Born in the deep South, Melissa Mercer Brown was inspired and called to honor the magical essence of the Northwest Florida coastal region. Having begun her journey as an artist at the early age of 12 and captivated by the Gulf of Mexico, Melissa relocated to South Walton from central Alabama and has spent the past 14 years capturing the surrounding beauty of the most scenic coastal landscapes of 30A in her paintings.

Known for bringing together rich organic colors and the natural shapes of the land, water and sea, Melissa’s art has become highly sought after by those that are passionate about the natural charm and unique beauty of the region. Melissa’s paintings are based on actual locations along Walton county/30A and feature a mix of multi-media including three dimensional textures, acrylics and oils. She takes great care with the composition of her paintings and often highlights flora, fauna and coastal dune lakes uniquely native to the area as integral parts of the total scenes. Melissa’s art has been showcased in notable shows and publications including Art Galleries & Artists of the South, Salamander Magazine, unique artist brochures to staying guests at the Henderson Beach Resort, Art Wave community benefit and several shows at the
Coastal Branch Library and the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County.

When she is not painting in her home studio, Melissa hosts classes and workshops for locals and visitors as the featured artist at the Henderson Beach Resort in Destin. Her artwork has been in notable galleries in the area including the Foster Gallery, Lowkylzart Gallery, Panama City Art Group, Emerald Coast Theatre Group, Quincy’s Art and Things, Seaside Cottage Rental, ArtsQuest festival and 30A Art Walk.

Melissa’s artistic outreach in the community is guided by a call to support many of Walton County’s charitable organizations serving those most in need by donating her time and talent to Aletha Legacy charity (Liberia children school/orphanage), St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Rosemary Beach Foundation, The Montessori School, Alaqua, Wounded Soldiers Beach Retreat, the Seaside School Foundation and the beloved Songwriter’s Festival. As a previous board member of the Cultural Arts Alliance, Melissa is currently an active member of the organization.

Melissa has been married to the love of her life of 31 years and their family includes twins that attend South Walton High School and Seacoast Collegiate High School. In addition to her homestead, she has two labrador retrievers, three cats, saltwater fish and several sassy chickens.