Melissa Payne Baker spends her days chasing her dreams as an artist and her toddler son, both keeping her creativity in full bloom. Growing up in Mississippi she learned from generations of artists. She now lives in Atlanta with her husband, Rick and their son, Payne. With a degree in Marketing from the University of Mississippi and a passion for interior design, her interests mesh together well. Melissa has perfected various color, medium and texture techniques to create her individual style shown in her work. Always creating, her new collections can be found in fine art galleries and fine interior boutiques across the Southeast. Melissa’s work is featured in the August 2015 VIE magazine, April 2015 Atlanta Interiors magazine, March 2015 Southern Lady magazine, February 2014 Traditional Homes and March 2014 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. She has been featured in many Atlanta publications including Creative Loafing, Cobb Life, Skirt Atlanta, The Atlantan, Southern Seasons and Jezebel. She was voted Atlanta's Best Emerging Artist 2010 in Creative Loafing, Best Atlanta Artist 2011 in Atlanta magazine, Atlanta’s Best Artist 2012 in Jezebel and named “The it Girl” by The Atlantan 2013. She participates in Nashville, Tennessee fine art shows and was named the 2011 featured artist for Fine Art in Brentwood at Brentwood Academy. Melissa has captured the interest of many interior designers and has been a featured artist in decorators’ show houses, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Cashiers and Knoxville. In Atlanta, she has been an artist with Trinity Spotlight on Art since 2006 including their Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus Galleries. She has participated in events at High Museum of Art High Arts Day, Huntsville Museum of Art and Columbus Museum of Art. Like a true artist, she views her paintings as an extension of herself. The heart and soul of her work is derived from everyday life and experiences. Some of her paintings have stories behind them, but most convey emotions or feelings that touch the viewer. "I hope in my paintings, collectors can see the love I have for life. I paint with my heart and soul. I get excited once a painting is complete; it is like meeting a new friend."