Best known for her optically stimulating sculptures of twisting paper and drawings of detailed geometric patterns, MELISSA WALTER visually explores concepts concerning Astronomy and astrophysical theories. Walter works as a science illustrator for NASA and that experience has inspired her to visually articulate wonders of the Universe, such as black holes, supernovas, neutron stars, dark matter and dark energy in more abstract approaches.
Walter’s use of sound, dramatic optics and lighting within her sculptural installations embed a transcendent quality to the experience of her work while infusing cosmic energy into ordinary materials such as ink and paper. She translates and materializes the intangible knowledge of the Universe into an aesthetic physical reality for a personal experience.
Walter has completed artist in residence programs at 1805 Gallery and Bread & Salt, and participated in exhibitions at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center, Quint Gallery, the San Diego Art Institute, Torrance Art Museum, Helmuth Projects and the San Diego International Airport for a temporary exhibition titled Intergalactic Dreaming in 2017. She received her BFA, cum laude from the University of Rhode Island in 1998.
