Melenie was raised on Long Island, New York and trained at several prestigious schools. In 1976, she received her MA from New York University. She went on to study at the Parsons School of Design, the Art Students League of New York and the Banff School of Fine Arts, among others.

In 1979, Melenie moved to Vancouver, Canada with her husband Eric Wilson, a world-class cellist and founding member of the Emerson String Quartet. She sells her work in Canada, United States and Asia. Her work as a whole has a strong sense of self-presence, intelligence and wit.

During the late 1990s and recently, Melenie has been extremely active as an artist-in-residence with the Vancouver School Board. She was responsible for the design and production of numerous school murals and installation projects.

Her clients range from Chicago and New York to Indiana, California, Iceland and now Asia. Recent paintings have been much in demand by designers and architects, who showcase the bright and lively images in spacious contemporary settings.