Despite loving art from an early age, Melissa Falconer didn’t see herself actually becoming an artist. In fact, she went to university to study economics and only decided to pursue art she became depressed. “Art was the only thing that got me out of that. It brought that happiness back to me,” she says in this week’s episode of Making Our Own Way. Now a successful, self-taught indie artist, Falconer is known for her colourful portraits of celebrities and public figures (think, Michelle Obama, Issa Rae and Chadwick Boseman)—and her smart social media strategy. We chatted about the very specific brand of hustle culture experienced by immigrants, where she finds inspiration and why her goal is to never let ‘Future Melissa’ down.

Making Our Own Way is a six-part video series about GTA creatives who are figuring out their own unique pathways to success, both within and outside of traditional power structures. Hosted by Friday Things founder and editor Stacy Lee Kong, each video features thoughtful conversations about what it’s like to break new ground—and why it matters that we do. We also laugh (a lot).

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