Adventure
Although born in Québec, Michelle’s heart and pride reside in the downtown core of Kingston, Ontario; where she spends her days indulging in the organic beauty that surrounds the town.
Michelle seeks to balance light and shadow in her artwork — elements that coexist to symbolize the balance between vibrant society and reflective solitude. Michelle utilizes the chaotic energy of the city to fuel her inspiration, afterwards drawn to the woods to decompress and reflect. Whether her subject exists in deep forest or urban landscape, her ultimate goal remains the same: to explore how a few simple paint strokes can transform mere shapes into symbiotic magic, whether through showcasing how the rays of sunset wrap around the trunk of a tree, or kiss the windows of an urban home.
“I did, for a long time, chase all these things that I wasn’t good at; I was trying to fill the void to get better at the things I was bad at. But it wasn’t until I leaned into and really accepted just what naturally happens and enjoy the process. Whatever naturally happens, you’re going to find an audience and the sense of self that comes from when you actually put your spirit on the canvas and people like it."
from a 2018 interview in Profile Kingston Magazine
EDUCATION
2019 Plein-Air Painting with John David Anderson, Tuscany
2018 Drawing from the figure with Daniel Hughes
2018 Plein-Air Painting Advanced with John David Anderson, Haliburton
2017 Painting with the Three Foot Brush with John David Anderson, Midland
2016 Painting the Figure with Daniel Hughes, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston
2001 Graphic Design, St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ontario
PUBLICATIONS
2021 The Kingston Local, spring issue
2020 Kingston Visitor Guide, Cover
2019 Queen’s Quarterly, Cover, spring issue
2018 Profile Kingston Magazine, Cover, Fall Issue
2012 Hanna’s Little Red Wheelbarrow, Illustrator
TEACHING
2019 Oil Workshops at The Tett Centre, Kingston
2017 Informal Adult Instructional Group Workshops, The Tett Centre, Kingston
2016 Instructor for Art Zone, Agnes Etherington Art Center, Kingston
2016 Private In-Home Instructional Group Workshops, Ontario
2016-19 Guest Instructor, Enterprise Elementary School, Enterprise
EDUCATION
Solo Shows
2020 Tett Centre, Kingston
2019 Kingston General Hospital, Kingston
2018 Heather Haynes Gallery, Gananoque
2017 Art After Dark (spring and fall), Kingston
2016 Pan Chancho, Kingston
2016 Piggery Gallery, Newburgh
2015 Socialist Pig Café, Gananoque
2015 Purple House Café, Gananoque
Duo Shows
2019 Balance Between with Sara Alex Mullen, Santini Gallery, Ottawa
2016 Socialist Pig Café, Gananoque
2015 Windmills Restaurant, Kingston
Group Shows
2021 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Virtual
2019 Cline House Gallery, Cornwall
2018 Ivy Lea Club, Ivy Lea
2018 Gallery Raymond, Kingston
2018 Heather Haynes Gallery, Gananoque
2018 Art After Dark, Small Batch Cafe
2017 Small Batch Café, Kingston
2016 Small Batch Café, Kingston
2015 #Hashtag Gallery, Toronto
2014 Art Battle #108, Kingston