Marissa was born in 1985 and grew up between her family's homeland and Ernabella. She attended Kenmore Park Anangu School.

Her father was an integral part of the APY Land Rights Movement, and her mother, Carlene Thompson is a former Ernabella Arts

chairwoman and a senior Ernabella artist. Marissa has four sisters, three of whom are also practising artists at the art centre. She has two young children with her partner.

Marissa completed her first painting at Ernabella Arts in 2007 and her first ceramic work in 2009. She was an integral part of the first two workshops at Ernabella of the Indigenous Jewellery Project. Her jewellery work incorporates resin, traditonal carvings and designs cast in silver. Her jewellery was exhibited at the Jam Factory as part of the Tarnanthi Festival in 2015.

Marissa’s artistic style in both ceramics and painting is incredibly precise. Her work often depicts tatgu (gumnuts), kurparu(magpies), tjanpi (grass) and sometimes branches out into minyma inma (womens ceremony), tadpoles, the rainbow serpent and maku (witchetty grubs). Marissa is also a skilled ceramic hand builder.

Marissa's ceramics continue to be exhibited throughout Australia and overseas including Belgium and Macau in 2021.