Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Barnhill.
Hi Melissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My story starts in Philadelphia PA in a unique Hispanic household with strong individuals who strive for their dreams and worked hard for their families. My grandmother arrived here from Puerto Rico with two children and then had three more when she settled in Philly. The best way to describe my family is an array of creatives that were passionate about what they did.
My grandma was great at sewing and made dresses and curtains when she had the chance. My grandfather and uncle love to tinker with things and rebuild stuff from simple electronics. My aunts had passions for cooking and crafting, although they didn’t make it part of their careers.
As for my mother, she was an artist at heart but went into the veterinary field to follow her passion for helping animals. My father was a musician at heart and although he wasn’t always in my life I do remember him drawing and working on music. As for me, I was an artist at heart. Since I was younger I’ve always had a pencil in hand and a notepad or paper to draw on.
Morning, Noon, and Night I would be doodling away, creating worlds and characters that lived in them. I was influenced by different comics and animations that I read and watched over the years which sparked my interest in becoming an animator at a young age. We were from a lower-income family so my mother tried her best to nurture my passions with books and opportunities to sign up for art programs.
When I was in middle school I was signed up for the Philadelphia Murals Arts program, and there is where I met my mentor Bernard Collins. He told my mother he could see me working in an animation studio squirreling away at keyframes to make an animation. I was with the Mural Arts program for 4 years and even became an assistant instructor which gave me the opportunity to help teach young youth about art.
That sparked my interest to give back to the community in some way. So in my senior year of high school for my senior project, I became a private art teacher for my favorite teacher’s niece. I loved teaching her the things I learned over time and watching my student evolve into a passionate artist just solidify my passion for pursuing an art career.
After graduating, I lucked out and got into the University of the Arts in Philadelphia for multimedia and animation. My college years were interesting, to say the least. I struggled with classes but enjoyed the creative process it took to become an animator. It was there I met one of my close friends who also got me into selling my artwork at conventions which opened my eyes to a whole other world of art I never knew existed.
I was now seeing and meeting people who enjoyed my art style and wanted to buy it! That changed my view on my long-term art career goals quickly. Although I still wanted to have a career in animation, I also realized I didn’t want to work for an average animation company as a “grunt worker” but more of a creator who had their vision seen on the screen.
After I graduated from college with my bachelor’s I continued selling art at different conventions and art shows. It was at one of the conventions that I ran into my friend Jason Richardson who runs his own studio, J1Studios, that I was given an opportunity to work on my own project which is my web-comic Cyl’vr.
While working on my comic, I started building on my studio Please Excuse My Ink to further pursue my career as an independent artist and creator. I traveled from Philadelphia, PA to Tacoma, WA, and finally landed in Brandon Florida to hopefully plant my roots as an independent artist.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My path wasn’t so easy. I struggled with a lot of death, impostor syndrome, and other disorders during my college years, but something in me kept going. Every time I wrote a story and created a piece of art it sparked my creative side to escape “the real world”. I use my art in two forms. One is the creative independent artist that burns to be seen in the art world and the other form is a therapeutic form to let out my emotions.
An art career is always going to be difficult. Most artists aren’t truly noticed till their later years or after their death. I just wanted to leave something behind that helps sparks another person’s interest in art like it was done for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a bit of a mixed-media artist. I love concept art and I am a character-driven artist. I specialize in character design and world-building and I’m currently known for my comic Cyl,vr on J1 Studios website and the fantasy art I have on my social media pages and website.
The things I’m most proud of are my drive to continue my art career and teaching different forms of art and inspiring others to pursue their passions in art as well. I’m proud of the things I’ve created over the years and being published in a Mortimer Magazine for Creatures and Cryptids by Michael Koehler art. Also, travel and make connections with other artists and network with them to continue my passion.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
My long-term goal is to work for myself in my studio. I want Please Excuse My Ink to not only provide services for clients but also offer affordable classes for inspiring artists. I also want to offer a therapy service for artists who struggle with disorders and their career goals in the industry.
Creative types, like myself and many others, have a different way of thinking and I always wished there was a better service for us in therapy that wasn’t just generalized. All in all, I want to give back to the creative community.
Pricing:
- Pricing for commission work from me is provided on my website PleaseExcuseMyInk.art
- My price ranges vary from $60.00 to $200.00 depending on the project and art medium.
Contact Info:
- Website: PleaseExcuseMyInk.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mooshudraws/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlzExcuseMyInk/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlzExcuseMyInk
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-J4UvXqAyUpu9yqKR_Ysrg
- Other: https://www.j1studios.com/comics/
