Rising Stars: Meet Karissa Kaneshiro of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karissa Kaneshiro.

Hi Karissa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always been an artist, ever since I was a kid, I was drawing, painting, and doing any creative gig I could get my hands on. Over the years, I’ve painted on jackets, bags, canvas—you name it. I’ve done freelance work, sold art, made candles, and just found joy in creating whatever felt inspiring at the time.

Then I stumbled into moss art. I started mossing as a side gig while working my 9–5, not thinking much of it, just something that felt peaceful and creatively fulfilling. But people started noticing, orders came in, and eventually, I had the opportunity to run the moss business full-time.

Now I pour all that same love and creativity into Art Botanica. Every piece is handmade by me—from cutting the wood frames to placing every little patch of moss. I still can’t believe I get to call this my job. It’s been a wild and beautiful ride, and I’m so grateful to be doing what I love every 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?
It’s definitely not been a smooth road and honestly, I don’t think building something real ever is. One of the biggest setbacks I faced was when Etsy suddenly shut down my successful shop due to “suspicious activity” while I was on vacation responding to clients while in another country. It was completely wrongful, and I lost everything I had built there. I had to start over from scratch.

That experience taught me a lot. It pushed me to stop relying on platforms I couldn’t control and start building my own website, something that’s fully mine. It was scary, but also empowering.

On top of that, I’ve had moss pieces get damaged during shipping, which meant refunding custom work I had poured hours into. I’ve dealt with supply issues, had to find new vendors, and realized I was spending more than I was making at one point between materials, shipping costs, and trying to run ads. It’s been a constant learning curve.

But even with all the challenges, I’ve grown so much. I’ve become smarter with how I run things, more intentional with how I spend, and way more confident in my work. I’m still learning every single day, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come and I’m not stopping anytime soon.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Through Art Botanica, I create preserved moss art, everything from custom wall pieces to signage. It’s all handmade by me, and I mean all of it. I cut the wood, sand the frames, place every piece of moss by hand, and pack and ship everything myself. It’s a super personal process, and I put a lot of love into each piece.

I think what people notice most about my work is the texture, the detail, and the care that goes into it. I don’t treat it like just a product….I treat each piece like a little work of art. I want it to feel special and bring something calm and alive into someone’s space, without needing any upkeep.

What sets me apart is probably the fact that I’ve done everything on my own. I didn’t have a roadmap, I just figured it out as I went, and I’m still learning every day. I’ve always been an artist, and I think that creative background shows in how I approach mossing. I’m not just building decor, I’m building something meaningful and lasting.

What I’m most proud of is that this started as a small side hustle and now it’s what I get to do full time. There’ve been a lot of bumps along the way, but the fact that I get to make art with my hands and call it my job? That’s everything to me.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about LA is the creative energy, there’s inspiration everywhere. What I like least is how expensive and hectic it can get, but it’s still home and I wouldn’t trade it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artbotanicamoss.com/
• Instagram: artbotanicamoss