Melissa Martin is the founder of Halfsquare Designs, and a self taught artist, illustrator and graphic designer living and working in the beautiful Harbourfront neighbourhood of Toronto.
Growing up in Kitchener, Ontario, Melissa opted to study Marketing at Conestoga College after being waitlisted for her preferred program of choice, Graphic Design. She spent nearly 20 years in the marketing business before deciding to start her own agency focused on digital marketing and graphic design (something that despite not being accepted into the program she managed to incorporate into every professional job she ever held).
Melissa now happily works as an illustrator, artist, graphic designer and content creator through her agency Halfsquare Designs with her partner Ray, balancing client work with self initiated projects alongside a weekly music + art show on Twitch.
This summer Melissa is taking her studio outdoors in an attempt to capture as much beauty in nature as her paintbrush will allow. Her goal is to sit outside at least once per week, but she’s happily exceeding that already! Melissa is so excited and curious to see where this en plein air exercise will take her!
Sometimes Melissa finds the scene in which she sits to paint calls for a more “urban sketch” style of painting and less of a traditional watercolour landscape piece. It’s always a surprise whether she’ll reach for her sketchbook or her clipboard and paper!
Melissa has the most fun playing with oil pastels, getting her hands dirty and just scribbling away! If she’s being honest, these pieces are her favourites out of everything she makes.
Every Saturday night for the past year Melissa and Ray and have been doing a live-streaming show on Twitch called Art Disco. He mixes house music and she recreates an album cover, and it’s a really fun time! You can find many of the pieces in our shop available for purchase, and on t-shirts to add a little style to your wardrobe ;).
LET'S START A NEW PROJECT TOGETHER
Show Melissa a photo of your pet and there is a 99.9% chance she will already be drafting a painting of them in her head. Not just limited to pets, Melissa always enjoys collaborating on commission work and helping you bring your ideas to life.
NOSTALGIC FAMILY HOUSE IN OIL PASTEL
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS:
ALL THE PETS!
