Melanie is new to the world of children’s book illustration.  She has a long work history in botanical illustration and graphic design but has recently discovered the joys of drawing animals and people.  Melanie loves to experiment with new ways and mediums to express herself.

Melanie has lived in southern and central California and in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. In addition to being a painter, she is also a musician, samba dancer and capoerista. She majored in studio art with an emphasis in painting at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and holds a degree in apparel design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She resides in Santa Cruz, California with her mother, husband 2 daughters and 2 sons.