Life & Work with Melissa Rose Miller

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Rose Miller.

Hi Melissa Rose, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
At the age of 13, I felt alone and abandoned due to my familial trauma, but writing was my safe space. My writing could be whatever I wanted it to be and no matter what, it always understood me. I could translate any thoughts or emotions onto the paper, transcending these ideas into art. And through the power of writing, there was an intimacy shared between myself and the paper. My writing allowed me to be raw and vulnerable— expressing the depths of who I am and what I have lived through. It gave me a voice, an outlet, a purpose. To me, writing will always be the most empowering and liberating form of expression.

Initially, my writing consisted of journaling and poetry. While my writing started out as self-expression, it evolved into a creative outlet. I began blogging along with writing fictional poems, short stories, and novels. In 2018, I created my own personal website to showcase my work. My intention for creating this website was to freely express myself in my own virtual platform and to share my work in hopes of inspiring others.

In time, I pursued opportunities to publish my work. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed about writing my own book. I am a list maker by nature, and every bucket list or list of my long-term goals had “write and publish my own book” on it. In 2019, I fulfilled this goal by self-publishing and self-illustrating my first short story, “Devilish Imperfections.” I’ll never forget when I held the first copy of my book— it was the most surreal feeling in the world. There were so many hours spent writing, drawing, editing, and revising. And it was all so worth it. Becoming a self-published author has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life, and I am thankful for every second of it.

Shortly after I published “Devilish Imperfections,” I started writing for the Luna Collective Magazine. It’s such an honor to be a part of our team of amazing writers, photographers, graphic designers, editors, and more. Being a part of the Luna Collective Magazine has also deepened my appreciation of creation and collaboration as everyone equally partakes in the production of each issue. For our print issues and digital journals, I have had the pleasure to interview and write about our featured talent. I’m so thankful to also contribute my own poetry to several of the Luna Collective’s issues, as well. Since then, my work has been featured in Stoke Much Magazine and The Art of Nothing Press. I am very blessed, to say the least, for all of the publications that my work has received.

As of today, I am always seeking opportunities to write and publish my work. I just graduated from the California State University of Long Beach, earning my Bachelor’s Degree in English Education with an emphasis in creative writing. I will be returning back to the California State University of Long Beach in the fall to complete my single subject teaching credentials. While I pursue my calling to become a high school English teacher, I also hope to establish myself as a freelance writer on the side.

Aside from writing, I am also very passionate about art. I’ve always been drawn to art, but it wasn’t until I took an art class in high school that I got fully immersed in it. I would describe my style as dark and playful. I love creating thought-provoking visuals that portray ordinary things in an imaginary light. For instance, one of my doodles, “Banana Knife,” depicts an elegant hand grasping a banana peel with a knife coming out of it. This doodle was one of my favorites, therefore; I screen printed it onto a pair of pants and a skateboard. Like many of my doodles, I gain inspiration from everyday life, seeking to challenge the norms and conventions that we live in.

I’ve dipped into painting, stenciling, and wood burning, but there is one artistic medium that has resonated with me the most: screen printing. Nothing gives me the same fulfilling energy as screen printing. I’ve screen printed on pants, hoodies, t-shirts, and skateboards. I’ve also previously sold screen-printed t-shirts and customized pieces, and I’m so thankful to every customer who has purchased my artwork. It’s the most flattering feeling to see people wearing the designs that I made and printed. While I’ve faced countless trials and errors with screen printing, I appreciate the energy and diligence that is required of the creative process. I’m so in awe of the sequence of screen printing from creating a design, burning it into a screen, and, finally, being able to screen print that design onto an object or an article of clothing. It’s so rewarding to see my visions come to life, translating what I drew on paper into a physical, screen-printed design.

Currently, I have been having artistic withdrawals due to the fact that school has consumed most of my time. This is the first summer that I won’t be enrolled in courses and I’m excited to fully dive into my artistic endeavors. I primarily aim to make art for the mere pleasure that it brings me, however; I am always open to opportunities to create work for others.

Film photography captivated my interest at an early age. My uncle used to have his own film photography business. He transformed my grandparents’ garage into a studio, even making his own darkroom by hand to develop his own film and fulfill customer orders. Oftentimes, I think in retrospect of what an honor it would have been to shoot with my uncle. I would’ve loved to learn from him like an apprentice does to their master and to carry on the legacy of his film photography business. However, my uncle passed away when I was ten years old. It was too upsetting for my grandparents to keep my uncle’s studio in their garage, therefore; they tore it down after he passed away. I remember being a little girl and when my father gave me my uncle’s personal camera, a Pentax Spotmatic. Although I was too young to understand how to use it, I knew that it was important and I held onto it ever since.

Fasting forward to 2017, I picked up my uncle’s camera again and started to shoot. Initially, I had no understanding of iso, aperture, or shutter speed, therefore; most of my rolls came out blurry and overexposed. Ignorantly, I believed that my camera was ‘broken’, and resorted to buying another film camera, a Nikon FG. While my rolls improved drastically and I was able to capture images that you could actually make out, I was still largely lost on how to work my camera. I finally started to get the grasp of things after shooting with Nicolette Passerello, who would later become one of my dearest friends. Through her patience and kindness, I was able to understand the basic settings on my camera. If it wasn’t for Nicolette, I may have never gotten this far with my film photography. From the start, Nicolette inspired me, and I’m so proud of what her journey as a photographer has led her to today.

What I love most about film photography is that it forces me to slow down and capture each shot with diligence and deliberateness. Unlike digital photography, every shot counts. I can’t just shoot multiple frames per second, I have to focus on finding the shot that speaks to me. Lately, I’ve been trying to be more precise and intentional with my film photography. I don’t want my rolls to feel rushed, I want to capture shots that I can feel proud of. I can conceptualize an idea of how I want to shoot something, and then after looking through my viewfinder, I may find that it doesn’t match my vision or capture what I’m trying to portray. When I find myself in these situations, I’ve learned that it’s better to trust my intuition and to only shoot when it’s purposeful. What I also love about film photography is the essence of surprise. Although I may have an idea of what a shot might turn out to be, I never fully know until I get my film developed. As a perfectionist by nature, this helps me learn to let go.

What I shoot varies from documenting life’s moments to coordinating an aesthetically driven photoshoot. While I love shooting in the streets or in nature, I prefer shooting people as my subject the most. I love capturing people in their element or in an artistically pleasing manner. Some of my other favorite things to shoot include mirrors, obscure poses, and shadow play.

As of today, I have a personal website that showcases my film photography. I created a colleague of some of my favorite shots, dividing my film photography into three collections: coastal, city, and nature. Most of these photos are shot on my Nikon FG and my Nikon F3. I bring these two cameras with me wherever I go because I never know when there’s going to be a moment that I’d like to capture. Like art, I shoot film photography for the genuine joy that creating and capturing moments brings me. While I love shooting film photography as a hobby, I would love the chance to collaborate with any brands or businesses, as well. All in all, I am pursuing writing, art, and film photography because that’s what I’m passionate about, and I hope that my passion shines through my work.

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?
Like many creatives, the road I’ve traveled on has not been smooth. Personally speaking, I think that my biggest struggle is with perfectionism and self-doubt. For instance, I wrote “Devilish Imperfections” when I was 17. In the process of editing and revising over the course of 2-3 years, I had almost begun to feel ashamed of this work because I had improved so much as a writer since then. The fear of “Devilish Imperfections” not being good enough always resurfaced in my mind. I had also gone through a series of print issues with Kindle Direct Publishing as the proofs they sent me were continually defective. Sometimes I wondered if I would ever have a proof that was decent enough to publish. I felt an intense pressure that I put upon myself because it was my first self-published work, and of course, I wanted it to be perfect. There were times that I was tempted to abandon “Devilish Imperfections” altogether.

However, I was already so invested in the publication process that I knew I couldn’t just give up. I knew that I had to persevere through the process and see it through to its publication. Although I didn’t think it showcased my best writing at the time, it was writing that I devoted myself to, and it deserved to be shared. I always think back to one of my favorite quotes by Leonardo da Vinci: “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” In a way, I had to abandon “Devilish Imperfections” by publishing it. Instead of dwelling on every minor detail, I had to learn to let go and let my story go out into the world. I knew that I had to start somewhere and I wasn’t going to get anywhere if I wasn’t putting my work out there. For any creatives who are reading this, my best word of advice is to surrender to the idea that you will never achieve perfection, but you can achieve greatness. Stop obsessing over unrealistic expectations and instead, begin by giving yourself the grace that you are just starting out. I implore you to begin, the power and talent are already in you, the only thing holding yourself back is you.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work energizes me and fills my life with meaning. Whenever I’m writing, making art, or shooting photos, that’s when I feel most alive. For certain projects, I have been able to combine my passions. For example, I’ve written short stories based on my photographs and I’ve created illustrations to pair with my poetry. It amazes me that my work can inspire me in another creative avenue. While I admire those who have gained mastery over one trade, I personally love dabbling into different creative outlets. I am drawn to anything that gives me creative expression, and I never want to limit myself from exploring new avenues, as well.

I think what sets me apart as a creative is that I never want to be the best at what I do. While I strive to improve in my creative avenues, I never want to take on the mindset that I am better than someone else. Arrogance does not sit well with me. No matter how successful I may be in life, I always want to remain humble and remember where I started from. I also don’t want to be the best at what I do because I never want to feel stagnant in my work. If I was the best at something, then what more is there to improve on? And more importantly, I am a true lover of learning, valuing the fruitfulness that it brings me.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was playing pretend in my backyard. While it sounds simple, there was nothing that I looked forward to more each day. I was very fortunate to have a big backyard growing up that had a swing, slide, and even a clubhouse that my dad built for me. What more could I ask for? I was also quite an introvert growing up— I didn’t need to have playdates with friends when I had such a big imagination to engage me in. I spent hours by myself in my backyard, and the funny thing is, I never got bored. I’m so thankful that I was so in tune with my imagination, and I believe that has stimulated my creativity as a writer, artist, and film photographer.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://mrmiller103.wixsite.com/melissarosemiller
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m3lissamill3r/

Image Credits:
My self-published and self-illustrated book, “Devilish Imperfections.” A photograph of my dear friend, Dani Hobson (Instagram: @danicalifornia). My personal doodle, The Lady in the Lamp. A photograph of Nicolette Passerello who is a part of my story in becoming a film photographer (Instagram: @novanicolette). My feature in The Luna Collective Magazine’s Winter issue, featuring photos of the lovely Siera Rei (Instagram: @siera.shea) along with my poem, “Oh How I Wonder.” My Banana Knife design that I screen printed onto a skateboard. A double exposure I shot of my beloved boyfriend, Cody Smith (Instagram: @_smithcody). An article I wrote on Dizzy Fae for the Luna Collective Magazine’s 10th issue, Sage Adams.