Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Boyd.
Hi Michelle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi there! I’m Michelle Boyd, and I’ve always been an artist at heart, but I have explored many different versions of artistry throughout my life before getting to this point. My background began with dance, then fine art wedding photography, and finally led me to my greatest love: painting. In 2017 I began pursuing art more seriously and began selling my work. While my style has changed drastically since then, I’ve fallen head over heels with all things floral. Part of my heart is to make others feel the way I do when taking in a joyful, peaceful work of art – calm, centered, and thoughtful. There’s a load of hospitality in creating a painting, knowing it’s going to end up in someone’s home, and hospitality has always felt like a huge calling for my life. To know that my work can impact how anyone feels walking into that space is such a simultaneously thrilling and terrifying thought, but I love it! I feel most at peace with a brush in my hand, a mug of hot tea, and a rerun of Downton Abbey or Gilmore Girls on. I live in Austin, TX with my incredible husband Bryan, our sweet little girl, and a ridiculous golden doodle Miss Jessie Pants. I release a few collections online every year on my website and open up for semi-custom Preorder paintings a few times a year as well. I also offer reproductions of some of my favorite paintings, printed as high-resolution giclée prints.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has honestly been a very smooth road, which I attribute to God’s providence. I can look back at my life and see how each season, job, and opportunity has led me to the place my work is today- from learning to see movement through 20+ years of dance experience, then capturing light and beauty throughout my career as a fine art film wedding photographer… those two things alone have given so much insight and understanding to how I physically hold my brushes, capture light in my paintings, and read the gentle movement of a delicate flower’s petals. I would say the greatest blessing to the “smooth road” has been hiring and working with my studio manager, Maddy. She takes over much of the business behind the scenes, helping pack orders, helping with social media, taking amazing photographs around the studio, and being my right hand gal. Hiring for a creative business can be intimidating and scary, as it’s a huge investment. But I can unequivocally say that hiring help to run the business has led to so much more time for me to create, which is what I love!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I paint primarily in oils on linen and focus on stylized impressionist and abstract floral paintings. I love working with minimal color palettes, and for the past year have been creating my French Collection: a series of semi-custom paintings purchased by my Collectors, with a few options to help customize their pieces. (Composition, favorite flower, etc.) Each painting included a hand-gilded oval or circle frame, as a nod to my love of all things antique and French. My work will most likely be taking a turn towards more muted and neutral colors this year, and I can’t wait to explore this style more! I’m most proud of figuring out, more and more, who I am as an artist and embracing my style. You can reach a point as an artist where you have to decide to ignore everyone else’s work in order to pursue what overflows from your heart. 2020, while an objectively difficult year, was also a breakthrough for me creatively. I dove into my work as much as possible and, looking back, can be proud that I’ve truly begun creating work from my heart and soul.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think the largest risk I’ve taken with my art is building a huge studio! We bought our little 1940’s bungalow home in 2016 and always imagined adding on a studio space somehow. After weighing all our options are considering the different scales of work and investment, we decided to demo the old (spider-infested and spooky) detached garage and add on directly to our house. We added about 600 square feet in total, which includes a 500sqft studio and a 100 sqft laundry/mudroom. Any kind of huge investment like that can be so risky, but we continually feel so overjoyed at how it’s transformed our home for the long run! My studio has become my favorite place to be – I’m no longer crammed into a tiny bedroom and no longer have to package paintings on every surface in the house. I have the ability to spread my projects and breathe! I can imagine (post-covid) hosting small workshops and shows in this space and inviting so many people to enjoy it with me. It was a huge project and risk, but we definitely feel the end product was well worth it.
Pricing:
- Fine Art Prints: $40+
- Original Paintings: $300+
Contact Info:
- Website: www.michelleboydstudio.com
- Instagram: @michelleboyd_studio
- Other: www.pinterest.com/michelleboyd
Image Credits:
Madeline Harper Photo
Jessica Scott Photo
