BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Prints and pins, magnets and magical animals — Honeybee Heather is where imagination and art intertwine.
“I want people to pick it up and giggle, just laugh or have fun or bring a smile to their faces,” says artist Mellisa Heather Cain, the brain behind the colorful Burlington brand.
It’s a later-in-life adventure after this creator had a coming-of-age.
“And it wasn’t until I was 40 that I became confident enough to call myself an Artist with a capital A,” Cain says.
Cain did a little art in high school but wasn’t convinced she had the chops for a career. The hobby picked back up during the pandemic. She made a painting of Burlington and posted it on Instagram where buyers begged for one of their own.
“Made it into a print and then it sold out and I said, ‘Oh, this is a thing,’” Cain says.
Right as the art was taking off, she stepped into her queer identity. Honeybee Heather provided the ultimate platform for Cain’s new voice to be heard. “My artist journey is definitely unconventional.”
Now in business for about three years, many Honeybee Heather creations have taken off. Cain made the logo for the Winooski Farmers Market and created the fan-favorite “Champicorn,” which Cain says is a nonbinary hybrid between a unicorn and Champ.
“It was the queer icon for the pride festival in 2023, and so many either nonbinary folks or queer folks come up to me and say, ‘I love Champicorn,’” says Cain.
But, you don’t need to be part of the LGBTQ+ community to enjoy Cain’s work. The colorful, happy creations are not only adorable but are often Vermont-centric.
“I was walking one time and I saw a kid with one of my stickers on their helmet,” says Cain. “I got so excited.”
Cain donates about 25% of her work to nonprofits or youth because while the cash is nice, this venture is more about making art for everyone.
“It’s not necessarily because of people buying it, but it’s because of people saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I love that,’ or ‘I want that,’ or ‘it’s hanging in my living room’ that really gave me the confidence to push me forward in it.”
Honeybee Heather creations are available online and at a variety of markets across the state. That schedule can be found here.