BIO
Melissa Sanchez was born on July 26, 1985 in Long Beach, CA and currently lives and works in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. She received her BFA from the University of Southern California’s Roski School of Fine Arts in 2009. She was born with a rare condition called Arthrogryposis that effects the joints and muscles, leaving her with limited movement and wheelchair bound, living in chronic pain every day. Melissa began drawing at the age of 3-years-old despite the difficulty her disability presented when using her hands. Though intrigued by many different types of art, Melissa’s mediums of choice are illustration and design. She is a music enthusiast, horror movie fanatic and dog lover. When she’s not out somewhere between LA and Orange County going to concerts, you can most likely find her at home catching the latest episode of Supernatural or singing along to some Taylor Swift while drawing pop culture inspired pieces.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The images I create tend to deal with people and their relationships to others, as well as my own personal experiences. There is something about the every day struggles and awkwardness of people that interest me. Whether it is a broken heart, a new friendship, or sitting alone in my room, all these moments are memories worth salvaging. Posters, illustration, and album artwork often convey these ideas and that is why I have chosen them as my image format. Vinyl records, pop culture, 80’s horror movies, punk rock, and the happenings of every day life are apparent in all my designs and drawings. In “Rebirth” a woman coming out of water signifies a renewal of herself while in the background are trees with records hung on them. The iconography is meant to show how music has played a part in this individual’s new found self. My love of music shows up in all my work. Cassette tapes, specific albums and references to bands or song lyrics are almost a certainty.Music is such an influence in my life that I often feel there is no discluding it. Along with gaining inspiration from music in general, I also enjoy creating gig posters for concerts. I have been lucky enough to work on posters for some of my favorite bands as well as bigger acts, including The Bravery, New Years Day, Agent Sparks, and a showcase label poster for the 2008 CMJ Festival.This is my way of giving back to a community that has already given me so much. The colors I choose for my graphic design and illustration are often bold and complimentary to each other. Hot pink and turquoise, purple and rose, shades of a single color as well as some very dark palettes are some of my favorites. I choose colors that will stand out, pop and gain the viewer’s attention.. I use bright fun colors when they are appropriate. Not only does it make a work stand out, I like to think it gives the audience a sense of who these musicians are. Hopefully my audience can read it like a mixtape of their favorite songs. It is said that the art a person creates is the reflection of the culture around them. Hipsters, music enthusiasts, stereotypical L.A. trash and the nerdy kid who lives next door are who I’d like to think my characters reflect. I live in my world of art.
Melissa Sanchez was born on July 26, 1985 in Long Beach, CA and currently lives and works in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. She received her BFA from the University of Southern California’s Roski School of Fine Arts in 2009. She was born with a rare condition called Arthrogryposis that effects the joints and muscles, leaving her with limited movement and wheelchair bound, living in chronic pain every day. Melissa began drawing at the age of 3-years-old despite the difficulty her disability presented when using her hands. Though intrigued by many different types of art, Melissa’s mediums of choice are illustration and design. She is a music enthusiast, horror movie fanatic and dog lover. When she’s not out somewhere between LA and Orange County going to concerts, you can most likely find her at home catching the latest episode of Supernatural or singing along to some Taylor Swift while drawing pop culture inspired pieces.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The images I create tend to deal with people and their relationships to others, as well as my own personal experiences. There is something about the every day struggles and awkwardness of people that interest me. Whether it is a broken heart, a new friendship, or sitting alone in my room, all these moments are memories worth salvaging. Posters, illustration, and album artwork often convey these ideas and that is why I have chosen them as my image format. Vinyl records, pop culture, 80’s horror movies, punk rock, and the happenings of every day life are apparent in all my designs and drawings. In “Rebirth” a woman coming out of water signifies a renewal of herself while in the background are trees with records hung on them. The iconography is meant to show how music has played a part in this individual’s new found self. My love of music shows up in all my work. Cassette tapes, specific albums and references to bands or song lyrics are almost a certainty.Music is such an influence in my life that I often feel there is no discluding it. Along with gaining inspiration from music in general, I also enjoy creating gig posters for concerts. I have been lucky enough to work on posters for some of my favorite bands as well as bigger acts, including The Bravery, New Years Day, Agent Sparks, and a showcase label poster for the 2008 CMJ Festival.This is my way of giving back to a community that has already given me so much. The colors I choose for my graphic design and illustration are often bold and complimentary to each other. Hot pink and turquoise, purple and rose, shades of a single color as well as some very dark palettes are some of my favorites. I choose colors that will stand out, pop and gain the viewer’s attention.. I use bright fun colors when they are appropriate. Not only does it make a work stand out, I like to think it gives the audience a sense of who these musicians are. Hopefully my audience can read it like a mixtape of their favorite songs. It is said that the art a person creates is the reflection of the culture around them. Hipsters, music enthusiasts, stereotypical L.A. trash and the nerdy kid who lives next door are who I’d like to think my characters reflect. I live in my world of art.