Life & Work with Melissa Mercilliott

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

Hi Melissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have spent my entire life making art of some kind. Everyone in my family makes something- woodworking, quilting, painting, etc. I didn’t even think of it as a full-time career, because everyone makes art for fun, right? When my children were young, I started by teaching art classes locally and this interest led me to teach Art in public schools.

While I was encouraging students to go live their dreams, I realized that teaching wasn’t enough for me, and I felt limited by the time I had to focus on my own art. I resigned from my teaching job in early 2020 and started on the path that I’m still currently navigating.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been easy—lots of adjusting and learning along the way. My husband is also a teacher, so financially this was a difficult choice to make. The first year, the intention was to find a part-time job while art making was the side hustle. I taught online Art and Video production classes and tutored university students in Art History. I just put myself out there and said “I’m willing to paint whatever you want, ” which was lots of holidays wood-painted yard decor. That paid the bills the first year, and I still had time to work on other things.

As I could, I started investing in the tools I needed to produce my own vinyl stickers. By the next summer, I had been a featured artist at Bookman’s in Flagstaff and Tucson for cards, prints, and stickers. They did well, so I decided to go wholesale at that point. It’s been a slow growth, and I have had a lot of moments of doubt and fear that I could make a business from this, but so far, I am doing alright!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I mostly create watercolor art stickers, cards, prints, and original art. I have been creating a desert-themed Tarot deck that has been pretty popular. I looked everywhere for a desert-themed deck, and mostly found camels and other Sahara-themed artwork. I grew up in Southern California’s Mojave desert, and we have settled in Tucson’s Sonoran desert, so I really wanted to focus on the beauty of our specific plants and animals. I want to show the desert as the colorful, life-filled place, I see it to be, and hopefully help others gain a deeper understanding of the more unfamiliar aspects of desert life.

It features locations around Arizona, New Mexico, and California so far, and I hope to include more of the Southwest as I finish the deck. Currently, all 22 of the Major Arcana cards are done and I’m working on the court cards. I offer them as vinyl stickers and cards, and the majors are being published as special holiday sets as this is being written.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
As cheesy as it sounds, believe in yourself. I know everyone says that, but when you are doubting, and things are moving slowly, you have to believe in yourself and what you are doing. You have to love it enough to work on it every day, even when you don’t feel like it.

Don’t be scared of the paperwork, licenses, taxes, etc, just get started and figure it out as you go. You’ll make mistakes, and learn a lot, but there’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you built something and being excited to do the work!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mercistwodeserts.com
• Instagram: @mercistwodeserts
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twodeserts