Check out Melissa Showers’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Showers.

Melissa was born in New York, where she discovered her love for tall stacks of xerox paper to draw on at the age of 3 years. Her mother Lynn and father Rafik always encouraged her creativity and satisfied her craving for art lessons starting at 6 years old. She studied fine art, graphic design and 3D animation at the Art Institute of Houston.

Currently, Melissa is staying creative and inspired raising her two sons in The Woodlands, Texas. Melissa and her boys love nature and are always looking forward to their next adventure in the Texas Hill Country. She enjoys her family and friends over some deep conversation by the firepit, or under the canopy on Matagorda beach.

The artist is the lead marketing director and graphic designer for a commercial real estate brokerage firm. To keep her sanity, Melissa spends at least 15 hours a week painting, illustrating, working commissions and designing digital art. Her subject matter generally deals with the feminine, and the juxtaposition between light and dark within. These works depict both the inner and outer conflicts society deals with on a daily basis. She is inspired by the dark and surreal thoughts of her mind as well as the mystical and magical light that shines bright in her soul.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am inspired by women who aren’t afraid to be transparent. The message I like to convey through my work can be controversial and deals with the issues women face today on a regular basis. I like to lift women up, empower them to speak their truths and express themselves.

The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
I lost my home in Hurricane Harvey and saved one canvas in which I created a painting on in honor of this life change that took place…it’s called “The Evolution of Catastrophe”. The title references how this storm evolved into tying with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding in the Houston area and how it evolved into what I thought was the storm of the century for my life. I wrote the below blog when I thought things couldn’t get “any worse”….and that I feared even saying that – as “what if they did.”

https://www.melissashowers.com/blog/change-is-goodjust-chill

Well, they did. And the storm looked like child’s play compared to what was taking place in my personal life. My family’s lives have been turned upside down and are finally starting to be right-side up again.

Through the eye of the storm and all the bands that whipped me into shape, I can finally say it’s not about what I lost, it’s about what I have gained. I am grateful to be able to say that now, with my head held high and dry…more prepared to weather the next storm that surely will come.

My advice to any artist is to never give up…I had to put my art on hold as far as exhibiting and shows for nearly a year because of financial constraint and I am just now getting back into it. There are ways around it, the best way is to make connections in the art community and share your story. I shared mine with Conception Art and I was their featured artist for their “Houston Strong” show May 12th. I donated a piece to their silent auction where 100% of the proceeds went to the Fifth Ward CRC to help those who are still affected by Hurricane Harvey and are still rebuilding.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
And Woman is a lifestyle brand and I create my art across a broad variety of platforms. Fine Art, Graphic Design, Fashion Design and Home Goods can all be found on my website at melissashowers.com for purchase through my Society 6 & DesignsbyHumans websites. I am most active on my Instagram page where you can peak into my life @and_woman. I do exhibit my work at many art shows across Houston including Raw Artists, Conception Art, Chocolate & Art and I am always looking for more venues/galleries to continue hustling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.melissashowers.com/
• Email: andwomandesign@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/and_woman/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andwoman/

Image Credit:
Main photo: Geethal Amila Gamage @geethalamila

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