Michelle is a Sydney based Visual Artist with a Fine Arts background, currently immersed in her painting practice full time after a substantial career in Visual Arts education.
She finds enormous beauty in the light and angles of the everyday and values the stories that can be found in the intersection of the past and present in the built environment. She resonates with Alain de Botton’s premise that “the building is a knowledgeable witness ” and “a guardian of identity ” ( Architecture of Happiness 2006 ) and Edward Hopper’s intention in stating “what I wanted to do was paint sunlight on the side of the house “.
Michelle returned to exhibiting in 2019 and she and Deidhre Wauchop held a joint exhibition in the Creative Space, Curl Curl. Deidhre and Michelle were high school buddies and reunited after substantial careers in the Visual and Performing Arts. They entitled their venture “D & M’s High School Reunion ” representing concepts of SPIN and ICONIC respectively.
Since then Michelle has been a finalist in a number of Prizes including the Northern Beaches Art Prize, Artisans in the Garden, Cultivate and Calyx in the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, Mosman 2088, the Mosman Art Prize the Burwood Art Prize and the National Emerging Artist Prize 2022 .
Michelle participated in a residency in the Alfred St Studios, Milsons Pt under the North Sydney Council Arts and Culture program in 2020. The Body of Work completed within this Residency contributed to a very successful exhibition in the North Sydney Council Chamber’s inTransit Art Space in May 2021 entitled “Locale “. Michelle also contributed to the “Homeward Bound” initiative of the North Sydney Council Arts and Culture as well as the Headland Artist exhibition in the Landship, Georges Heights and was a Finalist in Mosman 2088 earlier that year.
She has been delighted to take up an ongoing lease in Building 4 ( now 1 ) of the Headland Artist Precinct, Georges Heights, Middle Head and held a solo exhibition in Mosman Art Gallery entitled “Locale II” , a range of painted responses to titled structures in that area, April 23 – June 26, 2022 within the Local Artist in Profile program. She also contributed a number of works to IN THE FRAME, a group exhibition in Sydney Rd Gallery, Balgowlah as well as ongoing supply to the Corner Store Gallery in Orange.
In 2022 Michelle was a finalist in the National Emerging Art prize and won first prize in the inaugural Art@Mosman Rowers ( acquisitive ) as judged and awarded by Ken Done. She also exhibited as a finalist in “In This Box ” in the Corner Store gallery in Orange February 16th -26th and within “Mix Tape” in January and February – a group exhibition in the inTransit Art Space in the North Sydney Council chambers in Miller St, North Sydney.
The Mosman Art Prize held it’s 75th exhibition in 2022 in the Mosman Art Gallery and Michelle was privileged to be a finalist with her entry “Cockatoo Island Conversation “.
Since then, Michelle has been busy with many commissions including three large pieces for North Sydney Council to add to her two already in their collection. She has also extended her CBD : Cast and Carved series that responded to sculptural landmarks in Sydney. In 2023 she was a finalist in the Mosman Rowers Art Prize, Mosman 2088 in Mosman Art Gallery , Inside this Box exhibition in the Corner Store Gallery Orange and enjoyed speaking on “Artist Life” on International Women’s Day at the Mosman Rowers. In addition, she participated in the Affordable Art Fair within the Micheal Reid NEAP space in June ,”In the Frame ” group exhibition in Sydney Road Gallery, Balgowlah as well as “The Every Day ” and “Quiet” exhibitions in the Corner Store Gallery, Orange and was a finalist in the 2024 Burwood Art Prize.
Michelle recently enjoyed a very successful solo exhibition in the Corner Store Gallery in Orange in 2024 entitled ” Vignettes : Ode to the Road Trip “. 18 small works responded to a range of “glimpses” heading west from Sydney to Orange ( her birthplace ) and thereabouts.
Michelle has been awarded one of two Visual Arts Residencies at the State Library of NSW in 2025 and is profoundly excited by this opportunity. She is preparing 5 artworks that respond to the Library as a friendly fortress, hospitable haven and repository of treasures.
Michelle Arnott Art 