YetiParade’s designs invite you into a world where the terrifying has been reimagined into the lovable. Her brightly-colored visions — like fluffy moths and adorable monsters — remind you to find beauty and humor in even the most unorthodox subjects.

Carissa Cornelius, or YetiParade, believes that “creativity is observing the world and interpreting that into something that is uniquely yours.” Her artwork — unrivaled in its ability to make audiences want to hug her subjects, even those with sharp teeth and tentacles — is a breath of fresh air. Her love of nature and animals, which she describes as “just so darn sweet”, is transformed into something tangible that can be enjoyed and appreciated by everyone.

Carissa admits that looking to other artists encourages her to “flex my creative muscles”. She is especially inspired and “absolutely adores” artists such as Sachin Teng, Siames Escalante and Joy Ang. She is also drawn to the art of the ancient Near East and the “stylization and interpretation of animals in people” that was popular during the time period. In fact, she wishes she could have seen it “when it was new and not ancient”.

YetiParade loves that “art reflects a degree of the person who created it” and that no design will ever be identical to another. She appreciates that every artist brings a distinctive quality to their work. In her own creative process, she has learned to not “micromanage” her creative process because she works best when she is flexible and can make mistakes.

woman wearing tank top that says bean toes forever and cat paw

YetiParade confesses that she is discouraged by the “negativity and division” in the world right now. She hopes that her art will “offer at least a shred of happiness or fun into people’s lives to remind them that it’s not all bad.” Her designs are the perfect encouragement; she reminds us that a monster isn’t all bad and that good can be found even when you least expect it.