Artist built a fantasy forest to escape her grief. Then she started mailing pieces of it to strangers
She started painting as an escape, but it has now turned into Matilda Moon's full-time job.
Art is born from many feelings, but a few emotions cut deeper than grief. When the world turned dark and overwhelming, Matilda Moon (@mossheartmailclub) picked up her brush simply to survive it. From her home in the south of England, she began painting quiet woodland creatures and whimsical moss trolls to cope with chronic illness, autism, and ADHD. However, what started as a private sanctuary has blossomed into the magical realm of Mossheart Studios. Today, Moon sends more than 3,650 copies of her physical letters to subscribers worldwide. She recently took time to reflect on her journey on Instagram through a post on September 11, 2026, garnering more than 400 likes and being viewed 31,500 times.
Relief in a dark time
The forest began as a private safe space during difficult years. Moon was dealing with chronic illness, autism, and ADHD. Ordinary life felt heavy. She needed an escape. "She began creating the world of Mossheart Forest during a time when it felt the light at the end of the tunnel had been snuffed out for good," her website reads. This gave birth to characters like mushroom folk, moss trolls, and witches. Creating the world gave her something joyful to focus on and eventually grew into her full-time work.
Dreaming up the snail mail
Moon wanted to share the comfort that she felt through art with the people. So, she began making physical letters filled with art and stories. Even so, the idea of reaching people across borders with her fantasy world felt absurd at first. "If someone had told me that one day I'd be posting over 3,650 letters across the world, filled with cosy fantasy stories, goodies, and artwork, all created by me, and people would be eagerly waiting to see it pop through their mailbox. I probably would have laughed," she confessed. But still, she put in the work and soon found her audience.
Facing online self-doubt
Growing an audience online brought its own silent struggles as well. For her September dispatch, Moon chose to be completely candid about how the internet made her feel. "The story is very special to me," she admitted. She explained that it was all about her experience of being on social media. On the other hand, the latest batch was also a milestone that she never expected, with her delivering 3,650 letters to people across 66 countries. She reflected on how her followers have helped her throughout her journey and made her dream come true.
Looking toward the future
Moon is not stopping at monthly envelopes. She also revealed that she's working on a trilogy of illustrated novels set in the same realm. She plans to craft more figurines, prints, and magical characters. The project continues to grow alongside her. "I hope that I can continue creating this world and sharing stories with you for many magical years ahead," she said. With how things are currently going, that day might not be far, as Moon continues to share her beautiful world with others across the globe.
Creativity can offer a mental break
Moon's experience also reflects why many people turn to creative activities during difficult periods. In a 2023 American Psychiatric Association poll of 2,202 U.S. adults, 46% who take part in creative activities such as drawing or painting report that it helps them relieve stress and anxiety. While there were plenty of activities people took part in, 24% took up drawing, painting, or sculpting, with another 19% taking up crafting. The poll also found that people who rated their mental health as very good or excellent tended to engage in creative activities more frequently.
Excited for the letters
Followers responded warmly to Moon's milestone, with several sharing their excitement about receiving the latest letters. @monkeemailclub commented, "Received mine today and my daughter beat me to opening it, and she said it was so good and that she wants to share it with her friends." At the same time, @slowchaptersmailclub pointed out, "'less than far ahead' when you’re creating such beautiful, whimsical, and heartfelt art that is touching so many people!! You are amazing!!"
Follow Matilda Moon (@mossheartmailclub) for more art and Mossheart world content.
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