Okay,
this is the size piece that I'mgoing to create. Here are my
colors I'm laid out. I mean, Iwrite out my colors, I have a
fully organized space, and thenI pop in my earbuds and put my
(08:15):
music on, and I just get lost.And so I'm obviously paying very
deep attention to what I'm doingas I'm picking my colors and I'm
making my shapes, and I go,Okay, this needs to go here, and
this needs to go here, but Idon't overthink it, because I'm
in this great, you know,organized space, and it's just
(08:37):
me, and I've got my mute I lovemusic. I always am listening to
music, very big influence ofmine, and and I just go and sort
of let happen. What happens oncea piece is on there, once I have
the texture on the canvas, it'soften very difficult or
impossible to change. So I haveto go, okay, that happened, and
(08:57):
now we're gonna, you know, movealong accordingly, and try not
to overthink too much.
Jane Clauss (09:03):
And I love the idea of flow, because, although I am
not a sculptural painter, whenI'm sewing, when I'm using, you
know, doing sustainable fashionor creating something a garment,
I'm in flow, I for me, it'sabout getting over the little
speed bump pump to get started.But once I'm in, I am in, and
(09:24):
then you're in the flow. And youknow what? If I make a mistake,
and whatever it is, because Idon't actually like to use
patterns in my sewing, I justmake it up as I go, Uh huh. I
say, well, there is no mistake.There are no mistakes. You kind
of just said the same thing.
Unknown (09:37):
That's my favorite thing about art. And when I say
art, all creativity, there's noright or wrong answer. Whatever
you feel, whatever you see,whatever you create, is, is art.
And that's what's beautifulabout it, that it's not, oh
well. It was supposed to bethis, well, I can make it
whatever I want. Yeah, that thatflow. You just feel a little
less stressed, a little lessmust be perfect. All the time.
(10:01):
And it's a, really, it's anincredible state to be in when
you can get to it. And when I'min it, I just, you know, you
look up and you go, Oh, I forgotto eat. I, you know, it's dark
outside. I, you know, like, whathappened? Yeah. And then you
look up, you go, Whoa. Look at,look at all I accomplished. And
Jane Clauss (10:18):
isn't it cool, too. You do the one thing, and then
you look at it and you're like,Oh, that's cool. You know what I
mean? Like, you even surpriseyourself, yeah, of where you're
at. And sometimes you don't seethe big picture. And that's the
best part of this process ofcreativity. So you talked a
little bit about your creativeworkflow, or your creative
process. Give it. Give us a day.You walk in the studio, you
(10:42):
start, is there a writer'sblock? Quote, unquote. Or you
Unknown (10:46):
go, there can be certainly, I think in again, in
any creative field, sometimesyou just go, oh, what? Because
once I get started on a piece, Ihave to decide on my texture of
what I'm going to do, becauseeach of my styles, they're very
different, and once I get going,that's what the piece is going
(11:06):
to look like. So that helpshaving a plan in place before I
get started. I do a lot of a lotof commission work, so I know in
advance, okay, I'm making a 48by 60 Starburst, or a Biju piece
and so and we've chosen thecolors together. I very rarely
have any kind of block on color,because I go by feeling by
(11:28):
emotion. What mood Am I in? AndI typically use most of the
colors under the rainbow. Soit's really that that usually is
a great kickstart for me, one ofmy tricks, and I try to tell
people this all the time. Ifyou're really feeling stuck,
you've got that writer's block,or maybe you're lacking a little
motivation for the day, ortired, or whatever may be going
(11:48):
on, always start with thesimplest thing. What is
something really short, sweet,easy and fun that you can do?
And one of those things, pickingout colors is always one for me.
Another one is just startpainting some backgrounds on a
campus, even if I decide laterto change the color, it just
sort of, it gets your handsgoing, gets your mind going. It
(12:10):
loosens you up a little bit. Sofinding that little something to
just kind of get my creative,you know, thought process going,
Yeah, is always a great way tostart and then just dive in. I
usually need a lot of hours at atime, because by the time I lay
out all my colors, pickeverything and get all set up.
(12:30):
That can take me a couple hoursjust to get set up before even
starting. When I'm working on apiece, depending on size, it'll
take from a couple days to abouta month or so per piece. And
when I'm working on a piece,I'll do 1012, I've done 22 hours
straight in the studio before.Just wow, when you get going,
you get going.
Jane Clauss (12:51):
That's awesome. Your family, like, where did she
go? You know, my husband gets
Unknown (12:55):
a little nervous sometimes calling. Where are
you? Are you okay? And I'm like,I'm still up here. Sorry. Like,
Jane Clauss (12:59):
I'm having a great time. I've gotten those calls
myself. I will tell you that theyou said takes anywhere a couple
hours to to a month or 20 days.I'm thinking about this unique
process that you use, and thatis using your knives with this
paint, and you're making these3d sculptures coming off of the
canvas. Silly question, but howlong did they did they take to
(13:22):
dry? Because they're they'rebig, I would think that they do
take for Yeah, yeah,
Unknown (13:28):
that's definitely my number one question that I get.
Oil Paint is the slowest to dry.And I don't use any fillers,
mediums, anything. So it is 100%straight oil paint, and
different colors will dry atdifferent rates and different
temperatures. So the colder itis, the longer it will take, and
it will basically keep it fromdrying. So I live in Texas, and
(13:51):
so that's good. It's very goodfor me. Typically, I like to say
about four to six weeks to startto dry to the touch. But the
thicker they are, the longerthey're going to take to cure
and harden. So it could beanywhere from nine months to a
year. It can take years to cureif they ever do, but that's
(14:12):
perfectly fine. They'reperfectly safe to sit and hang
on a wall over time and andthey'll dry and so they I always
equate it to icing oil paint hasa similar consistency. So you're
going to ice a beautiful cake ora cupcake. And let's say you
have a beautiful cupcake andswirl and you have the pretty
icing on top. It'll keep thatshape, hold that shape and be
(14:35):
exactly like that. You leave iton the counter overnight, and
when you come back, if you stuckyour finger in, it feel crusty
on the outside, but you're goingto come up with fresh icing.
That's how oil paint dries fromthe outside in
Jane Clauss (14:46):
Wow. I so it's okay to hang on the wall after it's
almost dry or medium dry, youcan still hang it. It's not
going to lose its shape becauseof that outer crust. Never
speaking of icing because. Whatyou do? Are you an amazing cake
decorator?
Unknown (15:02):
I do like to decorate just about I don't bake a whole
lot. I do enjoy baking, butwhenever I bake goods in the
house, then I eat the bakedgoods. So I try to limit myself
a little
Jane Clauss (15:12):
bit. You can use the same like maybe process, but
you can just do it
Unknown (15:15):
with ice cream. I like to test my my knife skills,
yeah,
Jane Clauss (15:19):
I guess on smaller projects, yeah, and if you mess
up, you just eat them, andthey're delicious. Exactly. Your
art is delicious too. Okay, thedrying process, I can't believe
it. It could be a year. Could beyears. So good thing. You live
in Dallas, it's a little bitwarmer there. Things will dry
faster if you're working on acommission piece, because art is
different for everybody, orcreativity is different for
(15:41):
everybody. So you have acommission piece, you they say,
Okay, I want this size. I wantthese this color palette. How do
you ensure that their visionaligns with your artistic style?
Uh, it's actually,
Unknown (15:55):
I have a lot of fun with it. So commissions can be
tricky for depending on the typeof art. Some artists love them.
Some artists do not love them.For me, I only do commissions of
work that I create. If you cometo me and say, Melissa, will you
paint my dog or my kids on thebeach? I'm going to say, I can.
(16:16):
But no, I'm not going to that'snot the kind of art that I
typically enjoy creating. So Irefer them to wonderful friends
who do that type of artcommissions. It's always going
to be my style. I've gotmultiple different textured
styles that I do. I have acouple flat different flat work
styles that I do as well. Soit's really fun. I come over. I
(16:39):
do free in home, or virtualconsultations with clients, for
businesses, restaurants, officespace, residential. And I really
try to get a feel for what, whatis their personal style. My
personal style is very bold,very colorful, unique, funky,
and just about everything I dothat's not for everybody, and
(17:01):
that's okay. I can really tailormy work to exactly what your
personal style is. So if youhave a beautiful white helm with
lots of, you know, neutrals andsoft beiges, I can create a
piece in those soft whites andbeiges, or a stark black or, you
know, soft blues, whatever itworks for the client. And so we
(17:23):
really, we meet in person orvirtual chat really about what
they're looking for, and, youknow, kind of how they live and
their style. And then I create acustom palette from what I
visually heard you say. So yousaid you you love all these
colors, maybe, maybe you don'twant any pink in your piece.
Okay, well, I heard that. Do youlike this shade, that shade?
(17:46):
Then I send it to them forapproval. They say yes to all
the colors, or we can make anyedits at that point. Because,
again, once I get started, Ican't change. There's no turning
back, and everybody's a littledifferent. You know, some people
say I know exactly what I want,or I'm not entirely sure what
that's going to look like, or, Itrust you do I want.
Jane Clauss (18:04):
I want what you do. Here's what I like, and I'm
going to love what you end upget. You know? Yeah. So
everybody's
Unknown (18:09):
a little different, and there are some people that just
really still have a hard timeenvisioning what that color
palette is going to look like inthat style. So I always will go
a step further. I want to makesure my client is 100% happy. I
guarantee all my work. And soI'll make small samples and go
visually. Okay, you want thisbig piece for your wall? Well,
(18:31):
let me make a small one for youso you can get an idea. I have
some clients that we have to gothrough many samples till they
Yeah, and that's totally fine,because I art is so personal,
and it is an investment, and Ihope that it's something that
lasts in families forgenerations. So let's get you
exactly what you want.
Jane Clauss (18:49):
That's cool, and you did an amazing commission
piece for a very big fashionbrand, Louis Vuitton, really,
yes, yes. That is like whatthat's so exciting. I
Unknown (19:02):
got an email from Louis Vuitton corporate office, and I
thought I was being scammed. I'mbeing punked right now. And so,
you know, I'm looking and I'mgoing, this all seems legit,
okay? But, yeah, they wereopening a store in the Dallas
area. This was 2021 and theycommissioned me to do a piece
(19:26):
for their permanent collection.It is a 42 by 77 big Starburst
painting, which it's, you know,pretty good size. It is hanging
in their Plano location atLegacy West here in Dallas. And
every five to six years, it willrotate around to another store
around the world. Wow,
Jane Clauss (19:46):
oh my gosh. You can base your vacations off of where
your painting is. I'm happy todo that. I figured you are. So
do you go? There is it likeseeing your face on a billboard
in Times Square? You go to.Ubuton store, and you're like,
there is my work of arts. It'spretty surreal.
Unknown (20:04):
Yeah, when they open, I got to go to the opening and the
ribbon cutting ceremony, whichwas really neat. And they had
matched the entire shoe andpurse collection to match my
painting, which was really,really exciting. So it's always
neat when I get to go there, butthe best is when friends pop in
and they see it, and I get textsor messages and just oh my gosh,
(20:28):
I saw you were a clipper I amtoday. And it's just, it's still
pretty surreal. It was very coolmoment.
Jane Clauss (20:33):
It's so cool. Everybody wants to put that on
their resume. Seriously, hasfashion inspired your sculpting,
painting, your paint, sculpting.How do I say that?
Unknown (20:46):
Sculptural? Painting? Yeah, I think they both
influence each other. They Ilove fashion. It is self
expression. It is wearable art.It is how you want to outwardly
present yourself to the world.It affects your mood. It it just
does so much and and you shouldhave fun with it. I just try to
(21:06):
have a lot of fun. I have fun inmy art. I have fun in my
fashion. I have fun in my homedesign. Certainly as you get
older and you get moreexperienced, you become more
confident. I create for me andand certainly for my clients,
but what I feel is best and formy art and the vision that I
have, and it's okay to takerisks and have fun, and if you
(21:31):
make a mistake, okay, who cares?You learn something from it
probably no big deal. And so Ithink the two very much go hand
in hand. I love
Jane Clauss (21:40):
that you're inspired by your clients, your
commission pieces, the fashionicons that you are around, and
the work that you do there. Andyou said, everybody had a start.
Everybody started somewhere.Obviously, you started your
career years ago. But where didyou start when it comes to
creativity and painting and art.Did you grow up in an
(22:03):
environment that was like,here's a paintbrush?
Unknown (22:06):
Yes, I did. I'm very, very lucky. I grew up in a very
creative household. Began makingart as soon as I was old enough
to hold a pencil. But my parentscollected art, and they would
take us to art museums. And Ihave, I got a Monet coffee table
(22:26):
book when I was six years old,six years old, and I used to
just sit on my floor and look atall our pictures and talk about
inspiration. Yeah, I had Monetand Chagall painting posters,
posters, I should say, I fell inlove with painting and painters
when I was really little. But itwasn't until college that I
(22:47):
started, that I actually firststarted painting. I was I mainly
was into drawing. I triedseveral different things, but
just illustration, drawing,coloring was always my favorite.
And I went to school for arthistory, because I thought, who
makes who makes a living as anartist? Exactly
Jane Clauss (23:05):
what I said in the very beginning, you can't be an
artist. You can't be creative,right? Cut your hair short and
go to law school. I'm like,right? You're gonna be broke
forever and you're gonna live ina cardboard
Unknown (23:14):
box, right? So I had to take studio classes for my
degree, and I took everythingbut painting. I took sculpture,
I took woodworking, I tookjewelry, smithing and all these
different classes. And then formy 21st birthday, my friends
threw me a huge surprise party,and they bought me paint, paint
(23:36):
brushes, canvases, one of theeasels I still paint on today,
and they said you have beentalking about wanting to paint,
so go do it. Wow.
Jane Clauss (23:46):
Amazing Friends.
Unknown (23:47):
Amazing still some of my very best friends in the
whole world. What I love about
Jane Clauss (23:51):
that story are your 21 year old friends at that
point in your life were actuallypaying attention to something
that you had been talking aboutand talking about probably all
through college and growing up,and they, they had the, you
know, the mindset, to give youthat little nudge, because at
that age, I mean, that's sopivotal, you're going to decide
what you're going to do andlisten, there's always room to I
(24:11):
always say, Don't decide whatyou're going to do to 28 because
you have to, like, figure itout. But I love that your
friends did that, and that's astory that you're going to write
in your book?
Unknown (24:21):
Yeah, yeah. And painting is very intimidating
when you've never done itbefore. Sure, you go, here is a
blank canvas. Make anything,make anything, and then you have
to learn how to use materialsand how do they work. And, you
know, it just and then I studiedthese masters my whole life. And
I just, I had this very deepfear, which I'm usually not a
(24:46):
very fearful person when itcomes to trying new things. But
I just went, that's what youknow, the big dogs do, right?
And they bought me. They boughtme all acrylic paint. Mm. And I
by, my birthday is in December.So that next semester, I signed
up for painting 101, I was like,Okay, I'm doing this. I put
(25:08):
myself through college, and myset of paints cost $300 Wow,
2020, plus years ago.
Jane Clauss (25:19):
That's a lot. Kid,
Unknown (25:21):
yes. And I went, you know what? I'm just gonna do it.
I'm gonna try it. I've alwayswanted this. Screw it. I'll work
extra shifts, fine. And that isalso how I ended up in in oil
paint. You
Jane Clauss (25:32):
talked about a blank canvas, being like, go
ahead, make something. Makeanything you want. That is what
happens to me when I go into afabric store and I brought my
best friend into a fabric storein New York, a very famous one.
She does not so and she'll claimto not be creative, but I do
believe that everybody iscreative in their own way. But I
agree. Walked into the store,and you probably do this with
(25:54):
your with your paints and yourcanvas. We walked in and I said,
you can pick out any fabric,anything, anything that speaks
to you, and you can makeanything, whatever you want. You
could make from this fabric thatyou like. It's that same feeling
that you're jumping off thecliff of creativity when you
look into all the colors and allthe fabrics. So you look at that
(26:17):
blank canvas and all of thesebeautiful oil paint or oil
paints next to you. You know,it's that feeling that you know
that the unknown is next.
Unknown (26:30):
Oh, it's, I mean, take me to an art supply store. I'm
the happiest school in the worldthat and Home Depot, because I'm
like, oh, what can I get inthere and make right there,
there's tools, there's supplies,there's colors, there's just
possibilities are endless, andthat could feel overwhelming at
times, but it can be, but youbut if you lean into it and just
(26:53):
go, I'm gonna see where my moodwhere, where the supplies take
me, and maybe you end up down anaisle that you weren't
expecting, and that's where yournext greatest idea can come
from, just letting yoursurroundings inspire you, yeah,
in a place where you canliterally make anything
Jane Clauss (27:10):
or just a little inspiration, you and I met at
Art Basel in Miami. You go tofashion galas. You and your
husband are world travelers. Allof those things just expose you
and all of us to so muchcreativity, so many things. And
we talked about it earlier,just, you know, I'm thinking of
Sedona and the colors of therocks. I'm thinking, you know,
(27:32):
of all these different placesI've been in the world, the
color of the water outside ofGreece like this. It really can
take you places in yourexperiences, in your travel, how
does that influence your work?As you grow as an artist, my
Unknown (27:49):
travels are my biggest inspiration because that's also
nature. So it's very allencompassing for me. My dad
always told me, there are nogreater colors and found in
nature. It's true. God createdall the colors. And whatever,
whatever you believe the colorsare out there in nature, and so
step outside, go, be inspired. Ilove shapes and I love really
(28:15):
looking at the small things inlife that are often overlooked
because we are so busy, I am onewho literally stops and smells
the flowers, and I love takingphotos, not to be a
photographer, but just formyself, I'll see beautiful bark
on a tree, a pattern mossgrowing on it, or leaves on the
(28:40):
ground or a little you know,critter crawling. I absolutely
love the nature of the ocean. Ilove coral and fish sharks. I
with my paintings, I try not tobe too literal, so they're still
very abstracted. Sure I haveshapes that look like some
(29:04):
things. I think the seashell isprobably the closest to a shape
that I that's very more literal.I want the viewer to be
imaginative. I'm not here tojust slap some stuff up on my
hand, but it's it's my wholeheart and every piece, it is
Jane Clauss (29:22):
your whole heart in every piece, it's your
creativity that's coming out. Wetalked about balance earlier,
and there's got to be a balancebetween the business artist
Melissa and the creative artistMelissa talk about the balance
there, because I know from acreative perspective, we can get
(29:42):
in flow and get lost in ourcreative work, because that's
fun. And then sometimes businesscan be all business, and it's
just not fun, like we should alljust be mullets, like we're a
party in the back and businessin the front, like that's our
life. Is a creative person onthe business and the art like,
that analogy, yeah.
Unknown (30:01):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's hard. It's really hard. I'm a
one man show, so I do everythingmyself. So yes, I'm an artist,
but I'm an entrepreneur, I'm asmall business owner, which
means I have to handle all thosethose duties. So all the
(30:23):
computer work, the invoices, theinventory, organizing, my taxes,
finances, the photography, thesocial media, the editing. I
built my own website fromscratch. I mean, you name it,
literally anything that's beendone in my business over 22
years, I've done it myself. SoI'm an artist, and I'm not great
(30:48):
at that part
Jane Clauss (30:50):
I asked. I think I
Unknown (30:52):
know that scheduling is wise and something that I try to
be better at now I will. Icertainly block off time of
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, orall day in the studio. I'll have
a meeting, you know, Thursday.But when you you know, things
pop up, just like in anything.So it's a blessing and a curse
(31:15):
to get to, you know, make yourown schedule. So
Jane Clauss (31:20):
I ask everybody this, and usually save it
towards the end of theconversation, but tell us, what
does creativity mean to you?Melissa Ellis,
Unknown (31:30):
that's a great question. It's a big question
for me, creativity is selfexpression, and I am creative in
a lot of different ways,certainly through my art, but
it's everywhere. It's an it'screative problem solving. It's
(31:52):
how you how you get dressed,and, you know, how you want to
do your makeup that day, or whatdo you want to cook for dinner?
They don't all have to be, youknow, these huge, big projects,
but it's all around you, andit's your opportunity to share
your thoughts, your vision,yourself with the world. And
(32:14):
again, no right or wronganswers, right? I think that
that's, that's what makes theworld beautiful, is everybody's
uniqueness and creativity isstepping into that unique and
Jane Clauss (32:24):
nobody will ever be the same. Tell us about any new
projects or any new series thatyou have coming up this year you
want people to know about. Well,
Unknown (32:35):
I'm actually very excited. I just moved into a
brand new studio a couple weeksago, so but I actually, I
started a new series A coupleyears ago by accident, one of
those happy accidents, but wasnot so happy at the time. I was
dealing with a reallychallenging family situation,
(32:56):
and my mom became incrediblyill, and she had severe
dementia, and I was her maincaretaker for a large portion of
that time. And I could not leaveher alone like, literally, 24/7
I had to have her eyes on her,yeah, so I would bring her up to
the studio with me. And I wasworking on some really big
(33:18):
commissions at the time, and Ijust really could, I couldn't
focus that, you know, I hadreally detailed work, and that's
my head was your reality was notyour reality,
Jane Clauss (33:28):
right?
Unknown (33:28):
So I just went, I need to, just like, doodle or do
something else that doesn'tmatter, just to kind of get, get
the gunk out, you know. Andthese shapes just started coming
out, and I didn't reallyunderstand them, or I thought
they looked like jelly beans andand I just put it aside for a
couple years. I was dealing withthat with my mom, and it was
(33:49):
just really hard and painful andbut I I kind of they were just
around little sketches, a couplesmall paintings, and people
would see them and go, what'sthat? What's that? I'm like, I
don't know it's for later. It'sfor later. And then last year, I
got accepted into an artistresidency in France, wow, which
was absolutely incredible. I gotto live in a chateau in the
(34:12):
French countryside for fun. AndI didn't know what I was going
to do while I was there,specifically, but I knew that I
was not going to do any of myoil paintings. And for me, the
point of a residency was go dosomething new. Sure, like you
already, this is already thosewheels are in motion. That's
(34:33):
that's happening. I want toalways continue to explore
different styles while I wasthere. These beans, is what I
call them. Just started comingout, coming Wow. The people at
the residency shout out toChateau Orca. VO, we all just
bonded immediately, and it was areally safe place. And I ended
(34:57):
up going five days after my mom.Had passed away, and so it was a
very challenging time. She hadbeen very sick, and so, like,
she's no longer suffering. Sothere's peace and relief there.
But obviously I've lost my mom,and yeah, major grief with that.
Yeah, as I was painting thesebeans, which started while I was
(35:19):
with your mom, sure, which camefrom a really sad, hard, painful
place. Through my residency, Irealized that those beings are
relationships, and they arepeople. They are loved ones.
Yeah, as I say, life, theirlife, absolutely yeah, because
talk about a universal truth,every person that has ever lived
(35:43):
will ever live on Earthunderstands a relationship. You
know, everybody has parents,whether you know them or like
them or love them, but you knowwhat a relationship is like you.
You meet people out in theworld, you work with people. You
have family, you have friends.Everybody knows everybody, and
no two relationships on Earthhave been, or ever will be the
(36:03):
same,
Jane Clauss (36:03):
just like your beans, never the same, just like
Unknown (36:07):
the beans and they I painted two large pieces while I
was there, and one of them wasreally bright and colorful,
almost like a totem pole stackbeans. And again, I didn't
realize it till I was abouthalfway through with the piece,
I went, Oh my goodness. I waslistening to a song by
widespread panic called climb tosafety, and it's about the
(36:27):
people in your life that liftyou up, that cure you, that
support you. And I realizedthese beans, wow, are the people
who have saved my life andhelped me get through this
horrific time. So all of my beanpaintings are just a love letter
to people that I love and that Iwant them to be for people. And
you know, some, some of thosebeans, you know, they're,
(36:50):
they're delicately balanced oneach other. Because, you know,
some relationships can be alittle tricky. But that doesn't
mean that they that they don'tserve a purpose. And
Jane Clauss (36:59):
the thing is, too the beans, you can look at those
specific pieces, and those beansare certain relationships to
you, but others, because of artand creativity, if I look at
them, those beans can mean otherrelationships that are
meaningful to me. So what you'vecreated is something to help you
(37:19):
heal, to help you grow, and thenalso something that means
something to you, that meanssomething to others, like it is
so deep.
Unknown (37:28):
Well, not like I've had clients go, Oh my gosh, I love
the three beans, because it'sme, my husband and my daughter,
yeah, or those are my five kids.I have one piece that I did that
I think I named it Pool Party,because I think it looks like,
you know, the pool floats whereyou're just on a summer day,
it's you and your best friend,your partner, your sister,
(37:49):
whatever, and you're laying inthe pool, yeah, not even
talking, just listening to musicand just being, just being. But
for me, it reminds me of my twodogs,
Jane Clauss (37:58):
yeah. Tell us about how we can find we need more
beans. We need more MelissaEllis art, we need to see the
sculptural oil painting photos,but we need to see the new
series too. Instagram, handlewebsite, how do we get more?
Melissa Ellis art,
Unknown (38:14):
well, you just said it. So my Instagram, Melissa Ellis
art, everywhere. So my websiteis Melissa Ellis art.com my
Instagram is and Tiktok and allthat. Facebook is at Melissa
Ellis art, you can email me atMelissa, at Melissa Ellis
art.com
Jane Clauss (38:35):
reach out Melissa Ellis art.com at Melissa Ellis
art if you have not met MelissaEllis, you need to go and look
at her work today, because she'san incredible person. She's an
incredible artist. MelissaEllis, thank you so much for
joining us on creative living.Live better
VO (38:57):
creatively for more inspiration. Visit Jane
clauss.com thank you forlistening. You.
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