Faculty
Melissa Jiménez
Upper School Art Teacher
Melissa Jiménez Arechiga earned a B.A. in design and a minor in art history from the University of California, Davis. Her main focus was graphic design but she also studied other related courses such as textile, lighting technology, and furniture design. She has enjoyed acquiring new art skills over the years, including quilling, weaving, and origami. In addition to learning new crafts, Melissa likes spending time with all her pets – two puppies (Mozzi & Leila), bunny (Rabito), turtle (Tiki), bearded dragon (Ocelotte) and parakeet (Rio)! Melissa joined the Black Pine Circle faculty in 2023 as the upper school art assistant before taking on the role of upper school art teacher for the 2024–2025 school year. She is also a 7th grade advisor and the school’s yearbook coordinator. Melissa is excited to be entering her third year at BPC.
Why I Work with Children
I find it fascinating to be able to learn and gain a new perspective on things from children as they may see the world differently than adults do. They are full of energy and creativity which is challenging yet exciting.
A Favorite Book
I’ve been reading a large amount of Disney books this year, but my current favorite is The Walt Disney Film Archives: The Animated Movies 1921-1968 by Daniel Kothenschult.
Quick Fact
Once entered a Mean Girls t-shirt design contest and, after winning, my shirt was sold in stores and was able to see Mean Girls on Broadway!