5 questions to the puppet painter Michelle Mello

Michelle Mello, puppet painter from Massachusetts, United States. Monsters & Co., 2001. Photo © Steven Wong Jr.

1.Tell us what you do and your beginnings.

By day I am a puppet painter working for Netflix on the stop-motion film “Wendell and Wild” (2021). My nights and weekends spent either transforming the animated pop-culture characters of my childhood into tangible stop-motion puppets, designing and crafting my original characters, or collaborating with fellow artists. Originally from Massachusetts, I got my start by relocating to Oregon to work with Laika on the film “Missing Link” (2019).

2.What are your favorite museums in the world? Why?

Let me first say, I love museums and have always been a big advocate for spending time in museums for the awe and inspiration they incite. When I was studying animation at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, we had unlimited access to the Museum of Fine Art Boston.

Lucky for me, the museum was within walking distance, and I made a point to visit at least once a week. That museum will always hold a special place in my heart. The museum I most aspire to attend is the Louvre. Mona Lisa calls to me!