Artist Spotlight: Michelle Morin

April 19, 2018

“I am easily influenced by the seasons; they truly dictate how I spend my free time. Come spring I am taken over with gardening plans. My desk becomes a heap of seed catalogs and garden schematics. In the summer all I can think about is hiking, kayaking, camping, and swimming with my dog. Then fall happens and I become a nut. It’s my favorite season (color, temperature, and food-wise), but since it seems to happen so fast I feel a need to rush. I slow down and cook, sew and think over cold crops while watching old movies. When winter hits, all I think about are snow activities, hot beverages, good books, and the ritual of unwrapping all of my vintage ornaments.” –Michelle Morin

Photo courtesy Michelle Morin

We’ve been loving having the amazingly talented Michelle Morin as one of our newest collaborating artists, and are happy to add her to our Artist Spotlight series. Her beautiful, scenic watercolors of natural environments and ethereal landscapes absolutely take our breath away. Michelle’s background designing and maintaining gardens continue to inspire her work: “My paintings are an attempt at finding a balance within the complexities and subtleties of nature using texture, pattern, and narrative elements throughout.”  -MM

On top of beautiful works of fine art, Michelle is also a creative innovator in illustration and surface design. Just check out her brand Spring line of children’s wear that just debuted at H&M! How much do you wish these were in grown-up sizes??

Check out the awesome commercial (with some talented kiddos to boot) and photos below, plus some shots of Michelle’s independent art work and her Red Cap Cards designs. We love you, Michelle! You are amazing. View more on Michelle’s website or her artist page here.

Photo courtesy H&M
Photo courtesy H&M
Photo courtesy H&M
Photo courtesy H&M
Bird Garden” Photo via our Instagram

“I was able to apply my greenhouse knowledge to a tight, two-acre garden that became my sanctuary for two years. I came to realize that this garden, while full of hundreds of plant species, was also home to countless animals, including owls, hawks, hummingbirds, box turtles and numerous insects. Witnessing their daily routine gave me the inspiration to make paintings that referenced the colors, patterns, habits and curiosities in this world. I took it all in during the day and painted it by night.” –MM 

“Tiny Islands” small
“Cactus Rock”
Cheetah Garden” Photo via our Instagram
Cheetah Garden” gift bag Photo via our Instagram
Perfect Flamingo” Photo via our Instagram

“I come from a family of makers. Like a lot of artists, it was the environment I grew up in that inspired me to be creative. On weekends everyone in my family was joyfully busy with their own projects. My parents and brother each had different ways of expressing this creativity, and it generated a nice balance in the house. My dad could be found tinkering with anything from a new shed to a backyard ice skating rink, my mom and grandmother would be busy with one of their numerous projects, from building spool dolls, to sewing quilts, to canning pickles. All the while my brother studiously practiced his piano in the background. I fit into this picture anywhere and was happy to hop from one activity to the next. Over time, with the help of great teachers and talented friends, I learned how to focus this creative instinct into a more artistic career.” -MM

“Dove Diamond”
Desert Landscape” Photo via our Instagram
Greatest Octopus” Photo via our Instagram
“Winter Woods and Wild Turkeys”
“Prickly Pear Sunset”
“Sea Woods”
“Tiny Islands”

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