71st Annual Juried Exhibition: Nicole Michaud

What The Past Tells Us by Nicole Michaud

I consider my work to be primarily conceptual, with symbolic and process elements. Since I rarely have a complete vision of the finished work before beginning, I find it important to work in a medium such as oils, gouache, or collage. This allows me to layer and change the work as it progresses and inspires me. 

I work both with and without initial studies and combine painting from life with printed and found reference materials (old photographs, patterns, books, etc.). 

The original imagery is developed over several weeks, and I generally work on more than one painting at a time in order to allow for drying and the next intuitive step to reveal itself. Occasionally, I will work from a completely abstract ground, and respond to the work until the final imagery becomes clear.  Other times, I will begin with a primary reference or set-up and make additions and alterations, adding and removing features as the painting progresses. I also remove paint from the surface by sanding, scraping, or rubbing.

I find it useful to work in groups or a series, which allows me to come at a concept from multiple directions, or explore variations to fully engage in a topic. I often combine organic and inorganic forms, personal narrative, and pattern to symbolize the ways in which our lives, nature, the products of our modern world, dogmas, or other guiding forces collide and interrelate. With this series, I have incorporated landscapes modified from my personal history, representational and abstract spaces, and geometric forms. In these works, the geometric elements represent for me guiding forces, veiled messages, and generational patterns.  

Forged Way by Nicole Michaud

Overall, I work with concepts of natural and social systems, preservation of nature, and questions of spirituality, purpose, and the beautiful. I am interested in how these systems and ideas can be revisited and understood, and how we can find more balance in ourselves and in our relationships with the natural elements in our lives. 

A Moment I Don't Remember by Nicole Michaud 

Afternoon 1976 by Nicole Michaud

I was born in Manchester, NH, have spent time traveling across the country, and have studied both science and art.  I received a Certificate of Fine Arts from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.  I am inspired by many artists, including Edouard Vuillard, Hans Hoffman, Joan Mitchell, and Henri Matisse, and am also influenced by medieval tapestries and religious works. 

My work and additional series can be seen at www.nicolejmichaud.com.

by Nicole Michaud

Nicole Michaud's work is featured in Woodmere Art Museum's  71st Annual Juried Exhibition.

About Woodmere's 71st Annual Juried Exhibition: 

Woodmere's 71st Annual Juried Exhibition, juried by artist Alex Kanevsky, will feature works in a variety of media from 46 artists living within 50 miles of the Museum. Works were chosen to create a cohesive presentation that explores contemporary ideas within the arts of Philadelphia. In conjunction with the juried show, Kanevsky's own work will be on view in the exhibition Alex Kanevsky: Some Paintings and Drawings, and the artist has also selected some of Woodmere's works of art for display in Selections from the Collection.