She creates dense, atmospheric layers of marker, glitter and paint that suggest nebulae, tidal pools, or glittering geodes. The surfaces of her paintings incorporate found objects like shoelaces, beads and balloons culled from her daily life. Her ability to paint was discovered when beloved staff person, Nancy Daugherty, gifted her with a blank canvas and encouraged her to start painting. Many of the titles for the paintings were created in a collaborative process by Malissa's support staff.