Melinda grew up in North Carolina and was introduced to oil painting at an early age by her grandmother, a self-taught “Sunday painter”, and the two spent many weekends together painting at the kitchen table. Many years and several careers later, Melinda has re-ignited her love for painting and continually strives to find her artistic voice. She has studied with several accomplished regional and national artists, and is committed to weekly "painting with friends". Working primarily in oils and mixed media, her art incorporates both traditional and non-traditional elements. She approaches each painting with the viewer in mind, using color, light, and juxtaposition to create a quiet energy on the canvas.