| Copyright 2009 Mike Melillo All Rights Reserved |
| Born in 1963 in central New Jersey, Mike quickly discovered a desire to create at a young age. Through associations with artists in and around his family, this desire was encouraged and continued to grow through high school, where he found a ready and able teacher in the theatre arts program, Tom Lanno. With his guidance, Mike learned the basics of set design and construction, stage makeup and sculpture, as well as the fundamentals of method acting and stage presence... Skills that undeniably helped form an artist's eye toward realism and action. Further education in Kean College's graphic arts program and supplementary courses at the duCret School of the Arts, which provided the foundation of what would become over 25 years of satisfaction as a freelance artist. Nurtured by a lifelong association with artist Frank Thorne, Mike achieved notoriety through his comic book creations. Switching gears in recent years, Mike started Blacklightfright.com, a company specializing in Halloween masks and props... Capitalizing on his lifelong love of sculpting and effects makeup. His creations are sought after by many upscale collectors. He has also maintained a lucrative career in freelance graphic art, for clients like The History Channel, Amovie Company, BMW, Burger King, and Wal-Mart. Mike resides in New Jersey with his wife and two children, and can often be spotted frequenting local flea markets and SF/Horror conventions. As Dr. Slickshill, he has produced an interactive Halloween display at his home annually, as well as an album of electronic music. |
