Melissa Ellen is a self-taught mixed-media artist from Nashville, TN, whose work merges collective memory with modern perspectives. Through layered materials like magazine clippings and vintage book pages, she explores how familiar images from the past evolve and connect with today’s cultural sentiments. Each piece she creates is a nuanced exploration of nostalgia and fresh curiosity, bridging history and contemporary culture to invite viewers into a new perspective on the familiar.

In her twenties, Melissa specialized in print design and expanded her career by running a magazine and online marketplace dedicated to the lifting and construction industry. Following the premature birth of her fourth child, she made the choice to sell her business to focus on family. A move to North Carolina in 2020 reignited her artistic passion, and since returning to Nashville in 2022, she has continued her artistic journey with fresh purpose.

Melissa’s work reflects her steadfast dedication to art as a lifelong passion and creative expression. Living in Nashville with her husband and four children, she remains immersed in her ongoing journey, bringing skill, depth, and a true love of creating to each new piece.