Michelle Turbide

The artist says: "My work is about the transformation of the soul through lived experiences that change, evolve, and grow us. While it could be described as abstract, expressionism, ethereal figurative work, or mysterious dreamscapes… it is really not about what you see in the piece, but about what you feel in the witnessing. My intent is for my work to settle into your being and communicate a message that is not always seen or felt at first glance but subtly speaks as you allow yourself to move into it. My process involves entering a state of liminal space and collective unconscious and excavating a visual narrative that holds the energy of the experience. I strive for my art to be a journey for the viewer to relate to the emotions, mystery, and depth of the essence behind the piece. My paintings begin with an entry point of a feeling or a snippet of a story. From there they build layer by layer until the story is told and complete. When I create, I enter my imagination... what I call liminal space. I work intuitively, and yet the work always shows up in themes that are consistent. I paint bodies of work usually with 10-20 paintings in the same theme. Recent themes have been ancestors, trees, animal guides, landscapes, and abstractions. My process involves beginning with blocks of color, shapes, and textures that speak to me as I create. From there I listen for the story that wants to be told and use layers of opaque paint, transparent colors, and glazes to create a depth to each piece. My work has hints of abstraction as well as pieces of realism. I often use hand made stencils to create shapes that frequent my paintings. These shapes represent my own personal symbology that have meaning to me and lends itself the narrative of the piece. I utilize a mix of artist grade acrylic paints, acrylic mediums, inks, and various mark making tools. The painting may call for mixed media and collage at times. Paintings are done either on canvas, wood, or artist grade paper. I varnish the paintings created on canvas or wood for long term protection. In addition to acrylic painting, I create through the art of printmaking. I have a press with which I create Monotype prints as well as relief prints. Done much in the same way as my painting, I create layer upon layer of ink using mark making and handmade stencils to build a narrative of the inner workings of my imagination."

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