Melissa Kempf
Born and raised in Brantford, Melissa completed her studies of Art and Art History at McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario. Through four years of intense study in both fields Melissa came to better appreciate the artists of the past and those of the future. From Hamilton Melissa travelled to London where she studied Interior Design at Westervelt College. After this she had the opportunity to work for a builder where she was able to further her knowledge of the use of line, texture and colour while aiding homeowners in decorating their new homes. Following 8 seasons as Theatre Manager at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre, she is currently working at YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin and living in St. Thomas. With an interest in nature and all things majestic and beautiful, she continues to create works of art that invoke emotion, passion and thought in the viewer. Her pieces play with the notion of weightlessness and movement juxtaposed with the heavy material of soapstone from which they are created. Melissa’s paintings are fueled by her use of expressive colour palettes and her impressionistic style