Melissa Montiel is a Philadelphia artist and gallerist working in a variety of mediums including oils, collage and graphite. In 2002 Montiel studied draftsmanship at the Barnstone Studios in Coplay, PA. In 2007, she received a Certificate in Printmaking at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and BFA from the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently, she and her husband opened a tattoo studio and art gallery in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Her work is inspired by time and its affect on memory. Figures fade into the background, gently forming, becoming hazy, distant memory. Utilizing a combination of collage, drawing and painting Montiel creates a haunting atmosphere that evokes feelings of nostalgia.