Hi, I'm Michelle Reynolds, an acrylic and mixed media artist who lives on several acres of natural bush in the Perth
hills, Western Australia, with my hubby, two sons and kangaroos.
In late 2008 a friend suggested I take some art classes to help in the healing process after a tragedy and subsequent depression. In January 2009 I started drawing classes, then pastel and watercolour classes. In March 2009 I discovered some acrylic paints in my son's bedroom whilst looking for some watercolours and I fell in love with acrylic painting. It took a few more months and a bit of courage to attend an acrylic painting class which was great fun.
In April 2010 I discovered mixed-media portrait collages through a Pam Carikker workshop in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. I then taught myself how to collage. A few months later an online art buddy introduced me to Kelly Rae Roberts and it was great to learn that there were other people out there creating girly collages and that I wasn't so 'weird' after all.
In January 2011 I read on Kelly Rae's blogspot that she went to an awesome workshop taught by Flora Bowley and I was very jealous - I remember thinking 'I wish we could have great workshops like that here.' A few weeks later Donna Heart blogged that Flora was coming to Perth to do a workshop. Well, I nearly wet myself with excitement, I phoned a friend and then I enrolled.
Painting is my passion. I have found my passion. I love it. Painting brings me great joy and happiness through it's challenges and triumphs. I try to focus on the journey and not the destination.......the process in which my art is created, the experimenting, the joys, the challenges, the learning, the consulting with others is more important than the end product I have created....if the end product was more important I would want to achieve perfection and therefore nothing would be created.
Demo painting at the Art Sale in July 2011
In 2013 I exhibited 5 paintings in an exhibition at a local art gallery and I sold this painting:
In late 2008 a friend suggested I take some art classes to help in the healing process after a tragedy and subsequent depression. In January 2009 I started drawing classes, then pastel and watercolour classes. In March 2009 I discovered some acrylic paints in my son's bedroom whilst looking for some watercolours and I fell in love with acrylic painting. It took a few more months and a bit of courage to attend an acrylic painting class which was great fun.
In April 2010 I discovered mixed-media portrait collages through a Pam Carikker workshop in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. I then taught myself how to collage. A few months later an online art buddy introduced me to Kelly Rae Roberts and it was great to learn that there were other people out there creating girly collages and that I wasn't so 'weird' after all.
In January 2011 I read on Kelly Rae's blogspot that she went to an awesome workshop taught by Flora Bowley and I was very jealous - I remember thinking 'I wish we could have great workshops like that here.' A few weeks later Donna Heart blogged that Flora was coming to Perth to do a workshop. Well, I nearly wet myself with excitement, I phoned a friend and then I enrolled.
Going to that workshop was one of the best things that I have ever done for myself in my life. Being a stay at home mum I had always put everyone else before me and now I was going to take a weekend off to do something for me. I had an amazing time and I learnt a new technique that has changed my painting style for ever and I have now developed my own layered style of painting that allows windows of colour to shine through.
The paintings that I created at the workshop.
Painting is my passion. I have found my passion. I love it. Painting brings me great joy and happiness through it's challenges and triumphs. I try to focus on the journey and not the destination.......the process in which my art is created, the experimenting, the joys, the challenges, the learning, the consulting with others is more important than the end product I have created....if the end product was more important I would want to achieve perfection and therefore nothing would be created.
One of my greatest fears is that people would look at my paintings and laugh in ridicule. But they don't. And it always amazes me when people like my paintings but brings me real happiness. One of my wildest dreams is to teach workshops overseas and an even wilder dream is to have my own tv show about local, national and international art featuring famous and regular people creating their artistic and crafty passions.
In 2013 I exhibited 5 paintings in an exhibition at a local art gallery and I sold this painting:
In 2014 I discovered gel printing and started a Gelatin Printing Enthusiasts Facebook page.
In 2015 I discovered I had Multiple Myeloma and had to have chemo and a stem cell transplant. The cancer along with degenerative discs means that I've been in pain for the past few years though steroid injections have helped with the back pain. Due to the pain and the cancer I have found creating art very difficult and painful physically and emotionally and have not created anything much to sell or even painted very much.
Now it's the middle of 2018 and the steroid injections have helped with the pain and the cancer is in remission and I'm off traveling through Europe whilst I'm well. Living out my retirement early...loving my family and my new life....Lots of love Michelle aka ShellsintheBush.
You can find me here:
Website: http://www.shellsinthebush.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShellsintheBush
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shellsinthebush
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/shellsinthebush/
Instagram - search for shellsinthebush
In 2015 I discovered I had Multiple Myeloma and had to have chemo and a stem cell transplant. The cancer along with degenerative discs means that I've been in pain for the past few years though steroid injections have helped with the back pain. Due to the pain and the cancer I have found creating art very difficult and painful physically and emotionally and have not created anything much to sell or even painted very much.
Now it's the middle of 2018 and the steroid injections have helped with the pain and the cancer is in remission and I'm off traveling through Europe whilst I'm well. Living out my retirement early...loving my family and my new life....Lots of love Michelle aka ShellsintheBush.
You can find me here:
Website: http://www.shellsinthebush.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShellsintheBush
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shellsinthebush
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/shellsinthebush/
Instagram - search for shellsinthebush