At Milan Art Gallery we have many amazing unique artists, but who are they ? What inspires them and what can we learn from them?
Today we interviewed Melissa Burghardt. An artist who makes powerful figurative art with mostly females and abstracts as well . Her work is full of colour and you'll find so many details to discover. In this blog we will dive a bit deeper into her world of art.
Where are you from?
I am from the Netherlands and currently live near Rotterdam.
What do you love to paint?
I love to paint female paintings and abstract where strength and colour are the main focus.
Have you always been a painter?
Ever since I am little I love creating and drawing. Only by the age of 24 I really stepped into becoming an artist and improving my skills. I think it just took me some time to discover that I could actually do something with this.
What do you love most about your job?
I love the fact that I can just create and and work with my hands and imagination. With the paint I can make something that feels good to me, and hopefully also to others. Being my own boss really gives me the freedom to be creative in any way I want.
Are you able to make a living out of it?
Yes! It's definitely been hard and I do think that you have to keep pushing yourself in order to make a good living out of it, but I am really happy with the position I am in. Also, I feel like I can only grow from here and get bigger without any limits.
What do you hope to achieve in 5 years?
In 5 years I hope to have an even bigger studio space and something like a gallery. I have so many idea's for the future but there is so much that can change in 1 year. Together with my boyfriend I'll be moving to Portugal soon and over there I'll have different opportunities and challenges. Maybe I'll be doing more workshops or retreats over there, I am not sure yet. I also want to improve my art and create bigger paintings for those perfectly aesthetic feeling homes.
In what kind of space would you love to hang your art?
I really like it when people truly appreciate the art in their home so that can be anywhere. My romantic side loves to see my art in big designer homes like those Vogue and Pinterest pictures.
What inspires you?
There are countless things that inspire me. The things that inspire me the most are photography, Renaissance and Baroque art and all the colours in the rainbow.
Which artists do you admire?
I really do admire Dimitra Milan for the way she uses colour and how she is able to create her brushstrokes with such an ease. Kim Rose because of her boss babe attitude. Daniel Gerhartz for his loose brushstrokes and the way he captures light. William-Adolphe Bouguereau for the softness and quality in his paintings. Ashleigh Holmes for her aesthetically pleasing art and so many more of the old masters.
How do you get in touch with your collectors?
Social media is one way but I really like to talk to people in person. So doing shows or having open atelier days. I also notice that people find me through art in someones home. That is actually the best way to promote your art, when people are so happy with the painting they have at home and talk about it.
What would your dream studio look like?
My dream studio would have a lot of light, so big windows but enough walls to hang my art. I would love an open space where you can walk from inside to outside when the sun is shining and paint underneath the olive trees that are just in front of the studio. AND I would definitely need a little coffee corner in my studio.
What has been your coolest project so far?
There are so many projects I am proud of but the latest project I really love is a painting of 2 by 3 meters that I've created in my own studio. I am still looking for someone with the perfect wall for this work. I believe it could be a real eye-catcher in the right space.
