Melissa was born in North London in 1975. She attended the North Oxfordshire School of Art & Design and in 1994 went on to complete her studies in the field of illustration at Falmouth School of Art in Cornwall. Much of the inspiration for Melissa's work has come from her travels around Europe, focusing mainly on her time in Paris, where she became enchanted by the city's artisan quarter of Montmartre. This time in Paris proved to be a catalyst for Melissa's development as an artist, and led her to create a series of carefully observed examples of the built environment. 

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More recently Melissa has been working on themes much closer to her home and heart, rediscovering the joys of the British seaside holiday and her love of the South Dorset, Devon coastline, the same principles still apply to her approach. Her work has been exhibited in galleries across the UK, as well as enjoying several successful solo exhibitions.