In 2016, Michelle Schilling graduated with a BFA in Painting from Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.  She primarily uses acrylic paint on canvas, depicting scenes of organic matter blending into spaces.  Her brush strokes range from loose and organic to controlled and structured, and the colors within her work are earthy yet layered with unnatural hues. There is a natural light that escapes through transparent layers of acrylic paint, while shadows cast provide both a sense of depth and a ground for the forms to exist upon. Experimentation is also a vital element of her work.  Materials such as thread, sequins, and pressed plants create textures that flatten or deepen spaces, and the use of photographic collage inspires a continuous flow of natural elements throughout.  Branches appear to morph into grass, and then become trees again.  Washed out skies and realistic forms mesh together in Michelle’s paintings to create an ethereal atmosphere.
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