THE STORY BEHIND THE BRAND
It all started with my love of science and art…
From a young age, I was always drawing and exploring the garden, fascinated by bugs and the natural world. My interest in medical science began with a preschool anatomy panel I thought was the coolest thing ever.
I found myself constantly electing to take advance science and art classes and being as involved as I could in any extracurricular activities involving the two. When it came time to enter college and pick a track, I was torn between art and science, drawn equally to both. I chose illustration, thanks to scholarship opportunities, but once I got to the Cleveland Institute of Art and discovered there was a Biomedical Art major, everything fell into place. And the rest was history...
In the final years of the Biomedical Art program, I set out to make a meaningful impact with my thesis.
While researching areas in science where visual communication was lacking, I realized there was a significant gap in patient education around transgender surgeries and treatments. I decided to create the beginnings of a visual guide to highlight how the body changes through these procedures.
What I didn’t expect was that someone I invited to my thesis presentation would later offer me my first contract in transgender medical illustration with The MetroHealth System in Cleveland, giving me the opportunity to continue developing inclusive patient care materials and educational guides.
A Senior thesis…
Transforming into a Business.
After college, I began pursuing my Certification of Medical Illustration and was pleasantly surprised to receive several more contract opportunities in biomedical art and graphic design, lots including more transgender medical information.
As I became more involved in Cleveland’s vibrant artist community, the demand for my work grew quickly—faster than I could have imagined. With the encouragement of my wonderful mentor from the Association of Medical Illustrators and the support of my growing client base, I took the leap and founded my own business: MelissaIllustration LLC.
I now strive to use my skills in visually communicating complex scientific topics to help others by creating more accessible education for those who are underrepresented.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to collaborate with inspiring clients and continue doing the work I love. I’m excited to see where this journey takes me next.
