The Art Gallery
Hand-Painted Gifts for all
Discover our magical selection of original art, including unique stickers, pins, bookmarks, limited edition paintings and sculptures, prints, and poetry.
STICKERS • PINS • HAND-PAINTED ITEMS • POETRY • PRINTS • BOOKMARKS •
Stickers
Pins
Limited Edition Items
Poetry
HEY THERE
Curated Poetry & Art
A unique assortment of illustrative prints and poetic works from our local studio.
About the Artist
Hi, I’m Melissa Vaughn! I’m a Michigan local, a full-time veterinarian, and the self-taught artist and poet behind everything you see here.
My journey with visual art began in high school with traditional drawing and painting. But when the 2020 pandemic hit, I found myself craving a creative outlet and launched my art business by hand-painting coasters and stickers. Over the years, that spark evolved from paper into digital illustration, bookmarks, laptop decals, art prints, and high-quality canvas paintings.
My absolute biggest passion is functional art. I love bringing a burst of bright color and a touch of magic into the mundane objects we use every day. If it has a surface, I will probably try to paint it! I use acrylics to transform everyday items (like denim jackets, shoes, purses, makeup bags, coasters, and bookmarks) into unique, usable masterpieces. Lately, I’ve even been expanding my mediums into sculpting with polymer clay, creating whimsical details like the clay octopuses on my poetry potion bottles, with clay earrings coming to the shop soon! I love making new things, and adding to my portfolio!
Healing through words
While painting keeps my hands busy, poetry is where I share my heart. Though I dabbled in writing during high school and undergrad, it wasn't until 2024, during a particularly dark and overwhelming second year of veterinary school, that I turned to poetry for survival. Writing became my sanctuary, helping me process heavy emotions and navigate the storm.
Since then, my poetry has taken on a life of its own. I am a proudly self-taught poet and have written nearly a dozen full-length collections, alongside several mini-poetry zines. For me, the magic happens when my mediums blur together. I personally hand-illustrate the artwork inside my poetry books, and I love pairing my sculptures with written words for my "message in a bottle" potion concepts. When you read my poetry, I want you to feel deeply connected. I write straight from my own raw experiences, and my ultimate hope is that my words help you understand yourself a little better, too.
I don't have a fancy, pristine art studio. Art is my beautiful, chaotic side gig. By day, I’m at the clinic doing life-saving work for animals. By night, art is the creative outlet that allows me to decompress, untangle my brain, and play.
My "studio" is wherever I can find comfort. You can usually find me sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning over the coffee table from the couch, or swaying in my hammock with a lap desk, cutting zines, packaging stickers, and painting bookmarks. There is always music playing or a movie humming in the background, and plenty of animal love around.
Whether you are here to find a pop of color for your walls, a hand-painted piece of clothing to wear out into the world, or a poem to comfort your soul on a rainy day, thank you for stepping into my world and supporting this labor of love!
Connect with Us!
Whether you desire a custom hand-painted item, or are looking for a particular sticker, or poetry collection, we are ready to help you find the ideal aesthetic. Reach out to Dr. Poetherapy for all your creative needs today. We got you!
STICKERS • PINS • HAND-PAINTED ITEMS • POETRY • PRINTS • BOOKMARKS •