Amanda Messick

This mural was painted for the Dillsboro Creative Arts Center at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro, North Carolina.

The park is home to glass blowing studios, blacksmithing, and other creative spaces, so it felt like the perfect place to add a mural celebrating art and community.

It was such a joy to contribute something permanent to a place where people gather to learn, create, and share their craft.

This banyan tree mural was painted at the Butterfly Palace in Branson, Missouri.

The concept imagines an ancient temple slowly being reclaimed by a banyan tree, while scientists have transformed the space into a modern lab to study and care for butterflies.

Jeanie painted the bricks, butterflies, and the small creature peeking from the wall, while I focused on the banyan tree and surrounding greenery.

In the beginning of 2025 we returned to the Butterfly Palace in Branson, Missouri to add a few more murals throughout the butterfly aviary.

Each wall became its own little ecosystem—lush greenery, tropical plants, and spaces designed to blend into the environment of the butterflies themselves.

Projects like this are always a reminder of how murals can transform a space and invite people to slow down and notice the details around them and not be distracted by plan walls.

In 2023, Jeanie and I began this mural at the Butterfly Palace in Branson, Missouri. In 2024 we returned to continue expanding the piece and adding more life and color to the space.

Working in a place filled with butterflies, an amazing staff, and curious visitors was such a special experience. Murals like this are always a collaboration between the space, the people, and the artists bringing it to life.

Working on this mural at the Butterfly Palace in Branson, Missouri was such a unique experience.

Murals like this are always a balance between the artwork and the environment it lives in. The goal is to create something that feels like it belongs — something that adds to the atmosphere without overwhelming it.

It was an honor to contribute to a space that invites people to slow down and observe.

Hey everyone! With Mother's Day coming up, I wanted to let you know that I am now taking commissions for personalized paintings. I offer a abstract and figurative style that captures the beauty of the human experience.
If you're looking for a unique gift to honor the special mother in your life, consider a commissioned painting from me. From celebrating the birth of a new child to capturing a cherished memory, my paintings are the perfect way to show your love and appreciation.

Contact me to get started on your one-of-a-kind painting today and give a gift that will be treasured for a lifetime.