Melissa Thompson is a multi-media artist residing in Missoula Montana. She holds a BFA in drawing from the University of Montana and an MA in prosthetic effects from Falmouth University in Cornwall England. She has been a tattoo artist since 2000, and has competed in bodypainting and special effects makeup throughout the world. She began making faux taxidermy in 2015 and has been developing her creatures to invoke story and magical realism. Each character invites the viewer to imagine its backstory by exploring the variety of textures, colors and mediums used in the pieces.