Melissa Diaz is an installation artist and art therapist living and working in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a BFA in Painting and Sculpture from The University of Central Florida and an MPS in Art Therapy from Pratt Institute. Diaz creates fabricated environments reflecting elements of growth, transition, shared experience and coexistence. In both her art and art therapy work, Diaz considers space, relationships and holding environment. Her site-specific habitats aim to form a transitional space that welcomes play and introspection. Diaz creates interactive components that foster social engagement and highlight universalities. Her work forms a relationship with the surroundings and the viewer, paralleling my framework as an art therapist. Diaz is the founder and director of Open House BK, community arts initiative. She has directed and curated pop-up exhibitions throughout brooklyn, including: classes, workshops and exhibitions in the homespace.
