art delivery : 08.21.21

Costa Rica born, Toronto based artist Michelle Marin is in the spotlight today. Not only is her mixed media work (embroidery+painting) gorgeous and beautifully made, but her story is so interesting! After graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2016, Michelle went back to school to study gerontology at George Brown College…

“At OCAD U, I received the technical training I needed to become a craftsperson and artist. At GBC, I found my subject matter. Though these fields may seem disconnected, it is the synergy of the two that has given my art voice. 

My artistic inspiration is primarily drawn from the observations I have made as a healthcare worker in the long-term care home sector. The blossoming and decaying floral bouquets in my still-life compositions speak to the fragility of life, so evident in palliative and end of life care.” 

How absolutely beautiful is that? You can follow Michelle on Instagram at @michellemarinstudio.

First Michelle’s embroidery, and now sooooo many beads! I have a small - okay, huge - obsession with artwork that uses materials and techniques traditionally thought of as “craft”, for example, “Kitchen” by Liza Lou. Stunning! Maybe some of you were told during art school (or by friends / family / random strangers) that “craft isn’t fine art”… I definitely heard that more than once! That’s why I immediately read this Artsy article when it popped up on my feed earlier this week: “Why the Art World Is Embracing Craft”. Hm, what took ‘em so long?! Here’s my favorite snippet:

“… At a time when our collective attention is dangerously adrift, trapped in the freefall of our social-media feeds and snared in a pit of fake facts, handwork provides a firm anchor. It cannot be spun. It gives us something to believe in.”

Yeah, it does! Paint with yarn, sculpt with fabric, make a kitchen out of beads… use whatever you want to make whatever you want! Anyway, it’s an interesting read if this subject fascinates you too.

ps. I’ve got a fun BOOK GIVE AWAY coming up next weekend for subscribing members of the NSTATMA society, so stay tuned for that! ~ Danielle