MelissaDawnArt

Self-taught American artist Melissa Dawn was born in Northern California in 1983. While she always enjoyed beading and crafting, Melissa never imaged that one day she would become an artist. In 2006, after graduating college, she discovered fairy art at a local county fair and fell head over heels in love. To make up for lost time, Melissa dedicated herself to painting 12-14 hours a day (yes, seriously!), while working towards a Master's Degree in Library Science. By the time Melissa was ready to graduate, she had already begun selling her artwork and jewelry, and decided to pursue a career in art instead. Melissa opened up her art business in 2007 under the name "Spellbound Wings" since she was painting fairies, angels... and one angel cat. To her surprise, the angel cat was one of her best sellers at the first festival Melissa vended at in April 2007. She painted two more fairy cats, including "Purrfect Autumn," which was based on her kitten Strider. Purrfect Autumn became an instant best-seller, and Melissa happily began painting more fairy cats. Slowly they took over, until she was painting winged cats almost exclusively. To reflect this change, in 2010 Melissa and Tim changed the name of her business to "Melissa Dawn Art," though several of their online shops, including her popular Etsy shop, still operate under the alias "Spellbound Wings." Today, Melissa is an internationally-licensed artist with a flourishing cat-loving fan base all over the world. Melissa Dawn Art has shipped to all 50 states and over 20 countries, proving that cat love is truly universal! Melissa continues to exercise her crafting creativity and has created a wide range of jewelry, gifts and accessories featuring her feline friends. All items are lovingly created in Melissa's studio and are handcrafted with the greatest care. While prints and accessories are popular items, the beautiful best-selling jewelry Melissa has created with her art remains the heart of Melissa Dawn Art. Melissa and her husband Tim currently reside in the beautiful state of Washington, sharing their home with two adorable tuxedo cats and two mischevious white bunnies. Tim remains Melissa's biggest fan and most faithful supporter, tolerating her obsession with keys, Neroon, and cats, and helping out at festivals. They are avid supporters of animal rescue groups and shelters, and donate Melissa's art and jewelry to help raise money as often as possible. In their (very!) spare time, Melissa and Tim love to watch their favorite show, Babylon 5, read, and spend time with friends and family.