ARTIST STATEMENT

Michelle Shook is currently a Toronto based artist, yet has traveled, lived and worked in locales such as Haiti, Guatemala, Guyana, Halifax, and the Ottawa area. Her creative explorations lie predominantly in oil painting, pottery vessels and ceramic sculptures.

Shook’s main objective in her work is to touch people with the beauty that she sees every day in the world around her.

Colour theory has been the subject that intrigues her most in her current exploration of oil painting. Shook has developed a style that is infused with warmth and energy of a sensual nature.

To fulfill her love of working with people in creative ways and to continue researching visual art techniques and developing her own skills, Michelle has embarked upon many opportunities to design and teach art workshops. She has been running and teaching the pottery program through the City of Toronto at the Riverdale Farm pottery studio for the past five years. She has recently launched a series of painting courses both for children and adults which she is now teaching out of her studio/classroom.

Shook also does contract work with a group called The Creative Force facilitating art classes on drawing, painting, printmaking, and ceramics to various groups in the community. Through this organization, Michelle has worked with dialysis patients at St. Michael’s Hospital facilitating art classes and organizing exhibitions for her students. She also did similar work at Herman House, a group home for women with mental illnesses. Most recently, Michelle was facilitating painting and printmaking workshops at the Inspirations Studio and teaching clay workshops at an outdoor arts camp for kids with special needs.

Michelle believes that art can be used as a tool for exploring one’s identity, for holistic healing and as a therapeutic release!

ARTIST RESUME

EXPERIENCE

Jan 1999 - present ~ Professional Artist ~ Toronto, ON
Self employed registered small business.
Oil painting and making pottery by commission for private patrons.
Exhibiting art in solo and group shows, studio tours and juried art competitions.

Sep 1999 - present ~ Pottery Instructor ~ Toronto, ON
Riverdale Farm Pottery Studio ~ City of Toronto Parks and Recreation
Organizing, planning and teaching pottery classes for adults and children.
Expanded the program from two classes to ten in three years of teaching to accommodate creative needs of the community.

May - Sept 2002 ~ Art as Therapy Workshop Instructor ~ Toronto, ON
Creative Force ~ Ontario Arts Council grant
Teaching art workshops to women in crisis connected with Sistering and the Inspirations Studio.

July - August 2001/2002 ~ Art Workshop Instructor ~ Clay ~ Toronto, ON
Spiral Garden and Cosmic Bird Feeder ~ Bloorview MacMillan Centre
Clay workshop facilitator at outdoor art camp for kids with special needs from the centre, integrated with able bodied kids from the community.

Sep 1999 - June 2000 ~ Creative Arts Instructor ~Toronto, ON
My House School House
Taught pre-school at an alternative Creative Arts School based on the Waldorf School philosophy.

March - May 2000 ~ Art as Therapy Workshop Instructor ~Toronto, ON
Creative Force ~ Ontario Arts Council grant
Planned and facilitated painting and printmaking workshops at Herman House, a women’s group home for psychiatric survivors.

Sep 1999 - May 2000 ~ Art as Therapy Workshop Instructor ~Toronto, ON
Creative Force ~ Saint Michael’s Hospital
Planned and facilitated various types of art workshops with dialysis patients.
Organized, promoted and hung two exhibitions of students’ work.

Jan - April 1998 ~ President of the Fine Art Network ~ Guelph, ON
University of Guelph ~ Fine Art Program
Facilitated weekly meetings, lobbied for art students rights and opportunities.
Organized a fine art exploration trip to New York City.

Jan - April 1997 ~ Art Workshop Facilitator ~ Guatemala, Central America
University of Guelph International Development Studies Semester Abroad
Planned and facilitated art workshops in Spanish in a Guatemalan primary school.

June 1993 and June 1995 ~ Art Camp Councilor ~ Durham Region, ON
Durham Board of Education
Organized activities for art students ages 13-18.
Supervised a cabin of twelve girls day and night.

Jan - Dec 1994 ~ Participatory Development Facilitator ~ Guyana, South America
Partner and Consultant of Participatory Research Associates (PRAxis)
Taught workshops on proposal writing, project budgets, planning and managing projects, conflict resolution, and project evaluation.
Lived and worked in remote Amerindian communities in Guyana.
Trained interviewers, led community meetings, facilitated workshops and co-ordinated projects.
Used popular theatre, group discussions, and artistic aids to encourage people to take community initiatives into their own hands.

April - June 1993 ~ Youth Volunteer ~ Guyana, S.A.
Youth Challenge International
Worked with youth (18-25) on various community participatory projects in rural Guyana: repairing a primary school and tagging sea turtles for an Audubon Society conservation project.

1989 - 1993 ~ Reading Circle Volunteer ~ Oshawa, ON
South Oshawa Community Development Project
Assisted marginalized children with learning to read.
Encouraged children to love and respect books.
Provided positive attention to children from difficult family situations.

EDUCATION

Sep 1995 - Dec 1998 ~ University of Guelph ~ Guelph, ON
Honours B.A., Fine Art and International Development Studies
Graduated on Deans Honour Roll with‘A’ average.
Received various scholarships/awards for academic achievement.

May - August 1998 ~ Pottery Apprenticeship ~ Harper, ON
Completed an intensive one-on-one pottery apprenticeship with a well known salt glaze potter in the Ottawa area. Briefly studied oxides and electric firing in London, ON.

WORKSHOPS

Understanding Learning & Enchantment ~ an intensive workshop through the Catalyst Centre for artists working with children and youth, using the arts as instruments in connection and healing.

INTERESTS

Oil painting, pottery and clay sculpting, beadwork, drama, running, swimming, cycling, underwater hockey, camping, gardening, language, teaching, travel.

AWARDS

Second Place "Sea of Turbans" painting won a spot on the back cover of Encyclopedia of Living Artists - - Art Network, California - 13th Edition - 2003

To see the a cropped version of the painting in this context. please visit:

http://artmarketing.com/Ency/backcover.html

As well as acknowledgement for "Runner-Up" you can see the whole painting:

http://artmarketing.com/Ency/runner-ups.html

June 2002 - selected participant in Mixed Media International Juried Art Exhibition - Period Gallery - Omaha, Nebraska

LIST OF ART EXHIBITIONS:

UP-COMING SHOWS:

T.B.A. ~ Spring Show & Sale ~ Solo studio tour (multi media) ~ Toronto, ON

T.B.A. ~ E-Bar ~ Solo Show of Oil Paintings ~ Guelph, ON

Oct 2004 ~ Perth Autumn Studio Tour ~ Guest Artist (4th year) ~ Perth, ON

PAST SHOWS:

Dec 2003 ~ Holiday Show & Sale ~ Solo studio tour (multi media) ~ Toronto, ON

Nov 2003 ~ Jet Fuel ~ Solo Show of Oil Paintings ~ Toronto, ON

Nov 2003 ~ Alternative Grounds ~ Solo Show of ceramic tiles ~ Toronto, ON

Oct 2003 ~ Perth Autumn Studio Tour ~ Guest Artist (3rd year) ~ Perth, ON

Aug 2003 ~ Prince Arthur Fine Arts ~ Solo Show of Oil Paintings ~ Toronto, ON

July 2003 ~ Artist in the Garden ~ Solos Show of Oil Paintings ~ Etobicoke, ON

March 2003 ~ Solo Series commission, Sikh Art Auction ~ Mississauga, ON

Dec 2002 ~ Jet Fuel ~ Solo Show of Oil Paintings ~ Toronto, ON

Dec 2002 ~ Gallery 89 in Head Quarters Salon ~ Holiday Group Show

Dec 2002 ~ Ciparis Lennox Gallery ~ Holiday Group Show

Nov 23 - Dec 7 ~ Ciparis Lennox Gallery ~ Holiday Group Show ~ Toronto

Nov 2002 ~ Alternative Grounds ~ Solo Show ~ Toronto, ON

Oct 2002 ~ Perth Autumn Studio Tour ~ Guest Artist (2nd year) ~ Perth, ON

Sep 2002 ~ Junction Arts Festival ~ Hair Lounge (2nd year) ~ Toronto, ON

July 18 - Aug 10 ~ Ciparis Lennox Gallery ~“Sordid Stems” - group show ~ Toronto, ON

Aug 2002 ~ Head Quarters ~“Sneak Preview” ~ Solo Show ~ Toronto, ON

June 2002 ~ Mixed Media Int'l Juried Art Exhibition ~ Omaha, Nebraska

March 2002 ~ Mount Sinai Hospital (Ontario Hydro Building) ~ Toronto, ON
Permanent Installation - Series of large oil paintings depicting females in the different phases of life

Dec 15/01 - Jan 5/02 ~ Mission Yoga ~“Chakras” ~ San Francisco, CA

Oct 19 - Dec 31, 2001 ~ Keffer Gallery ~ visiting artist ~ Almonte, ON

Oct 6-8 2001 ~ Perth Autumn Studio Tour ~ guest artist ~ Perth, ON
Extensive exhibit of paintings and clay sculpture

Sep 2001 ~ Junction Arts Festival ~ Hair Lounge ~ Toronto, ON
Solo show of paintings and clay sculpture

Aug 30 - Sep 21 ~ I.V. Lounge ~“In the Skin of a Woman” ~ Toronto, ON
Exhibition of oils with painter Heather MacKinnon

July 22 - Sep 2, 2001 ~ "Gallery in the Garden" ~ Sherway Gardens ~ Etobicoke, ON ~ Group Show with local Toronto sculptors

July 12, 2001 ~ Haliburton Hospital Fundraiser ~ Haliburton, ON
Exhibition in collaboration with Heather MacKinnon

Nov 2000 ~ Alternative Grounds ~“Seduced By Texture” ~ Toronto, ON
Solo mixed media show

Aug - Sep 2000 ~ Vegetarian Restaurant ~“Summer Flowers” ~ Toronto, ON
Solo oil painting exhibition

June 23, 2000 ~ Development Education Centre ~ Art Auction ~ Toronto, ON
“Into the Light” ~ Solo exhibition of paintings and pottery as a fundraiser for DEC in solidarity with the World March of Women

Nov - Dec 1999 ~ Vegetarian Restaurant ~“Sensuous Fruit” ~ Toronto, ON
Solo oil painting exhibition

March 1999 ~ Metro Convention Centre ~“Sea of Turbans” ~ Toronto, ON
Selected and commissioned as the feature artist for an art auction for the 100th Annual Canadian Sikh Gathering

Nov 1998 ~ Zavitz Gallery ~“Vessels” ~ Guelph, ON
Honours Thesis solo show of painting and pottery