Melissa McMinn
I am a full time artist specializing in traditional hand engraving, precious metal inlays, and limited edition, hand engraved intaglio prints. Born and raised in Kansas, I graduated college, then headed westward, landing in Southern California and spending over a decade in the Los Angeles area. The art of pinstriping had drawn me to sunny Southern California, where I practiced that craft as a hobby and side business, while making a career in consultative sales roles within the Biotech field, utilizing my education in the sciences.
My interest in art as a hobby and passion outside my day to day work in the corporate world, led me into painting, both fine art and automotive style painting, leather working, and eventually engraving. When I found the medium of engraving, or it found me, and particularly engraving steel, it clicked with me like no other art form had, and I went full bore, knowing eventually it would become my profession. Reading books, self teaching, drawing for hundreds of hours, and eventually studying, in person, with several different Master Engravers, including my primary mentor, John Barraclough, I honed in on my craft. The transition to full time artist happened in 2016, leaving my corporate career to make the leap into being a full time artist, both designing artwork for clients and also engraving articles with my artwork.
In 2020 I received status as a FEGA certified Master Engraver, one of only three females in US History. Since then, my work has been seen in couture luxury brand boutiques, national magazines, the walls and gun racks of sporting clubs across the US, and in spring of 2023 on the silver screen in the feature film John Wick 4.
My mission is not only to create beautiful and uniquely engaging pieces for my clients and collaborators, but also to bring interest and awareness towards high craftsmanship of all kinds, not only ornamental design and engraving. By providing education and insight into the dedication, skill and craftsmanship that goes into these art forms, I want to share the romance of a piece of art created by artisan hands, toiling for 100’s of hours to create a one of a kind, heirloom quality piece that speaks to generations. In a society of instant gratification and mass produced goods that lack any special connection to their owner, I want to provide the rare and exquisite.
First an artist, always an engraver, I hope to be able to share the craft of ornamental adornment with the world and push the boundaries of traditional style engraved art, to create fresh and unique looks for clients of both my hand drawn and intaglio printed artwork, and also my hand engraved pieces.
I hope you enjoy,
M.
Awards & Note-able Achievements
2023: Art Designer & Master Engraver of the John Wick 4 Dueling Pistols
2020: FEGA Certified Master Engraver
2020 Best Engraved Handgun: Cabot 1911 “When the Levee Breaks”
Firearms Engravers Guild of America: John K Barraclough Emerging Artist Award
FEGA Editors Award for The Engraver Magazine Article: The Modern Wheelgun
2016: Golden Graver Award Presented by Master Engraver Sam Alfano
