Interview with Miss May Paints

Michelle Mayhue is one of Etsy's talented painters. She enjoys painting visions of her daydreams and dreams at night, as well as her meditations. Here is an interview with her that will give you insight into why this is her passion:

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your Etsy shop.

I am 25 years old. Ten months ago, on Mother's Day, I gave birth to my baby girl, Emma Lynn. My husband, daughter, and I live in a very rural area in the Oregon wilderness. My Etsy shop is a new part of my life that I love it! It's a great way for me to share my artwork.

What inspires you to create?

Images from day dreams, night dreams, meditations, feelings, and nature.

Describe your creative process.

An image will haunt me, and I just have to capture it. It's like I can't rest until it's done. I lay in bed at night thinking about it until I finally have to get up and work on it, and when I am working on a painting, I can feel this... Zen. It's like my whole being is focused on this one act, and I get so caught up in it that I have to remind myself to breath. When I have finished a painting, I can't stop looking at it, absorbing it, and enjoying it. It's like a creative high, and I'm dependent on it.

What are some of your own favorite creations?

My favorite paintings that I listed are "Into Dream State" and "Strength and Beauty". I think they are great examples of how much I have evolved as an artist. Although, I will always love "Sushi girl." It's one of my first paintings done in this style.

How do you want your craft and business to evolve?

I really want to push the creative envelope - to make new things in ways that I have never even considered and open that Pandora's box of creativity.My Etsy shop is fairly new and I have yet to sell anything. So, yes, I would love to sell some paintings, and being that I am a stay at home mom, it would be nice to have some sort of income. However, money is not my overall goal.

What or who influences you as an artisan?

Honestly, I have been finding inspiration from other Etsians. I love to browse the shops and see what everyone else is producing. There is such diversity and creativity! It makes me think that there is a place for everyone and every kind of artwork, including mine. My family has also been very supportive. My mother is the one who suggested that I open a shop.

What brings people to seek out your creations and what makes your work unique?

These paintings are a part of me. When you see one of them, you are seeing a part of my psyche. It's a message from my dream, from the universe. It's me trying to capture a moment, a feeling, or a single thought. They are created with love and dedication.

What choices have you made that helped your business the most?

Joining Etsy teams has been great for getting my work out on the site and for getting some positive feedback. I think hearing from a stranger that your work is good really inspires me to create and explore more. The more I paint the better I get, and the better paintings I have, the more people look at my shop which is good for business.

What advice would you give to other artisans?

I would say to enjoy the things you create and not to make them with the intention of selling them. If you do it takes away from the fun, and it limits you from really exploring.

Where can your creations be found (on the web or in shops)?

Right now, I only have them listed on Etsy. However, I would absolutely love to show them in a gallery.

Here is my Etsy shop address:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Waterskippers

You can also see my own jewelry creations in my Etsy shop, ideology, here, and you can read more articles about the many creative Etsy artisans here.