Bay Area artist focusing on joys of womanhood wants viewers to see themselves in her pieces

Bay Area artist focusing on joys of womanhood wants viewers to see themselves in her pieces

Artist Melissa Koby makes�artwork with a combination of digital illustration and watercolor painting.

TAMPA, Fla - Melissa Koby is a full-time artist who creates pieces that are a mix of watercolor painting and digital illustration. Her designs are centered around the joys of womanhood.

What they're saying:

"I want the person who looks at it to feel uplifted and inspired by womanhood and their strength and resilience and all the beautiful things that go along with it," Koby said.

The women in her art are faceless. Koby strives for her viewers to see themselves in each piece. She wants to normalize judging one another from the inside, not the outside.

She said, "I hope that my art is able to stop them in their tracks and just transport them to a place that’s good, a place of peace."

 Not only are the depicted women a figment of Koby’s imagination, but they’re also inspired by all the women in her life. She wants little girls to know that art isn’t just a hobby, it can become a career.

The backstory:

Koby has been creating art since she was four years old. In 2020, she started selling her pieces on Etsy. In 2021, her art became a full-time job. Businesses even started reaching out to her for collaborations.

About one year ago, Koby collaborated with "The Starbucks Reserve". The business asked her to recreate their iconic siren as her own. She made pieces with the siren on coffee mugs, cups and portraits.

Koby has worked with other businesses, such as "Athleta" and "Life is Good".

Dig deeper:

Her current pieces focus on her personal contributions to society. Some major themes are addressing social injustices, celebrating people of color, and peaceful beautiful landscapes.

Koby’s art process begins with an idea which she’ll draw out with layers. She’ll convert the idea into a digital file that is cut by a laser that’ll allow her to create a portrait.

What you can do:

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