Lives in: Silver Spring, Maryland 

Social media: @melouart (Instagram)

Media and subjects: Watercolor, gouache, oils, acrylic; subjects include scenery - landscape, people, sea animals, flowers. 

Why you joined MAA: To be part of the local art community and be inspired by other artists.

Something fun about you: I was an art student at New York's LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. It was at LaGuardia that I learned to play violin.

Artist Biography: I always loved doing art since I was a kid. I majored in art  at the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City  and also learned to play violin. I've enjoyed working with many types of fine art media such as charcoal, sketching, inking. But I have the most experience with watercolor in the last few years. I do love journaling with that medium.

I enjoy plein air painting since I get to experience my surroundings in a unique way by expressing it through art. My favorite subject to paint is scenery but have recently enjoyed venturing into oil portraiture.

Melissa's paintings: