About Melissa Arostegui

​​

Melissa Arostegui is a Chicago-based visual artist whose work centers on figurative painting and still life, with a focus on storytelling, human connection, and everyday experience. Her practice explores how people are seen and understood, using clear composition and accessible imagery to invite reflection and empathy.

Arostegui earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she developed a visual language informed by contemporary figurative traditions. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout Chicago and the Midwest, and has appeared in both gallery and public art contexts.

​​​

​​

​

Artist Statement​​

​

My work centers on figurative painting, with a focus on storytelling, human connection, and everyday experience. Inspired by lived moments—observed, photographed, and remembered—I use clear composition and accessible imagery to explore how people are seen and understood, capturing quiet emotional narratives that invite reflection.

​