Melvin Way moved from South Carolina to New York City with his family in his youth. In his early years, he expressed his creativity through music, playing woodwinds and percussion in jazz and rhythm and blues bands. He later worked as an industrial machinist and chauffeur before entering programs for homeless people in New York City. He was discovered in an HAI workshop when he quietly showed his cryptic drawing to Andrew Castrucci, professional artist leading the HAI workshop. Way did not actually join the group, but developed a relationship with Castrucci who encouraged Way and promoted his work. Way creates his drawings on scraps of paper that he works intensively, usually in ball-point pen. Carrying the papers in his pockets, he often folds and tears the drawing. His drawings recall chemical formulas, hieroglyphics or unique language that appears to be forms of cryptic communication. Way's detailed drawings resembling schematics have already caught the attention of collectors. He was featured in the publication, Grand Street, and in an article by N. Karlins PhD in Raw Vision, Spring 2001.