Hi, I’m Melissa, a sketchbook artist and adventurer hailing from the majestic Washington State.
Growing up exploring the diverse landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, I’ve always been fascinated with the intersection of storytelling, sense of place, and creative expression. I’m an educator and a multimedia sketchbook artist who began cultivating my journaling practice nearly 25 years ago as a summer intern living at 10,000 feet in a 1880’s miner’s cabin in the ghost town of Ashcroft, Colorado. I studied anthropology and art history at Washington State University.
Last year in 2024, I embraced a big life resume opportunity to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, documenting the miles and moments in an illustrated journal. This transformative experience set my compass to a life-long commitment to embrace a deep sense of place only slowing down can provide, wherever my feet take me.
Currently I’m filling my sketchbook pages with mindful observations of the world around me – moments spent exploring natural landscapes, sharing nourishing meals and conversations, and honoring small moments that shapeshift to magical ones with the simple small gift of focused attention.
A life long learner and explorer at heart, I’m balancing time in my Pacific Northwest home space, stewarding our family homestead in the foothills of the Wallowa Mountains in Eastern Oregon, with time in the enchanting landscapes of Mexico, my sketchbook always in hand.
In late Summer 2025 I launched The The Ladybug Chronicles on Substack—An illustrated newsletter that celebrates the magic of a carefully observed world and the power of creative community.
Cheers!
Contact me
For business inquiries, please write to [email protected] and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Cheers!