MICHELLE MCELROY
Ice fishing, Acrylic on canvas
What are your earliest memories of being artistic? Around 8 setting up scenes with my stuffed animals to looks like ads from magazines.
When did art become a pursuit? High school, I found myself particularly inspired by an art magazine cover featuring “Dominoes” by Horace Pippin
I attended one year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, found it dreadful and continued to major in fine arts at Framingham State.
In what other ways are you involved in the local art community? I am on the exhibition committee for Arts Wayland and member of the Cambridge Arts Association, Arts Wayland, Monadnock Arts Alive, and Center for the Arts New Hampshire.
Room 12, Oil on canvas
What role do you think the artist plays in society? I think the arts provide inspiration, memories, feelings of connection. The are also a valuable way to bring people together and experience something for themselves and share with others.
What medium do you currently work in and how did you choose this medium? I usually work with oil paint because of it’s texture, body and slow drying time that allows me to more easily pick up where I left off the previous day.
What is your creative process? Where are you finding ideas for your art these days? Lately I find much of my inspiration coming from general observations involving strong light and shadow. I then try to convey the feeling I get from these scenes onto canvas and hopefully share that moment. I also draw upon memories and like to re-create them on canvas so it may involve setting up a scene with older items, looking up retro kitchens, printing old labels for products that I want included in the panting.
How do you choose your subject matter? Is there a reoccurring theme that carries throughout your work? Usually the subject compels me to paint it from a feeling of peacefulness that I get looking at it. They are usually pretty ordinary scenes but in the right light and shadows something like a fence in a streetlight almost asks to be painted.
Keyhole Condos, Acrylic on canvas
In your opinion, what’s your best/favorite piece you’ve made? It’s just too hard to say, they’re like my kids. Each one was a special memory for me. But I suppose Any one of my New Hampshire series.
What is one of your artistic goals? One of my artistic goals is to create more pieces that connect with people in a positive way as well as coming from my heart. To me that is the greatest compliment when someone tells me they got the same feeling looking at a piece that I tried to convey.
What’s your favorite place to see art? Both small galleries and museums are inspiring but I do love seeing what “regular” people like me, who are not hanging in major museums create. Anywhere I travel I try to check out local galleries or coffee shops to get a sense of how there is plenty of room for all kinds of art no matter how small.
What living artists are you inspired by? Kathleen Kolb
Do you own any art by other artists? Shamefully, no!
Do you have any shows coming up?
March 3-31 Solo Show, Bolton Public Library, Bolton, MA
May-July Solo Show, New London Inn, New London, New Hampshire
Aug 28- Sept 26 Solo Show, Lincoln Public Library, Lincoln, MA
Oct 15- Dec 1 Solo Show, Haute Coffee, Concord, MA
CHECK OUT MORE OF MICHELLE’S WORK HERE!
Website: https://www.michellemcelroy.com