Melissa Misurelli is a fine art painter and illustrator based in Utah, known for her luminous, heirloom-quality oil portraits. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration with a minor in Art History from Utah Valley University, where she studied classical painting techniques under the mentorship of master painter Christopher Young. This experience deeply shaped her commitment to Old-World craftsmanship.

​

Her artistic sensibilities were shaped early. As a child, she spent long hours exploring the hills and creeks near her home, sketchbook in hand, and immersing herself in illustrated fairy-tale books and the dark, poetic worlds of traditional folklore. These early obsessions—nature, narrative, and the enchantment of old stories—remain foundational to her work.  A formative period living in Budapest, with visits to Vienna’s museums and the historic Hungarian countryside, expanded her connection to Europe’s artistic legacy. Encounters with Renaissance and Baroque reproductions on film sets, combined with the grand architecture and Old-World atmosphere, left a lasting imprint on her creative sensibilities.

 

Drawing inspiration from the Dutch Baroque, Italian Renaissance, and Pre-Raphaelite movements, Misurelli’s work blends classical technique with contemporary emotional depth. Her portraits are distinguished by their quiet luminosity, romantic tension, and delicate florals—each piece crafted through patient, layered oil painting. The result is artwork with the presence of an heirloom: timeless, evocative, and meticulously rendered.

 

Her aesthetic often leans toward autumnal richness, Victorian Gothic elegance, and the subtle melancholy of old European folklore. These influences, coupled with her lifelong love of storytelling, lend her work an atmosphere that feels both historical and deeply personal.

 

Outside the studio, Melissa is a devoted wife and mother of five, a follower of Christ, and a creative soul who finds joy in nature, cooking, music, and the dream of homesteading—elements that continue to nourish her artistic vision.

​

 

Misurelli welcomes select commissions, collaborations, and fine art opportunities. She can be contacted at mmisurelliart@gmail.com