Born in California, Melissa worked in photography before moving to England in 1971 to study dance (Eurythmy) in London.

Known internationally as a teacher and perfomer of Eurythmy she also trained in sculpture at the Open College of Arts and in pastel painting with Christopher Assheton-Stones. With these three arts Melissa now works in organisational development programmes and also with adults with learning disabilities.

"In painting, I take inspiration from a landscape, idea or a poem and imagine what I would like to do to express it. This then develops and changes as I put paint or pastel to canvas, always observing what is happening on the canvas and responding to it so that I, myself, am surprised at the finished product."

Melissa works from her studio in Grasmere, Cumbria. There will be an exhibition of her work at the Lake District National Park Centre at Brockhole in June 2004.

Melissa is an associate of the Green Door Studios, a member of Ambleside and District Art Society and co-organiser of Cumbria Local Arts Exhibition which promotes local artists. She has recently held a one-woman exhibition at Steiner House inLondon, exhibited in the Lakes Artists Exhibition in Grasmere and in various galleries and group exhibitions in Cumbria.