MICHELLE CARNES

I have a deep interest in the emotional landscapes of people. Growing up in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, I was immersed in the stories and traditions of my culture, creating a curiosity around individuality and interdependence. I found my inspiration in pop culture, music and film. I looked up to the artists and change makers who taught me the importance of self expression. Inspired by rock, hip hop, punk and the compositional techniques used in fashion photography, my experience of being a female creative is forged by my determination to overcome adversity through creativity.

I'm fascinated by people in relation to the atmosphere they are surrounded by. How a “sense of place" affects us, and the impact we have on our environment. I'm curious how the energy of a person influences what we see or ignore. The human face and figurative gesture is a universal language. Its interpretation can tell stories, transcend barriers and foster empathy across a whole spectrum of humanity. 

My interest in the human form led me to study figure drawing at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago at a young age. I went on to pursue a degree in Visual Communications from the Colorado Institute of Art, and earn my MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. 

Although I've been formerly trained to capture a physical likeness of a subject in a classic sense, I look beneath the surface to find an individual vitality. My process involves conceptual observations, painting en plein air, ala prima, live models, street photography and video shoots. My years of experience as a designer and illustrator allow me a sense of design, color and composition.

My work has been a part of single and group shows, galleries, wineries, public art commissions, and live painting performances. My work has been featured on NBC news, at the Sundance Film Festival, ChefDance, South x Southwest, Google, as well as in national and international collections.