Melissa Stephens paints with melted beeswax and demar resin. It is a medium called encaustic painting.

She connects with viewers in a personal way by interpreting her family's stories and traditions, and those that she encounters on her journey.

Stephens wishes to learn from others, challenge her perception, and fully experience new cultures to include the traditions and stories of others. After diving into the spoken word, she goes to her studio to create her own visual understanding or interpretation. Her thoughts, feelings, perceptions and experiences merge to become something concrete.

Stephens says, "When people express themselves through stories and uphold their traditions, I am able to learn even more about them, and see the world through their eyes. My artwork is a visual account and reaction to what I have experienced or heard."