Our Stick Of The Week! is Melissa Stewart. Melissa, also known as Missy, is in the NOW as Portrait Artist and Founder of Missy’s Portraits. Missy’s Portraits specializes in hand painted custom portraits of children, families, pets and sports figures. Custom portraits give you the opportunity to capture a treasured personal moment and preserve it in the highest art form, a hand-painted oil portrait.
Melissa Stewart
Melissa Stewart is a wife, stay at home mom and a painter of portraits. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario in a lovely century old home where she spends much of her time playing with her 23 month old daughter, Elizabeth. She happily shares that joy with her loving husband, Jason who is a freelance storyboard artist who also works from home.
Tell us about your NOW (Noodle On The Wall).
I launched my business, Missy’s Portraits, while I was on maternity leave in hopes that I would be able to resign from my position as graphic designer and pursue painting as a full time career. I had always dreamed that I would one day be able to sit at my easel and paint portraits every day and be able to earn a living doing it. I am so blessed that my dream has come true. Every day, I am given the opportunity to paint custom portraits for people all over the world.
I launched my business, Missy’s Portraits, while I was on maternity leave in hopes that I would be able to resign from my position as graphic designer and pursue painting as a full time career. I had always dreamed that I would one day be able to sit at my easel and paint portraits every day and be able to earn a living doing it. I am so blessed that my dream has come true. Every day, I am given the opportunity to paint custom portraits for people all over the world.
Since its launch in early 2011, I have painted over 200 portraits of babies, children, families, pets and more recently, sports figures.
I have had the amazing opportunity to paint portraits for a growing list of high profile athletes and Hollywood producers. Notably, I painted a portrait for television host and personality Billy Bush, who recently showcased the painting on his show Access Hollywood.
Is your NOW simmering, al dente or fully cooked and why?
Thankfully, I remain pretty steady with my painting and work flow. I would say I’m currently al dente because I believe there is still room to grow. My goal is to continue to shape my business so that I may always be in fully cooked mode!
Thankfully, I remain pretty steady with my painting and work flow. I would say I’m currently al dente because I believe there is still room to grow. My goal is to continue to shape my business so that I may always be in fully cooked mode!
What recipes can you give other Creative Moms Taking On The Creative?
Motherhood is most definitely the most wonderful and rewarding experience and cannot be traded for anything. So it’s important to try your best to find a balance between being a mother and a creative entrepreneur. Seek help from family and friends who are willing and able to support you while you pursue your goals and always try your best to be a mother first above all else.
Motherhood is most definitely the most wonderful and rewarding experience and cannot be traded for anything. So it’s important to try your best to find a balance between being a mother and a creative entrepreneur. Seek help from family and friends who are willing and able to support you while you pursue your goals and always try your best to be a mother first above all else.
Elizabeth
What motivated you to throw your noodle?
My daughter was and is my sole motivator. I had dreaded the end of my maternity leave because I LOVED being at home looking after my daughter. I was afraid that if I went back to working full time, I would miss out on some of the joys of her growing up. Just a couple months after I gave birth to my daughter Elizabeth, I painted a portrait of her and gave it to my mother as a mother’s day gift. My mom was so moved and touched. She thought it was one of the best gifts she could ever ask for. I love how a painting of a loved one can be such a wonderful and amazing gift. Something to be treasured. I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to be the one to paint portraits for other people in the world who would evoke that same reaction as my mother when she received the portrait of her granddaughter. After I painted the portrait of Elizabeth, I knew this was the best time to pursue my dream of starting a portrait business.
My daughter was and is my sole motivator. I had dreaded the end of my maternity leave because I LOVED being at home looking after my daughter. I was afraid that if I went back to working full time, I would miss out on some of the joys of her growing up. Just a couple months after I gave birth to my daughter Elizabeth, I painted a portrait of her and gave it to my mother as a mother’s day gift. My mom was so moved and touched. She thought it was one of the best gifts she could ever ask for. I love how a painting of a loved one can be such a wonderful and amazing gift. Something to be treasured. I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to be the one to paint portraits for other people in the world who would evoke that same reaction as my mother when she received the portrait of her granddaughter. After I painted the portrait of Elizabeth, I knew this was the best time to pursue my dream of starting a portrait business.
Melissa and Jason
What inspires you as a Mom and as a creative person?
I am inspired by the love and support of my family. I know that I can tackle being both a mom and an artist because I have a caring husband and loving parents who are happy to share the load and support me on this journey. My daughter is too young to know much of what I do when I’m upstairs in my art studio, but I believe that she too is a supporter of her mama’s dreams.
I am inspired by the love and support of my family. I know that I can tackle being both a mom and an artist because I have a caring husband and loving parents who are happy to share the load and support me on this journey. My daughter is too young to know much of what I do when I’m upstairs in my art studio, but I believe that she too is a supporter of her mama’s dreams.
Lisa The Great Dane
How do you juggle Mamahood and your NOW?
It’s no easy task I must say. I am one of the lucky ones. I have a husband who is also a creative entrepreneur who also works from home. So just about every morning before we start the day, my hubby and I work out a schedule. We take turns looking after the little one and working on our careers. We always try our best to make sure that each daily schedule is evenly balanced between the two of us. Fairness is a priority. Sometimes we don’t always stick to our schedule perfectly, so we stay flexible to make sure that Elizabeth is getting enough love and attention from the both of us.
What is your ultimate pasta dish?
I hope that my portrait business will continue to grow and that I will continue to improve my painting skills. I am excited about how everything has come to be, and I never would have believed that I could come this far in such a short time. I am truly blessed to be able to share my ability as an artist through the painted portrait, and to be a mother who is actively present in my daughter’s life. I really do have the best of both worlds.
It’s no easy task I must say. I am one of the lucky ones. I have a husband who is also a creative entrepreneur who also works from home. So just about every morning before we start the day, my hubby and I work out a schedule. We take turns looking after the little one and working on our careers. We always try our best to make sure that each daily schedule is evenly balanced between the two of us. Fairness is a priority. Sometimes we don’t always stick to our schedule perfectly, so we stay flexible to make sure that Elizabeth is getting enough love and attention from the both of us.
What is your ultimate pasta dish?
I hope that my portrait business will continue to grow and that I will continue to improve my painting skills. I am excited about how everything has come to be, and I never would have believed that I could come this far in such a short time. I am truly blessed to be able to share my ability as an artist through the painted portrait, and to be a mother who is actively present in my daughter’s life. I really do have the best of both worlds.
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