Melinda Cootsona is a native of Northern California where she was influenced by the Bay Area artistic tradition. Melinda has painted all subject matter for close to forty years, however her paintings now focus on the strength of the female form.Having taught in person classes since 2000, she developed her first Ecourse in 2012. Melinda continues to mentor and educate students around the globe, helping them to find their voice and to create personal, meaningful work.Cootsona has been included in exhibitions at the Bakersfield Museum of Art and the Triton Museum in California, The San Francisco Art Market, The Coos Bay Museum of Art in Oregon, and Art Basel Miami, as well as many group and solo shows throughout the U.S. Cootsona received her BA from the California College of the Arts. Her work can be found in collections in the United States, Europe, Australia, and China.