Musician Brian Eno once said, “Every collaboration helps you grow” and the architect and designer Frank Gehry liked the idea of collaboration because “It pushes you,” adding that, “collaboration provides a richer experience.”

It’s with this in mind that we excitedly share with you the story of how the artists Melanie Stimmell and Kat Tatz are working together once again on a thrilling new collaboration. We spoke with both artists to discover what this collab means to them, how they balance creating new art with a business career as an artist, their hopes for what this collaboration will bring to collectors, art lovers, and fellow artists, and finally, we asked them to share advice to emerging artists.

On collaborating

Stimmell notes that artistic collaboration is “A fun experience to see how another artist approaches a project differently than I do.” She adds that, “Collaborating with Kat feels like stepping into her creative world…offering a glimpse into her process, while also challenging me to step outside of my comfort zone.” It’s easy to stick with what works as an artist, but collaboration is a way of discovering new ideas and fresh techniques. This is what keeps the creative journey rewarding and from a business perspective, exciting, too!

Kat Tatz shares in Stimmell’s excitement. She told us that she’s “Super excited to be collaborating again with Melanie,” adding that she believes their two distinct styles mesh well together. This collaboration is like “painting a dream that becomes a reality,” says Tatz. From their perspective, “Wonderland can accommodate any wish or whimsy an artist can imagine.” Tatz is always intrigued by what Melanie Stimmell paints because the work awakens her curiosity. When they work together, their art soars to unexpected places!

On balancing the creative and business aspects of their careers

Balancing the creative and business sides of a career in the art world can be challenging for anyone, especially emerging artists. For Stimmell, creating an inspiring workspace and staying organized helps her manage it all without losing her intense passion for creating art. She notes that it’s hard work to find inspiration in every aspect of her business. When kids are growing up and dreaming about being professional working artists, they may picture a studio filled with nothing but perfect light, big canvases, brushes, and vibrant paints. But being a professional means managing a small self-owned business, too. Sometimes, this means energies must be diverted away from creativity toward admin tasks, financial matters, and more non-artistic commitments.

Stimmell’s studio is filled not just with the tools needed to create fine art, but also things she loves. It’s a space that energizes her every day so that even the less exciting tasks, like cataloging and wrapping up paintings for shipment, are more enjoyable in a space that feels creative and uplifting.

She’d be remiss to not mention how lucky she is to have her husband help with the details, too. He built her an app that tracks everything from sales and shipments to works in progress. It’s a clever piece of tech that keeps the business side of her life organized so she can focus on what matters most: creating art.

On their hopes for this new collaboration

Kat Tatz puts it simply, “I hope people can see the joy Melanie and I bring to each painting, with the little surprises we build at every turn.”

Stimmell says that the last collaboration they did together, which was presented at a VIP event, was an absolute blast. She still remembers the rewarding experience of watching the collectors’ reactions—the way it lit up their faces and brought so many smiles was truly special. Melanie Stimmell says that, “Both Kat and I create fantastical, whimsical imagery, so it’s always our hope that our work brings joy and a sense of wonder to those who view it.”

Their art is deeply rooted in storytelling with each work of art serving as a visual narrative. They hope that when collectors take the time to look beyond the whimsy they will connect with the stories woven throughout because whether it’s through a subtle detail or a larger theme, there’s always more to discover in the artwork of Melanie Stimmell and Kat Tatz. Their shared hope is that this deeper connection will elevate the viewer’s experience. Ultimately, both Stimmell and Tatz want this new collaboration to spark joy and leave a lasting impression that invites viewers to engage with the narratives behind the imagery.

Advice to emerging artists

Tatz is eager to remind emerging artists that they should aim to learn all the skills they need in order to be able to show the world their unique vision, adding, “We learn to write to communicate with the world. Painting is no different, the more skill you acquire, the more likely you will be able to find your voice and communicate that language through your artistic style.”

Kat Tatz believes that the desire to create will motivate you to find a way to explore, adding, “You will be frustrated at first, but that lessens as you improve your skill and gain confidence. After all, it is only paint.” She admits that mistakes will happen, even for her still, but that mistakes are how the universe lets her know what needs to be spoken. For Kat Tatz, it’s often the accidentally spilled paint that was destined to make history.

Melanie Stimmell’s best advice for emerging artists is to first figure out where they ultimately want to go by asking, “What’s your big dream?” Once you have that vision, every decision becomes clearer, according to Stimmell, while it’s either a step toward that dream or it’s not. She notes that along the way, plenty of opportunities will come your way, but crucially, it’s important to know when to say ‘no, thank you’ and when you should dive in headfirst.

Finally, Stimmell shared some details of her early career decisions, an insight that will be of help to those just starting to find their way in the art world:

“Early in my career, I said ‘yes’ to almost anything that piqued my interest—like working on ‘South Park.’ Honestly, I didn’t even know what South Park was when I applied but the opportunity to work on a feature film and TV show sounded incredible. It wasn’t part of my long-term plan, but it turned out to be an amazing experience. It wasn’t until I left that behind that I could focus on my bigger career goals. Then came the Park West Made in Vegas Contest. I didn’t think I stood a chance, but I knew it could be an incredible stepping stone, so I went for it. I haven’t looked back since. Now, I sometimes feel like many of my dreams have already come true—which they have at this stage of my career—but it’s important to keep evolving that ‘big dream.’ The one thing I never want to do is stop growing as an artist.”

To inquire about collecting the art of Melanie Stimmell and Kat Tatz, attend one of Park West’s online auction weekends or contact a sales associate via email at sales@parkwestgallery.com or by phone at 1-800-521-9654 (option 4).