Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregg Mello.
Hi Gregg, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
This is always been a very daunting question for me! How does one really begin to tell the long story of where they started and where they are now!? Originally from a small coastal town in Massachusetts, my parents recognized my passion for the arts at a really young age. I started an art lesson program when I was about four, and the rest is history! I didn’t know what I wanted to do at a young age, but I knew that I wanted to draw and write. I loved reading, I loved looking at the illustrations, I loved writing, but I never really thought of that as a career early on. I thought that you needed to do something “practical” when you grew up…. I wanted to be a marine biologist at one point (I hated science but loved whales and the ocean; it was short-lived to say the least!) As I progressed through my education and saw all of the artistic avenues that there were in the world, my brain was on overload. I wanted to be a ceramicist; I wanted to do fashion, I wanted to do product design, I wanted to create toys! But my retail jobs and the “practicalness” of real life always seemed to get in my way. I graduated with a bachelor’s in illustration from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, but I felt as though I missed out on a lot of internships and other programs because I was just busy working all the time. And just trying to get a degree. Getting that piece of paper was hard. There were so many hurtles! After seven years of pausing my education, going back (and getting discouraged with going back), I felt like I wasn’t really destined to do much of anything with my passion and talent…. Fast forward to putting myself out there more and more with freelance work, various gallery shows and volunteering events, still writing, drawing and developing my childhood dream of publishing a children’s book, (despite rejection after rejection) I was noticed by a publishing company out of Texas who took a chance on my work. Between getting into classrooms, participating in local author events, and workshops through my local public library, I was able to get into the hands of readers as well as inspire others with my story of perseverance. I don’t want to be an “influencer”, I want to be an inspirer! It took me moving to Ohio, making connections with people from scratch, and really persevering through a lot of self-doubt (that I still struggle with even today) that I was able to build something of myself. I think a lot of people compare their chapters to others easily with social media, but you have to really sit back and be proud of what you are able to do for yourself at the end of the day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The proverb about a smooth ocean never makes for a skilled sailor is very, very true! Self-doubt has always been a struggle for me. Artists spend so much time pouring their soul onto a canvas, or a piece of paper, or into a project, and then to get rejection letter after rejection letter from publishers, or gallery owners is very disheartening. Especially with social media! It’s constantly being bombarded by people that are “better” or more successful, or have more followers. I found that I really have to just stay my course, keep my head up proud and focus on me. The man in the mirror needs to be my only competition, and biggest motivator, to do better.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been very multifaceted with my work throughout my career. I have done graphics for T-shirts, album covers, I have worked on custom designing sneakers and logos for clients, Christmas ornaments, garden stones: If I can paint or draw on it, I can make my magic! My Maggie Dewdrop series children’s books are all done in watercolor and ink, however, I have recently started to teach myself digital programs, like Procreate. Watercolor is definitely my favorite though, and gouache! There’s just something special about working in that medium that I enjoy that just relaxes me. I guess it’s because I’m a water sign!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Kindness. In my experience, there have been many people that I wanted to just learn from and they were just very guarded and standoffish. I’m very thankful for the people that were kind and gave their encouragement and, more importantly, their time. I was determined to do the same and pay it forward. There are no secrets with me! I’ve had other writers and artists ask me what my secret is, and I feel horrible and hokey, but having persistence and being kind is the only way to get anywhere in life. I’ll share my resources, I’ll share what worked for me, I will give people time and answer emails the best way I can. I had a very successful turnout on my first book signing at my local Barnes & Noble where I grew up. I was only supposed to be there for a few hours, and it turned into a lot longer affair. I made sure that I thanked every single person in line for coming and was gracious and kind for THEIR time. Everybody just fed off of that kindness, and many of the booksellers commented that everyone was in good spirits, and felt like a big reunion. That memory has really stuck with me because of that positivity.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @gwaynemello
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/gwaynemello
Image Credits
Susan Prentice
Jonathan Gotlib
Christopher MacKenzie
