Melissa Monroe

Melissa Monroe is a self-taught multimedia artist, painter, rug maker, and costume mask maker. She has shown and sold her work in many galleries around the world. Her newest passion is rug making, which has gained space in the textile world. Using a tufting machine she paints with yarn, creating 3-d artwork that you can't help but touch. Melissa works at her home studio in Portland with artist partner Jesse Reno, as well as her 3 kids and two dogs. Her work is inspired by her work, her life, textures, and colors.  As an instructor, Melissa's enthusiasm for her multimedia artwork informs the creative energy of the class. Her playful, yet spiritual approach to art making is inspiring, freeing, and informative. As she takes on many mediums, Melissa enjoys sharing an approachable creative process with her classes. Her latest interest in artistic tufting offers us each an opportunity to learn a new skill that we can adapt into our studio practices.