Michelle is a painter and mixed media collage artist currently living in Roanoke, Virginia. In 1997 she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a major in illustration and minor in art history.
MY INSPIRATION
“Of Land and Sky - Whimsical and Free”, which began in 2014, is the title of my current body of work. I imagined creating art that was softly surreal with a storybook sensibility. I wanted it to feel hopeful and aspirational, yet also include themes reflecting on disappointment, loneliness, and the loss of innocence. I continue to try to elevate the sense of wonder, romance, and optimism to which we aspire, while accepting the sadness and incompleteness we sometimes succumb to. I feel that the buoyant and promising themes are felt more intensely because of these somber elements coexisting in the work.
MY pROCESS
My initial sketches tend to be loose and simple, but as I am a thorough planner, they eventually become much more extensive. Once complete, I transfer the sketch onto a canvas, and begin to go through my collection of ephemera and other collage materials…. (read more here).
MY ACCOLADES
Since 2014 I’ve participated in more than 100 juried art shows and festivals across the country. Below are the more recent ones. (see the full list).
Best in 2-D Mixed Media - Dogwood Art Festival - Atlanta, GA - 04/2025
Award of Merit - Images: A Festival of the Arts - New Smyrna Beach, FL - 01/2025
Award of Distinction - Ocala Arts Festival - Ocala, FL - 10/2024
Best of Show - Festival in the Park - Charlotte, NC - 09/2024
Best of Show - Glencoe Festival of Art - Glencoe, IL - 07/2024
Best of Show - Taubman Museum Sidewalk Art Show - Roanoke, VA - 06/2024
Award of Merit - Artsplosure - Raleigh, NC - 05/2024
Award of Merit - Gasparilla Festival of the Arts - Tampa, FL - 03/2024
