My Bio

Biography

Melissa Ouimette is an aspiring Illustrator and Art Educator. She was born on June 29^th 1988, and was raised in Candia, NH. After graduating Central High School in Manchester, NH she didn’t move far to start her college education. She is currently working towards her BFA & Art Education Certification at the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, NH. Her love and dedication for helping children to learn has always been present throughout her life. Her teaching career began during her junior year of high school when she taught her first lesson on healthy eating habits and the benefits of exercise.  This lesson included a poster and brochure educating students to stay healthy. The opportunity for teaching as well as creating different art elements inspired her to become an art teacher. Since then she has volunteered in the community, to enrich and educate students about various art elements. She has volunteered at organizations such as Easter Seals and the Bring It program. She has also assisted teaching students at Highland Goffe’s Fall Elementary, Bow Elementary, and Campbell High School. While working to complete her education and continuing her volunteer work she has had time to create art that has been exhibited in several well-known galleries. You may have found her art displayed at the Currier Community Gallery, Scholastic Art Awards Gallery, and the yearly Amherst Gallery at NHIA. She is currently working on her first book entitled Sweet Tooth for Color. This book is designed to teach younger children their basic colors through the act of baking desserts. She has combined the love of color and baking into one simple guide. She has created lavish, textural paintings, that pair with her unique style of whimsical illustrations to create a child’s dream of a cookbook. You may also find a unique exhibition of her paintings in May 2011 at the New Hampshire Institute of Art, in Manchester, NH.