Melissa Washburn is an artist/illustrator/graphic designer and the author of three books in Quarry's Draw Like an Artist series: 100 Flowers and Plants, 100 Realistic Animals, and 100 Birds, Butterflies, and Other Insects. She grew up in upstate New York, in the foothills of the Adirondacks, but has lived in the Midwest since 1996. Her fascination with things that run, fly, and grow has led to editorial commissions for publications such as Charlotte Home and Garden, Spirituality & Health magazine, and Smithsonian Magazine. She continues to exhibit her work throughout Northwest Indiana as well as illustrate and design for advertising, editorial, surface design, and package design. Her background includes a bachelor of fine arts in painting and printmaking from Binghamton University, a master's degree in arts administration from Indiana University, coursework at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and experience as Art Director at the advertising firm Group 7even. She was a 2012–2013 recipient of an Individual Artist Program grant from the Indiana Arts Commission. She lives just outside Chicago in Northwest Indiana. You can see more of her work at melissawashburn.com.