We're excited to share with you a new addition to the Kismet Decals artist community, Anastasia Melnikova, the talented artist behind 'Mintwind', from the historic city of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Dive into her artistic world through her many illustrations on Instagram, @nastiamintwind.
We asked Anastasia to tell us a little bit about herself and her source of inspiration for her work:
"My name is Anastasia and I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. In my childhood bedroom, all of the walls were filled with my drawings, as were all of my school textbooks.
And books on the shelf were exceptionally full of illustrations as well. Since then, I've been dreaming of making beautiful illustrated books which would delight children around the world.
During my student years, I was in a constant search of myself and of my own style. Portraits, comics, even architectural sketches were explored. I tried to draw everything with all kinds of techniques and materials. I was "thrown" from one side to another. Until one day I just got myself a watercolor set and drew a forest. It was a moment of truth.
Forests, the changing times of the seasons, huge centennial trees - they are my childhood's treasures. I grew up by the Azov sea, where greenery is stunted with heat. So when my parents took me and my brother away every summer, from the hot steppes to the green forest, I felt very joyful. There I wandered among trees for hours, collecting cones and berries.
The forest is my inspiration. It is a place where I feel free to breathe and think. A place where I feel at home. It is a place where you are not afraid to lose yourself. The forests in my illustrations are filled with different creatures. They are friendly and secluded from the bustle of the big world."
We can definitely feel the magic of the forest through Anastasia's paintings. Yes, the friendly-looking creatures she creates do add a touch more magic to the scene. How lovely it would be to have one of her illustrations on our wall!