Melba is a Louisiana artist who currently resides in Shongaloo, Louisiana.

Melba didn’t find her passion for painting until later in life. In 1980, she became an empty-nester and started the pursuit of something creative to do.

She experimented with various art projects and nothing satisfied, until she found an oil painting class. Under the tutelage of Artist June Tyler of Homer, Louisiana, for 10 years, that pursuit of a hobby became a passion for painting.

Over the past three decades, she has been an active member of many local art clubs in the Shreveport-Bossier area, including holding office positions and facilitating, as well as, participating, in local art shows and exhibits. She is a charter member and currently holds the office of treasurer, for the Louisiana Society of Animal Artists.

Melba is an avid student of painting and she subscribes to many art publications and books. She reads and studies everything she can related to this subject. Along with her own private study, she has taken workshops and studied under many nationally known artists, such as: John Seerey-Lester, Ann Templeton, Alan Flattman, Morgan Samuel Price, Sheila Parsons, Luphilia Middlebrook, Bob Rohm, Mary Jane Cox, June Tyler, Tom Browning, Connie Erickson, Don Edwards and Bobbye Scarborough, plus many more over the years.

Melba has always had a love for animals, nature, and birds. She supports animal conservation groups and animal rescue organizations. She loves dogs in particular and has rescued several in the past.

Melba paints in oil, acrylics and pastel. Her favorite genres to paint are animals, landscape and still life. She particularly enjoys painting pets. She feels that painting has greatly enriched her life.

She gives back by donating paintings for cause worthy fundraisers and similar events. One of her paintings hangs in the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport, Louisiana, in their permanent collection.

Presently, Melba paints every Tuesday with a local painting group. The rest of the week she works in her studio at her home in Shongaloo, Louisiana, where she paints with her rescue dog, Gigi, at her feet.