Hi! I'm Melissa

Art has been a part of my life as long as I can remember, but it took a backseat in pursuit of a career in an arguably very different field. After getting a Bachelor's degree, then my Master's, I worked in emergency management for a decade where I've been able to travel the world helping people and communities on their worst days: fires, floods, hurricanes, and search and rescue. I love helping people. I think a lot of my motivation lies in being able to connect to one another and essentially say, "I see you, and I'm here to help."

I apply the same philosophy to art. I see you, I see how awesome you are, and I want you to see that in the photos I take of you or the tattoos I create for you.

When it comes to photography, I photograph a bit of everything – but the underlying theme is that I love taking photos of people that feel real, with tangible emotion and nothing but good memories associated with them. I love cinematic-inspired photography. I love the spooky, the weird, the surreal, and the undeniable "that's ME". I love making clients feel like the star of a movie, the main character in a game or book, or the subject of a song.

The same sources are where I find inspiration for other artistic ventures. Imagery in music, gaming, books, fine art and more - I love to apply these ideas to my tattoos, drawings, and paintings. I use similar techniques in both painting and tattooing, and love that painterly, soft realism style.

Wherever you and I draw our inspiration from, I want you to love your experience from start to finish, because every time you look at the photos we took or the tattoo I created for you is a reminder of how you felt that day. My process is super collaborative because I want you to feel heard, included, and comfortable, and I want to make your ideas – even if they feel small or silly right now– come to life!

I’m located in Quesnel, British Columbia, but I’m always open to travel and do so often. We can decide if we’re shooting on my acreage or a super cool location of your choosing later on in the planning process – all you have to do is reach out with even the smallest ideas and we’ll make it happen.