When I was a child I'd tell anyone who dared ask, "I want to be an artist." Drawing was my favorite way to pass the time and express myself.

At 18 I began my degree in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. While courses there pushed conceptual, editorial illustration, I loved and excelled at creating more traditional, decoritive art. I furthered my talent at Philadelphia University, earning a master's degree in surface pattern design and print technology.

Melissa Rothman Portraiture begain in 2018 when a friend asked me to draw her childhood home. The idea caught on and I've since expanded to inclue pet portraits, venue art and traditional floral art for stationers and designers.