melissa sims

Atlanta-based artist Melissa Sims is known for her fun, pop-art paintings that look like glossy photographs.

Artist: The Georgia native was born and grew up in Conyers, GA. After taking a photography class in high school, she wanted to learn more. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BFA in photography and a BA in art history.

Right out of college, Sims went to work at a painting warehouse in Atlanta, where she and other artists painted hundreds of paintings a year for hotels, restaurants and doctors’ offices.

That is where Sims learned various painting techniques and came up with her style of combining painting and photography.

In 2000, Sims decided to move to Los Angeles. On her way across the country, she became infatuated with neon signs and started to include them in her work. In 2017 she moved back to Georgia.

Studio: Sims, who has been painting since 1994, is excited to have a designated room to paint in her house in Tucker near Atlanta.

“I have lived in tiny apartments where I had to paint and pour resin in my kitchen,” said Sims. “I have painted in detached garages filled with boxes, cars and a laundry room.”

Art & materials: Brightly colored collage-style paintings on wood panels using oil and acrylic. Each painting is topped off with a shiny thick resin finish, which makes the colors pop and the fun and happy paintings look like glossy photographs ($300 to $7,200).

Themes: Most of her work includes a neon sign, but she also has featured pin-up girls, pinball machines, toys and vintage paint by numbers.

“I love vintage neon signs and go out of my way to see them on a trip,” said Sims. “I also love that my friends send me pictures they take when they see a good sign and think of me.”

Favorite tools: Photoshop.

She has hundreds of pictures of neon signs and other inspirations that she can put together in Photoshop. That way Sims can try different images and sizes, which can be helpful with commissions.

Inspirations: Artists, including: