THE STORY OF SOJOURN ARTIST
Beholden to Art
Born and raised in various regions of California, Melanie graduated from San Diego State University, School of Art & Design with a Bachelors in Fine Art and Painting. She closed out her final semester by designing the university's large scale mural for the Healing Gardens.
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Leading a team of Painters in the mural's implementation, the artist facilitated a discussion on healing and indigenous symbolism between historians and the art department.
Melanie is part indigenous from The Jalisco region of Mexico, and is a former Foster youth. This project marked her mental transition from survive to thrive mentality.
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A prolific painter, she has designed several public artworks for businesses throughout San Diego, but has now dedicated her life to creating graphic novels and children's literature. Many of her character's were created as coping mechanism to grapple with her checkered reality as a youth. She says imagination and laughter helped her heal from the woes of the foster care system.
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She gains much of her artistic inspiration from dreams, poetry, mythology, solace in nature, and her extensive international travels. Drawing from the bank of personal experience to render her imaginative musings. You will find many of her layered concepts riveting with humor, metaphor, introspection, anthropomorphism, and character.
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The diverse selection of artwork in this online gallery are hallmarks of the artist's continual growth and success.
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She is currently selling artwork and accepting commissions to help fund her aspirations of becoming a published storyteller.
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When she is not in the studio, she is Backpacking, fire performing, or thrill seeking.