Hi there! I’m Michelle. I’m a licensed counselor turned self-taught artist who loves to help and inspire others. I’m originally from Pennsylvania but I’ve spent the past couple years backpacking around the globe. I love animals, traveling, corny jokes, yoga, being in nature, and painting.
Paintspiration was born in March of 2013. I quit my high stress job in Washington DC and moved to the beautiful beach town of Wilmington, North Carolina. I opened my Etsy shop to make some extra cash while I hunted for a new job. However, I quickly realized how much I loved selling my artwork, having a creative outlet, and being my own boss. I also came to realize just how stressed out, anxious, and unhappy I was with my old life, and I didn’t ever want to go back.
With a lot of hard work and dedication the business grew. By the end of 2013, Paintspiration had over 300 sales and was covering my living expenses. Fueled by this success, I decided to chase some other dreams. My boyfriend fiancé Scott and I spent most of 2014 backpacking through Central and South America. We spent half of 2015 exploring Asia. I’ve continued to run my Etsy shop from the road, offering new products like downloadable art, digital art, prints, and phone cases.
Paintspiration has exceeded my wildest expectations and enabled me to live a life I could have only dreamed of. I’m ecstatic to share my story with you and continue doing what I love. With plans to expand Paintspiration and begin some new projects, I hope I never have to stop!
I created PaintspirationArt.com to share my favorite DIY’s, travel moments, and artwork with you! To keep up with my journey, you can sign up for my monthly email list, or follow me on Facebook or Instagram @paintspiration_art.
I’d love to hear any feedback, ideas, or thoughts you might have. Leave me a comment or send an email! Thanks for reading!
Please revisit your YouTube channel- it is just so much easier to watch your videos on YouTube! If you try and access your website on a mobile device it is slow and hard to search for things. If you are not to busy in your life, the public would love you to make more than two YouTube videos. It would just be much easier! Please consider my opinion!
Thanks Michelle!
Thanks Abby! I definitely want to make more DIY videos. Now that I’m back from traveling and getting settled in, hopefully I’ll be able to get on that soon. Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
Hello Michelle,
I just want to say that i love your work and every art you do. I recently purchase from amazon a Mini-Zen-Garden for my workstation and i love it!!!
Keep the good vibes and inspiration!!
Gabriel
Thank you so much Gabriel! I’m glad you like the zen garden, I hope it brings some tranquility to your work station 🙂
Michelle
So I have this 22″ x 28″ canvas and I would really like to paint something on it to put up in my room. (My room is purple and green.) I have been searching for different ideas but I just can’t find one I really like or would be able to do. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. I really admire your work and my favorite would have to be the ombre but I think it might be hard to do on such a bid canvas.
Marin
Hi Marin,
Thank you for your interest in my art! I’ve actually done the ombre design on a canvas as wide as 48 inches… it’s a challenge but can be done! Feel free to contact me at PaintspirationArt@ gmail. com and we can discuss your project! 🙂
Michelle
Big*
Just read your article on how to paint quotes & letters on canvas. Very helpful. I am a a graphic designer and also a new self-taught artist; something I’ve wanted to do since childhood and never thought I could. Now I know I can and it’s wonderfully fulfilling!
In your list of supplies you listed carbon paper to transfer lettering and I wanted to let you know there is a better product that produces lighter lines and doesn’t smudge as badly. It’s a graphite transfer paper available at most craft or artist supply stores. It can be reused many times. I just tape what I want to trace on the canvas, leaving space to insert the transfer paper and trace away.
Thanks Martha, I’m glad the post was helpful! And thank you for the tip on the graphite transfer paper– I must give it a try!
hi how are you? i really love your artwork. can you please tell me how i can get the knowledge to do the same.
I absolutely love how much of an upbeat person you are. It is amazing what you can do. You are such an inspiration. It would be awesome if you could return to your YouTube channel. It’s so much easier to be able to watch someone do something, in order to recreate it. I can’t wait to see more from you!!! 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words, A.J.! I’ve definitely been slacking on my YouTube channel… I need to get back to it! 🙂
Hello Michelle,
You are such an inspiration for people who has doubts in believing their capabilities. I saw in “17 ways to make money while you travel”.
As i am looking for people who has MVP and wanted to start their startup through Technology such as mobile app here is our website if you have time to look ino it. http://startupoasis.co/ I admire your talent.One way to be successful is really to believe that you can.!
Daisy
Hi~Michelle：
This is Alex, webmaster (www.wallpaintingmachine.com). I took a good look at your website and it was amazing.
I’d like to pay to post an article about our wall art printing machine on your website. I wonder if you have any plans for paying guest blogs?
If you accept this plan, please let me know the price of the article and other requirements of the article.
Thank you very much for reading. Have a nice day!
Alex, Nanjing, China
Thank you for your lovely contribution to the world. I found your site when I was looking for various ways to have letters on canvas and just like that….there you were?. Thank you for your ideas. SOOOO helpful and I am grateful.
My Nephew gave me a coffee mug of your’s, “all you need is Love.” Being a huge Beatles fan for 57 years, I love it!
I bought one of your coffee mugs, a world map with, “Adventure Awaits” on it. I am very pleased with it, but I don’t see whether it is dishwasher or microwave safe.
Can you respond as it is a gift.
Thanks for your purchase! The mug is both dishwasher and microwave safe. Please let me know if you have any other questions.