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Melissa Miller Nece

by acm_admin

Melissa Miller Nece, CPSA, CPX, MAA is regarded as one of the foremost colored pencil artists in the country. Her enthusiasm and humor have made her a favorite speaker for arts groups, and she has inspired many others to try colored pencils through her classes and workshops. She has taught colored pencil, drawing, and oil and acrylic painting at the Dunedin Fine Art Center since 1990, and many workshops in Florida and as far away as South Carolina, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

Melissa is president, a ten year merit signature member and a CPX signature member of the Colored Pencil Society of America. Prior to that, Melissa was CPSA’s ways and means director for eight years and she served two terms as president of CPSA District Chapter 113. She is also a signature member and board member of the Miniature Artists of America, a member of the Florida Artist Group, board member of the Professional Association of Visual Artist and a member and past board member of the Miniature Art Society of Florida.

Melissa developed a mixed media technique featured in a step-by-step article she wrote for the October 2012 issue of The Artist’s Magazine. Other publications featuring her artwork include CPSA Signature Showcase, Modern Masters of Miniature Art in America, Creative Colored Pencil Portraits, American Artist and Drawing Highlights magazines, The Best of Colored Pencil, volumes 2, 3, and 5, and other books. She has worked with several manufacturers of art products who have used her work in advertising, packaging and promotional materials. Her drawings and paintings are in many private and corporate collections, including the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the city of Clearwater, and the Pencil Museum in Keswick, England.

Classes with Melissa Nece

Filed Under: Instructors Tagged With: instructor, Norman Neidert, woodworker

Sheryl Unwin

by acm_admin

Unwin

I am originally from Massachusetts and grew up in a beautiful town 30 miles north of Boston, now living in North Port, Florida. My interest in the arts started at a very young age, and by the time I was 13 and a freshman at Billerica Memorial High School I decided that being an artist was going to be my career of choice. I have been Illustrating portraits of various subjects for well over 20 years.

I attended the Art Institute of Boston in 1984 and studied Illustration with a minor in Graphic Design, hoping to become a successful Magazine Illustrator. Back then, my artistic path took me down the road of printing and mechanical drawing. I worked at various printing companies from 1984 to 1997. Even though my path as an artist seemed to change to graphic design it has never stopped my passion to draw and illustrate the subjects that I love which are people, wildlife and pets.

I lived in Great Britain for eight fantastic years and loved the vast amount of culture, arts, nature, and the fabulous countryside. Then in 2005 we moved to the US and have been enjoying the beauty of Florida living, culture, wildlife and fabulous scenery that only the Gulf Coast of Florida can give to you each and every day.

Today my passion for animals and nature has taken me to create color and graphite pencil drawings of some of my most favorite subjects. I will draw from the largest of wildlife creatures to the smallest of domestic pets. This has become my passion and interest of choice but I still love to do Portraits of people as well.

Classes with Sheryl Unwin

Filed Under: Instructors Tagged With: artist, drawing, Herrig Center for the Arts teacher, instructor, scratchboard, sheryl unwin

At Herrig Center for the ARTS

Thru My Eyes with Nicholas James Bath, Picture This with Suncoast Camera Club, Curated Show, January 27, 2026 - February 27, 2026. Classes begin every week!

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Herrig Center for the Arts
888 3rd Ave West
Bradenton, FL 34205

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