Michelle was born in Nyeri, Kenya in 1958. She arrived in New Zealand with her parents as a young child, where she was raised and educated. Her roots to New Zealand are long, dating back to 1836 on her maternal side. She is of mixed English, French, Welsh and Irish heritage.
Michelle studied sculpture part-time at the Art School, Dunedin Polytechnic in 1987.
These studies opened the door to a passion and excitement that has continued ever since. Michelle says " I remember it was like coming home - I had found the medium through which I could really begin to express the images in my mind".
Over the years since Michelle has continued to produce works mainly in bronze. She specialises in contemporary human figurative works in bronze and mixed metal mediums, and also equine studies in a more classical style. In recent years she has been very fortunate to receive several commissions, both public and private, to sculpt life size bronze horses. The experience, while hugely demanding, has been deeply rewarding.
Her figurative sculptures have been exhibited in New Zealand and Australia. Her works are regularly shown by a number of well-established fine art galleries in New Zealand. Her sculptures are held in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe, Greece, Asia and wider Pacific.
Michelle was nominated and selected by an international jury of art scholars and critics to participate in the International Biennale of Contemporary Art to be held in Florence, Italy in 2003.
In her figurative work, Michelle is interested in exploring the inner flow of energy of the human form. She seeks to delve beyond the superficial features to explore and experiment with the underlying spirit & lines of energy. Inner intentions and states of mind are described within the body language of her figurative works.
Her nature, life experience and observations; a special love of both classical and contemporary dance; and an appreciation for the power and simplicity of some indigenous arts have probably been the greatest influence on her work to date
"Therefore, we may consequently state that: this world is indeed a living being endowed with a soul and intelligence ... a single living entity containing all other living entities, which by their nature are all related."
—Plato, Timaeus, 29/30; 4th century BCE
Michelle was born in Nyeri, Kenya and arrived in New Zealand with her parents as a young child, where she was raised and educated. Her roots to New Zealand are long, dating back to 1836 on her maternal side.
Michelle' journey into sculpture began at the Art School, Dunedin Polytechnic in 1987 through part-time bronze casting course. These studies opened the door to a passion and excitement that has continued ever since. Over the years since Michelle has continued to produce works mainly in bronze.
Her figurative sculptures have been exhibited in New Zealand and Australia. Her works have been shown by a number of well-established fine art galleries in New Zealand. Her sculptures are held in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe, Greece, Asia and wider Pacific. She has also received public and corporate commissions for her work.
In her figurative works she seeks to express simplicity of form, lightness and energy.
As well as more "quiet" studies of form many of her more recent pieces have sought to bring the bronze "alive" - in uplifting and sometimes humorous portrayals of human nature. She seeks to delve beyond the superficial features to explore and experiment with the underlying spirit and lines of energy. Inner intentions and states of mind are described within the body language of her figurative works. Michelle's love of dance as a form of expression and release influence many of her pieces.
Through her love of & lifelong involvement with horses, Michelle has also developed a body of equine pieces - of a more classical style. In recent years she has received several commissions, both public and private, to sculpt life size bronze horses.
Michelle is currently working on a new series of mainly figurative pieces.
She is also developing a series focussing on time, timing & energy connections
