“People are the heartbeat of their place.”

Melissa was born and raised in Alaska, and her passion to create started at a young age. She frequently provided pop-up art shows in her childhood home, where her parents would purchase drawings of room scenes, homes, and nature for steep price tags… of $0.10 to $0.50 per creation. Professionally, she continues to tap into her creativity and is inspired by all that nature offers as well as the power of place.

She lives in Anchorage, Alaska, with her husband, Paul, and two four-legged adopted fur-babies. Depending on the season, their adventures consist of fishing either from their wooden drift boat or through a hole in the ice. When stuck inside, Melissa paints with oil (her medium of choice); however, she also loves the organic and structured nature of mixed media artworks.