Melissa was born and raised around Washington, D.C. Her love of drawing and painting as a young girl led her to a Bachelor of Fine Art degree. During this period she was chosen for an internship at Georgetown University assisting acclaimed medical illustrator Peter Stone. Later education and career choices moved her through graduate school and ten years in the corporate world managing an award winning team of graphic designers, computer artists & animators.
After spending a few years living in Australia and France, she settled with her husband and three children in the San Francisco Bay area of California. During this time she became an advocate providing hospitality and support to newly arrived refugees. The emotional challenges of this work was significant. To find balance, Melissa returned to her roots as a painter.
Her time working with refugees inspired the ‘Seeker Series’. In these paintings, she explores themes of strength and resilience through spirituality, contemplation, harmony and stillness. Her process involves layering, scraping, building up, washing off – exposing.
Melissa has been exhibiting through galleries in the US since 2009. She spent 5 years living and working in the UK but is now back in her Californian studio.
