My Story

Hi! I’m Michelle,
a fiber artist embracing a late-emerging career in the arts.

People always ask how long I’ve been a fiber artist.  Officially, my answer is since 2022.   Unofficially, I’ve been moving toward this end all my life! 

A lifetime of creating and learning 

I’ve leaned into my passion for creating and learning to experiment in many areas over the years—from building sets for church plays and refurbishing a vintage travel trailer, concocting green smoothie recipes and creating a prolific cut flower garden to designing dashboards and developing mathematical optimization models.

So why fiber?  

Color and design and texture, oh my!

I knitted a dozen hats one summer. This one was my favorite!

Fiber has the power to bring together all these elements I love—color, design and texture.  

 I’ve experimented with these elements in a variety of textile and fiber arts over the years--sewing clothes, costumes and even flags, reupholstering furniture, quilting, knitting, weaving and most recently, visible mending.   It was knitting that lead me to fiber painting.  

My second (and last) project on my rigid heddle loom, another favorite. I really need to make time to weave!

How did I learn to paint with fiber? 

Fiber, then painting

“The boring purse” and my roughly felted embellishments.

First, I learned to needle felt.

I became fascinated by the concept of knitting with the intention of turning it into a felted object.   If I don’t count those sweaters I accidentally ruined, my first attempts at felting knitted objects were slippers and a purse.    While I successfully felted the purse, it was rather boring.    My search for a way to embellish it led me to needle felting.   The rest of the story is history in the making.

With my creative juices stirred by the purse, I started where I always do—learning.   I researched and read all about needle felting.  I bought a kit with video instructions from Sarafina Fiber Art and completed my first intentional needle felting project, a snowshoe hare. 

Ultimately, I decided to take a needle felting class.

With COVID already curtailing in-person activities, I signed up for an online course from the incredibly talented fiber artist, Dani Ives.   Taking her Pet Portrait Course was the first of two significant events that launched my career as a fiber artist.

Then, I learned to paint.

I have a love-hate relationship with social media, but it was social media that I credit for leading me to the second significant event that helped launch my career as a fiber artist--learning to paint. 

While I have an eye for color and design, I had never focused on drawing or painting.    My grade school lessons about color theory had long faded from my memory.    After creating realistic pet portraits in my needle felting course, I felt a desire to paint more interpretively.    I wasn’t sure what that looked like until Facebook bombarded me with Bold School ads.   It was there that I started my journey as a painter—combining the domains of fiber art and acrylic painting.     (You can read more about my Bold School lessons in this blog post. Spoiler alert:  I still don’t own acrylic paints.) 

 A third event enabled my journey.

To be precise, there were really three significant events that lead to my late-emerging career in the arts.  If I hadn’t retired early from my long career in the corporate world, I would never have had the time to launch my art business.  

What’s next?

Fiber, the thread that binds

As someone who needs to keep moving and learning, I am often asked what I’m going to do next.   While I can’t predict the future (despite my years of working with predictive analytics), I can tell you fiber is the thread that binds my creative business ventures in a way that promises to never cease to inspire me. 

My eyes are always searching for something new!

  • I am constantly experimenting with new techniques and materials. (I’ll be adding a page about my techniques and even sharing some of my bloopers soon!) 

  • I have gotten my start by painting expressive human faces (and sometimes animals) because of the powerful way they have of forcing my own self-reflection and the way they can evoke powerful emotion in others.   However, I believe other subject matter can evoke an emotional connection as well. I have plans to experiment with other subjects such as landscapes.                

  • Originals, prints, galleries, exhibitions, fairs, teaching, commissions.   I’m currently using or exploring these avenues for growing my art business.  Stay tuned for updates.

  • Using my creative talent and knowledge to help others is a fabulous feeling.   I’ve just begun using my fiber arts practice to help promote the arts and to support my community in general.  With a few activities already planned, I am sure more are around the corner.  

In conclusion…

So much to smile about!

I’m still smiling about the incredible opportunity I have to be a fiber artist.

I am forever grateful to the community of artists, collectors and supporters who have been here to help and encourage me.  

I’m also smiling because you made it to end of my story! 

Thank you for following me on this journey.  I’d love to connect with you.  Please sign up for my newsletter below or send me a note.