Creative...
It is the word most often used to describe me. A gift from God, it is woven into every thread of my life.
My artistic flair has been with me longer than I can remember.
As a baby, my mom says I would gaze at the floral wallpaper that adorned my nursery, studying its mass of gaudy color for hours on end. When a little older, she tells the story of waking one Sunday morning to my beautiful “art” in the form of orange crayon “drawings” all over the walls and television set.
She also tells the story given by one of my first teachers. “In art class, the other students draw a small house in one corner of the page, a tree on the other and a sun in the sky. Not Michele. She fills the entire page with images that tell a story. She just ‘sees’ things differently than everyone else.”
My first creative memories date to elementary school, when classmates asked me to draw horses and other farm animals for them during recess. As well, teachers often enlisted my help in decorating classroom display boards.
I refined my skills through independent study in high school and then took art and photography classes while at Michigan State University. Later, I attended Hartford Art School on a merit scholarship.
For about 10 years, I was a freeelance illustrator. I specialized in scrapbooking materials, greeting cards and children’s art. Some of my images have been used for products sold by Target, Walmart, Costco and American Greetings. Others have graced gift wrap sold in the shop operated by the Queen of England.
I typically use watercolors, gouache (opaque watercolor), colored pencils and graphite pencils to create my originals. I have also taken classes to learn more about oil painting and bronze casting and am adept in using the software programs Photoshop and InDesign.
Creative also extends to my crafting world and my garden and can be seen in the items I sew and bake. It is tradition for me to make handmade gifts for family and friends and re-purpose almost everything. I am a bit embarrassed to say I am a pack rat, saving all kinds of odd-ball things because I have a vision for their "someday" use.
The opportunity to touch other people's lives is what drives me to create. I love to see their faces light up when they look at my art or when they are gifted an item. Over the years I have also donated drawings, paintings and other works of art to causes dear to me.
A quote attributed to Francis of Assisi sums my thoughts about being an artist. “He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”
My current artistic endeavors include a fitness clothing line with designs to motivate others on their fitness journey, and Masterpieces by Michele, an online shop for Jersey cow art and other items.
