History

Michelle’s artistic career has encompassed many roles including artistic director, master painter, curator, teacher, judge and workshop coordinator.

She was a founding committee member of the Kinglake Ranges Visual and Performing Arts Alliance and designer of the KRVPAA logo.

Michelle was the Artistic Director of the Kinglake Ranges Visual and Performing Arts Alliance from 2009 till 2013.

2009 Bushfires
As the artistic director for the Kinglake Ranges Visual & Performing Arts Alliance, Michelle, with the help of local artists, organized the first public exhibitions to be held in Kinglake immediately after the fires. These were held in the Kinglake bushfire marquee in the town center.

In August 2009, sponsored by Regional Arts Victoria and with support from the Alliance’s musicians and singers, she organized the first formal exhibition by KRVPAA visual artists which was held at Lawson’s in Kinglake.

She negotiated joint exhibitions with Yarra Valley Open Studios, Healesville and with the Toolangi Festival, Toolangi.

Exhibitions Post 2009 Bushfires
Michelle’s role encompassed initiation, management, partnership and participation in the following KRVPAA exhibitions:

The Big Marquee in Kinglake
First KRVPAA informal art exhibition held after the fires – Easter Weekend 2009 in the Big Marquee in Kinglake (invitation to local children to join with Kinglake artists in the making of art).
KRVPAA musicians, singers and performers, writers and poets and the Kinglake Phoenix Choir joined the visual artists in this combined event.

Renewal
KRVPAA’s 2009 Winter Exhibition ‘Renewal’, sponsored by Regional Arts Victoria, was held at Lawson’s in Kinglake August 2009.

The first formal art exhibition held in Kinglake after the fires was attended by parliamentary dignitaries, representatives from the Shire of Murrindindi, Regional Arts Victoria, DHS, Global, supporting community groups and representatives from the corporate sector.

Entries from fifteen local artists included oil, watercolour, pastel and silk paintings, mixed media artwork, ceramics, photographs and jewellery. The majority of these were produced in response to the bushfires and included artworks made from material collected after the fires.

The exhibition was officially launched by Councillor Lyn Gunter, Mayor of Murrindindi.

Bendigo Bank and Mountain Monthly were co-sponsors of the event.

Reconnect
Kinglake ‘Reconnect’ Community Event October 2009. Combined event featuring an art exhibition by KRVPAA visual artists held in conjunction with event performances by musicians, bands, singers, performers and various others – community attendance in excess of 3000 persons.

Toolangi Festival – October 2009/2010

Art by the Lake – Eildon – October 2010

Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission – 2009/2010.
Michelle established a close working relationship with the public affairs department of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission which resulted in KRVPAA visual artists’ works being featured at the Commission’s gallery.

Arts Margaret River – Collaborative Exhibition in Perth, January 2010.
Michelle worked in partnership with Arts Margaret River, Western Australia to run a combined exhibition in Perth, January 2010.

World Trade Centre Exhibition – ‘Reflection and Regeneration’, March 2010.
KRVPAA artists were featured at the World Trade Centre Exhibition Visual Arts Festival in June 2010.

The Northern Exposure Event – Northcote, June 2010.

Etihad Stadium – BCF, July 2010.

Yarra Valley Open Studios – Healesville, September 2010.

Emergence – Art on the Move
Federation Square & the Atrium – February 2011

‘Emergence – Art on the Move’ showcased emerging and professional artists from all bushfire-affected communities throughout Victoria whose work dealt with the themes of the Black Saturday bushfires and the truth of the recovery process.
Resilience and hope permeated many of the works from 68 bushfire-affected artists who took part in this Melbourne Arts event which was driven by KRVPAA with the assistance of Regional Arts Victoria.
The event included a nine-day visual art exhibition, a showcase production by the Sony Project, an evening public concert, youth performances, dance, a self-transforming video display by renowned photographer Lloyd Godman, rolling visual art images on the big screen, three choirs (the Kinglake Phoenix Choir, the Bendigo Choir and the Chocolate Lilies), the Triangle steel pan band, blacksmith demonstrations by the artisans who created the bushfire bronze leaf memorial tree, informal talks by the artists and poetry readings.
The exhibition was opened on Friday 4 February 2011 by Bruce Esplin and featured numerous guests including representatives from the Kinglake Ranges Visual & Performing Arts Alliance, politicians, CFA, SES, Kinglake CERT and other emergency services representatives, Mayors and CEO’s from across the relevant shires, representatives from Federation Square, the Arts Centre, Arts Victoria, Regional Arts Victoria, Sony Foundation, Salvation Army, and the State Library.

Emergence DHS – Lonsdale Street
April 2011

Emergence Whittlesea
April 2011

Artists of the Mountain
Kinglake West Hall, 2011

Good Friday Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal
Public art work constructed by Kinglake artists – (artwork auctioned and proceeds donated to RCH), 2011/2012.
Collaborative Exhibitions

Yarra Valley Open Studios – Healesville September 2009

Edgar’s Mission Compassion Art Day – April 2011.

Kinglake Ranges Art Shows 2012- 2017
As KRVPAA artistic director Michelle initiated a partnership between Kinglake Rotary and Kinglake Ranges Arts to enable ongoing support for the Kinglake Ranges Art Show.

Into the Light 2011-2016
Michelle was a member of the City of Whittlesea’s reference committee which provided artistic support for the ‘INTO THE LIGHT’ festival, a community event developed using art to explore ongoing recovery issues in the region following the 2009 Black Saturday Bush fires. The inaugural festival was in 2011 and in response to community needs continued for a further five years.

Working across municipal borders the process involved workshops delivered in twelve schools throughout the Whittlesea, Nillumbik, Mitchel and Murrindindi shires and community workshops engaging individuals and groups of all ages and abilities.

‘Into the Light 2012 – The unfolding Story’, was the 2013 Category Winner for Active Arts in the Australian Government’s National Awards for local government.
Workshops
Kinglake, Kinglake Middle and Kinglake West primary schools.
‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ painting workshops -Whittlesea and Toolangi
Pastel workshops – Kinglake Ranges Neighborhood House
Pastel workshops – Kinglake Rotary Art Show
Student workshops – Whittlesea Community House
‘Express Yourself’ acrylic workshops – City of Whittlesea.
Lantern making workshops, Kinglake West – City of Whittlesea
Raku Clay workshops – Kinglake/Whittlesea Youth
‘Artists of the Mountain’ workshops
Lantern making workshops for ‘Into the Light Dreaming’
Supplementary

Member of the Community Reference Committee for the City of Whittlesea’s annual art show 2010 – 2018.

Judge – Kinglake Ranges Art Show

Judge – Whittlesea Agricultural Society.

Judge – Ivanhoe Grammar

Featured Artist Kinglake – Kinglake West Heritage Trail.

Walkway Art, Thomastown – City of Whittlesea

Mural Artist – Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2013