Melissa Gordon has been an artist all of her life, selling her first commissioned work at 12 years of age. She has won numerous awards for her realistic renderings around the state and has many works in private collections across the country. Melissa has had a number of solo shows and participates in many regional group shows throughout the year. Recently, she has become known for large-scale work done around the state of North Dakota, including her mural of Sitting Bull in Alley 5.5, which was featured on the cover of Parade Magazine. After over 10 years as a graphic artist, designer and art director, she has worked independently for nearly twenty years as a freelance artist and illustrator. Her work has been featured in Parade Magazine, Midwest Living, Studio 701, One Million Cups, Talking Trails and newspapers across the upper Midwest. Notable works include Sitting Bull (Art Alley 5.5), The Heritage Art Tunnel, Beauty at a Glance, North Dakota Music Hall of Fame, North Dakota Firefighter’s Museum, Frontier Village,Wilton’s 125th, Bismarck Veteran’s Memorial Library, Department of Trust Lands, North Dakota League of Cities and Mary Stark Elementary School. A highlight of her career came when she was chosen by Governor Doug Burgum for the North Dakota Governor’s Individual Acheivement Award for the Arts in February of 2021. She is also the 2016 Citation Award recipient at Bismarck Arts and Galleries and has won several Best of Show Awards with her work. Melissa also enjoys teaching and has taught in a variety of settings to age groups ranging from kindergarten to senior citizens and has a special interest in at-risk groups. She belongs to many local arts organizations and was a founding member of Bismarck Downtown Artists Cooperative and Arts For All. She has served as a board member of Bismarck Arts and Galleries Association, Mandan Art Association, Dakota West Arts Council, BSC Alumni Board and was appointed to the North Dakota Council on the Arts in 2015 by Governor Jack Dalrymple. In addition to her work as an artist, she is also an active member of the community and does volunteer work for many area organizations including Bismarck Arts and Galleries Association, Art For Life, Dakota West Arts Council, Special Olympics, Papa’s Pumpkin Patch and Arts For All.
To discuss commissions reach out to mel@mel-ink.com
