Melissa has been creating art since childhood - from making found-object sculptures out of scrap metal and fasteners found on the floor of her father’s carpentry shop, to large-scale paintings at juried shows. She grew up in the Midwestern US and having spent her formative years in a vast suburban landscape, made her own beauty. In the pursuit of art and inspiration, she developed her craft in many locations and through many facets, as she moved around the US. She worked professionally in design for many years, as well as a continued pursuit of both commissioned works and shows. Now, more than ever, her work is informed by her experiences as a parent and an artist in the time of pandemic.