Artist Statement

Michelle was raised in Twin Falls, Idaho, where summers spent on her grandmother’s farm shaped her earliest understanding of creativity. Her grandmother, an artist, taught her to look closely at nature and to observe the world with wide-eyed wonder. Surrounded by nature and unhurried time, Michelle learned that making and living were inseparable. Encouraged by dedicated middle and high school art teachers, she pursued her love of creating art. She painted murals, entered competitions, and earned two Scholastic Golden Key Awards. She later received a scholarship and studied at Boise State University graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in painting with a minor in art history.

After a life-changing encounter with Jesus at the age of twenty-four, Michelle’s artistic practice became deeply intertwined with her faith. She describes her work as “prayer on canvas,” receiving images through prayer and translating them into layered visual expressions that bring biblical themes and Kingdom principles to life. In addition to studio practice, she creates prophetic paintings during church worship services, approaching visual art as another form of praise alongside music—each color a note that sings God’s praise. Her paintings cultivate a spiritual atmosphere, extending an invitation to come closer, encounter, reflect, and rest. Her art reflects a journey that has taken her from striving for approval to resting in identity as a beloved daughter of God.

Michelle works from a home studio that functions as both creative workspace and sanctuary, where prayer, worship, and painting unfold together. After 21 years as a middle school art teacher, mentorship and creativity continue to shape her approach, grounding her work in patience and purpose. She views her art as prophetic ministry, creating paintings that carry peace and presence into the spaces they inhabit. Supported by her family and accompanied by three mini Goldendoodles often resting nearby, Michelle is currently expanding this body of work while pursuing opportunities to share these visual prayers with those who desire truth. “The truth will set you free.”