For Kids
Melanie Delaney was born and raised in Spokane Washington. She learned to draw as a child, encouraged by her architect father to replicate what she saw, and that exercise in precision served her well. She studied at Fort Wright College of Fine Arts and earned her BA in Interior Design from Washington State University and then spent several years working as an interior designer at Joel Inc. in Spokane.
In 2007, she began to rekindle a passion for art after meeting Paul Rafferty, a successful English-born painter, whose work and spirit inspired her to paint again. He suggested studying Edward Seago, as well as Sir Winston Churchill, whose daring venture into painting later in his life became a catalyst for her own work.
Her favorite Northwest artists include Mitchell Albala, Stan Miller, and Harold Balazs, who continued to work insatiably into his 80’s—a passionate artist in every sense.
The beauty of the natural world, and her connection to it, continue to be a constant source of inspiration for her work.
