April Artist of The Month: Mosessa

Viola-Diyosa by Mosessa

I am so excited to introduce our April Artist of the Month, Mosessa Preisenberger from Brisbane, Australia.  Mosessa's paintings are vibrant, colorful, and mostly portrait of ladies.  The first painting that I took interest in was her piece titled Lakambini which was still in the W.I.P (Work In Progress) phase when I came across it on Instagram and did not have a name.  The painting was so unique and beautiful; it reminded me very much of Filipino natives.  Being of Filipino ancestry is something Mosessa and I share which I discovered in my interview with her below.  All her ladies have a strong and "don't mess with me" attitude about them which totally rocks!  So with no further delay, please enjoy her interview and the paintings that she has shared with us: 


Exclusive Interview with Mosessa Preisenberger, April Artist of the Month.

Lakambini by Mosessa

Smile: What is your name/artist name, tell the readers where you are from?

Mosessa: My name is Mosessa Preisenberger and I'm a painter from Brisbane, Australia.


Smile: How do you describe your art and where does your inspiration come from?

Mosessa: I paint a lot of girls! Recently I have been strongly influenced by goddesses and tribal women. I also draw a lot of inspiration from nature. I really like to explore the small, intricate details of plants and animals, especially fish; I find their patterns and colors the most fascinating. I'm drawn to really bright and bold color themes and try to incorporate this into my work.

Smile: What is the first piece that you remember creating and at what age? 

Mosessa: I used to create these quirky fashion illustrations back in 2007. I was a animation student so I used my Wacom tablet and photoshop a lot back then. It's only been in the past year I've gone back to traditional media.

Clarice-Diyosa by Mosessa

Smile: If you could pick one place where your work could be shown, where would it be?

Mosessa: I'd love to have a exhibition in Berlin!


Smile: Tell more about your background and what you like to do beside being an awesome artist and a social media enthusiast...

Mosessa: I am currently working full-time as a digital artist for a games company in Brisbane. All my personal work gets done at night; which (fortunately) is when i'm usually at my most creative. In my spare time I always try to squeeze in some thrift shopping, it's a ritual for me!

Ghea by Mosessa

Smile: I am curious, are you Filipino? I ask, because I am and I could see a little bit of heritage in your pieces.

Mosessa: Yes! I am half Filipino, half German. 

Smile: Do you have a favorite piece that you have created? If so, what is it and why?

Mosessa: I have two favorite pieces, a drawing and a painting. My favorite drawing is probably Mirage, a metamorphosism style drawing I did last year. My favorite painting is Tuula which is my biggest piece to date. I love both pieces because whilst I was working on them I learned a lot about my own art process and about how hard I could really push myself. Both pieces mark a significant turning point for me.

Cleopatra-Diyosa by Mosessa

Lakshimi by Mosessa

Smile: Do you have any artist (past or present) that you admire and why?

Mosessa: Back when I was studying animation I saw some work by Moebius for the first time and instantly fell in love with it. The worlds he created are so surreal. Very inspirational!

Smile: What is your biggest accomplishment as an artist so far?

Mosessa: Doing my first group show! It was fantastic to get myself out there and start sharing my work. I think it gave me the confidence I needed to keep pursuing my dream of becoming a full time artist.

Smile: Last questions, where can we find your art work to purchase? And is there anything else you would like the audience to know?

Mosessa: Readers can check out my pieces on Mosessa.com.au, Instragram.com/Mosessa, Facebook.com/Mosessa.

Smile: Mosessa, It is so nice meeting you and I am glad that we are able to feature your work this month. I look forward to seeing more of your art and best to you and your future.

Aphrodite-Diyosa by Mosessa