I’m Isabella Melani, an Italian-American artist and animator, born in Florence, Italy. I moved to the United States when I was five years old, and ever since, I’ve lived part-time between the two countries. Growing up between cultures — and as an only child — I often felt disconnected and isolated, unsure of where I truly belonged. Art became the space where I could express the emotions I didn’t have words for.

Through drawing and animation, I found a way to make sense of the world around me — or escape it entirely. I fell in love with surrealism, Art Informel, and the strange beauty of vintage and contemporary animated films like The Secret of NIMH and MFKZ. In my teens, I started working as a freelance commission artist, creating cover art for local musicians in Oakland, California. At the same time, I made short animated cartoons on my own — small personal projects that allowed me to create exaggerated, emotional, and often fantastical worlds.

During my junior year of high school, I returned to Florence to study fine art, and I received the Art Award from the Canadian School of Florence. I later went on to study Art & Technology at the University of Oregon, where I focused on 2D animation and participated in several exhibitions, including the senior show Spring Storm.

Now, I’m back in Florence, living on my own, working at the Scuola del Cuoio while learning traditional leatherworking and embroidery. I continue to make time for animation and personal projects, and I’m currently preparing applications for graduate programs in the U.S. and Europe. My work is rooted in emotion, memory, and the layered intersections between culture, technology, and storytelling.