Michelle Louis
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
Based in: Middleton, Wisconsin
Best known for large, abstract landscapes, artist and naturalist Michelle Louis has exhibited in group and solo shows worldwide. Her work is held in private, corporate, and public collections in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to art collectors, she's licensed work to designers and consultants for projects large and small.
Trained in studio art, landscape architecture, and graphic design, Michelle Louis works full-time as an artist near Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
"Artist and naturalist, I'm curious about how I experience the land, how I feel it deep in my bones, what I can learn from it, and how to express that relationship to you. Abstract expressionist in process, I paint to cultivate connection and honor my kinship to the natural world."
11 works for sale
Michelle Louis In The Studio
More About Michelle Louis
What inspires you?
My paintings are diverse as the natural world that inspired them.
Describe your creative process.
I don’t begin with sketches or a plan. I am wide open to the emergence of something unexpected, unexplainable. I love the excitement of facing a large-scale, blank canvas. I just start painting. The magic that occurs between the present moment and what comes next reflects nature’s alchemy and that’s where I engage.
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
bold, playful, connected
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
Women artists of the 20th Century and my own artist friends are my strongest influences.
What is the most important tool when creating your work?
An open mind is my most important tool.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Get out of your own way, and don't be afraid
Where do you go for inspiration?
Quietly exploring wild places everyday, I see things that normally go unnoticed. Animal interactions are common and day-to-day changes in the land and its inhabitants are more easily spotted. Back in the studio, painting extends that sense of how it feels to be immersed in the wilds, vulnerable, yet uninhibited and fully connected.
Collections featuring Michelle Louis
1 Collection
Credentials
Education
University of Wisconsin
United States of America, 1988
Education
University of Wisconsin
United States of America, 1988