A native of Arkansas, Melissa’s first introduction to the Arts Center was through teaching painting and printmaking classes, then she was hired as the associate curator of exhibitions in 2003. She went on to become the director of Project Creo, an alternative art space run by the Arts Center, located on the third floor of the Pier. There, she curated numerous exhibitions, most notably Tide to the Vernacular, a group show of artists from her beloved mid-south Delta region. She had a solo show at the Morean in 2005 called Run for your Life, featuring her assemblages and experimental printmaking techniques.

Collection of Lara Shelton and Megan Szczepanik