It wasn’t in art class that Meesha Walker first discovered and began to develop her artistic talent, but rather during her other classes, when she would find herself doodling in the margins of her notebooks. Those class-time doodles began to extend to lunch breaks and other free time. When anime became popular again in the United States, Meesha found inspiration in the artistry of Sailor Moon and DragonBall Z. The Japanese style was so different from the Disney style of animation which, at the time, had saturated American animation culture, that Meesha began to study and to explore the possibilities the anime resurgence provided with its more complicated characterization and somewhat darker themes.

When asked when and how Meesha first recognized she was an artist, she, as many artists we have spoken with, demurred. “I’m still unsure on some days,” she says, but was quick to defend the term for anyone who creates, “even if you’re making stick figures, you’re an artist.”

Meesha finds inspiration everywhere. “Anything that I may come across can be inspiring enough to sketch out a piece,” she told us. Once she’s landed on an idea she wants to develop, she’ll complete a number of doodles and sketches until the idea takes a firm shape in her mind. “The painting is almost the easier part!” she says. Using acrylic paint on canvas, or sometimes digital painting techniques, she creates her pieces with lots of color and texture. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan, however, and mistakes happen, but as any artist of experience, having overcome the tendency toward perfectionism will tell you, sometimes the accidents make for some unexpectedly wonderful results.

To stretch herself and expand her skills, Meesha experiments with other mediums but will return to those she’s most familiar with if she finds herself getting stuck. Since Covid, she’s begun to dive into the craft of leatherworking and hopes to combine the skills she’s developed in her drawing and painting, and especially in her talent in creating texture, to develop something unique.

In speaking of her goals for her work, Meesha simply enjoys seeing the joy her pieces give to her clients and those who purchase her work. Her desire to please those who appreciate her work drives her to push herself into new territory and to continue to develop her skills and talents. She would one day like to be a mentor for new artists and those just establishing themselves.

As Danville continues to roll out its revitalization efforts, Meesha hopes the art community and the community at large will accept younger artists and younger ideas rather than clinging to “vintage rules” as she puts it.

To view more of Meesha’s work, you can find her online (Instagram, X, and Twitch) at Xeshema. For commissions and inquiries, feel free to email her at xeshema@gmail.com