Mel paints mostly with oil in her Franklin, Tennessee studio and often outdoors in middle Tennessee as well as on the coast of Florida & South Carolina.

Her understanding of color & how art elevates interior spaces has brought her commission work from other designers & clients. Her influences range from French artists Alfred Sisley, Eugene Boudin and Gustave Caillebotte to American iconic painters Winslow Homer & John Singer Sargent.

She is drawn to representational subjects, especially seascapes, landscape and floral, and interprets them with a loose style and vibrant color. She has participated in local shows and art events as well as taught classes & workshops.