Melissa's quilts have won both national and local awards over the last decade, notably from the National Quilting Association and the Schweinfurth Art Center. Many of the fabrics in her works are hand painted and/or dyed.

"I was one of those creative kids who 'couldn't draw', but was always drawn to some form of creative expression", Melissa says. She took to the classic needle-arts as a teen, knit throughout the 80's, then began quilting in 1991, recently exploring her unique visions in contemporary fused and quilted wall hangings. Having sold her needle arts since 1986, Melissa enjoys a reputation for fine work in several genres.

As an art form, quilting not only satisfies her creative thirsts, but also provides a place of retreat, mystery, spontaneity, and healing. "My life's challenges have, naturally, found expression in the work: the act of fragmenting fabrics and reuniting them symbolizes soul wounds and the search for emotional and spiritual wholeness."