Michele Hunt

Artist Statement

My artwork is about the pursuit of peace. In past years, it was a talent I used for communication, or as a vehicle for teaching others. It has involved an expansive series of changes that mirror my life in general.

It is the search for peace that draws me to my subject matter. My life, like many others, has been filled with pressure and friction. Finding a moment of quietness, a place to take a deep breath is what drives my artistic practice. My goal is to bring that moment of peace to the viewer. Working on a small scale (6"x6") invites the viewer to step in closer; a goal being to create a more intimate connection.

My artwork begins before I enter the studio; I start with an experiential moment in life. A feeling of peace during a moment in time, such as during an evening at a horse farm, a moment in a garden, or holding a bouquet of flowers. That quiet moment may be preserved as a photograph, or as a still life in my studio. The image or objects are brought back to the studio to reflect on. Through sketching, analyzing, arranging the shapes, lines, values, and more, a final composition is determined, prior to painting. Often, the mood of the artwork unveils itself organically as I work with my palette of colors.

My historical influences include the vivid brushstrokes of the Impressionists, the sculptor Umberto Giacometti with the lone, standing isolated figure, the designs of Alphonse Mucha and the brilliance of the glazing applied in Maxfield Parrish's paintings.

I am excited about the direction that my artwork is moving towards and look forward to seeing what more happens in the years ahead.