Melissa Blount

Melissa Blount is known for her commitment to creating a beloved community and empathetic connection with dialogue, fabric, and thread. This is a primary motivation in her practice as a psychologist, activist and artist. Her work centers Black and transgender women, exploring themes of white supremacy, and gender, state and economic violence. She creates a sacred space for people to memorialize and celebrate Black women in all of their complicated, intersectional glorious fullness. Her tools of choice are a needle, embroidery floss and fabric. Notable influences of her work are the women of Gees Bend Alabama, Marie Watt, Krista Franklin and of course, her partner in life Ben Blount. She lives in Evanston, Illinois but will always claim Detroit as home.