Melissa Talma

Melissa Talma has been painting, drawing, and creating all her life. After earning a BFA in Design and Illustration from Marywood University, Melissa built a multifaceted creative career in commercial graphic design, illustration, cake decorating, and art education.

Melissa paints realistic landscape scenes and still lifes in oil, watercolor, gouache, and mixed media, working in the studio and plein air. Her work includes vibrant colors, dynamic contrast, and repetitive patterns found in nature and the material world. Rock textures and waterfalls are two of her favorite subjects. Melissa adores painting food for its bright colors and pops of details. She also creates artworks in historical and other illustrative styles to spark the viewer's imagination. Melissa has refined her artistic skills through a nearly daily sketchbook journaling habit, as well as taken classes and workshops with locally acclaimed and nationally recognized artists.

Melissa is a member of the Off-Color Painters, a plein air art group based at Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua and participates in their annual exhibition. She has also participated in the Fairport Plein Air festival, as well as numerous creative challenges and contests. Melissa is very enthusiastic about teaching art and encouraging others to pursue their creative aspirations. She teaches oils and watercolor for the Artist-in-Residence program at Fairport High School, group classes, and private lessons, and believes that not only artistic skills, but creativity can be taught and learned.