Melissa Breault is a Canadian artist dedicated to the study and revival of traditional drawing and painting techniques. Trained in the methods of Old Masters, she specializes in portraiture in the style of classical realism but also takes great pleasure in painting the landscape, animals and nature.

Melissa started drawing at a very young age. At the age of 13, she was one of the youngest students enrolled in her art program in Montreal. It was then that her interest for drawing was transformed into a real passion for fine arts. There, she studied the foundations of classical drawing and painting in charcoal, oil, watercolour and soft pastel, which became throughout the years, her medium of choice.

Teaching alongside her mentors Helene Beland and Daniel Brient for six years allowed her to deepen her understanding of the fundamental drawing and painting techniques while giving her the invaluable opportunity of helping students achieve higher levels of realism and harmony in their own work of art. This has turned out to be one of the most satisfying aspect of her artist journey.

With now more than 20 years of teaching experience, Melissa still enjoys welcoming students in her private studio in Montreal, where she currently resides.

Melissa constantly and passionately continues to work on her art and her skills. She is an active signature member of the Pastel Society of Eastern Canada (Psec). Her pastel work has received numerous honors, including international art magazine publications, national and internatioanl exhibition prizes and awards.

“Inspiration moves us in different directions but always kept me on the path of creation. I am driven by everything and everyone I love. It is in the emotion that a scene or a person evokes in me that I find my greatest inspiration and drive. Painting has always been my way of channeling overwhelming feelings and turning them into something positive. In the process, my hope is to inspire others and make them see life in a genuine and creative kind of way. I believe that the resemblance in a portrait goes far beyond what the person looks like. I believe that the beauty in a landscape is only well represented if it is able to light a fire in the viewer’s eye. While I paint, my goal is to provide the static image with the emotional content that it needs in order to come alive. Uniting sensibility and subject together, whether in a landscape or a portrait, is the main goal of my painting journey.”

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 15^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.