MICHELLE DAVIS PETELINZ has been an artist ever since the age of 7 when her father gave her her first box of Crayola crayons. Michelle often works in a series, visually exploring the cultural significance of decoration and symbology. She says, “My goal is to interpret visual elements so they will resonate with the viewer as objects at once unusual and familiar, evoking ancestral and contemporary design, and speaking across cultures to the deep well of the universal. As I create my mixed media work, I am irresistibly drawn to incorporate symbols, patterns, textures, and colors found in African and Native American cultures, which are my heritage. My wall pieces often feature original hand-cut stamps, gelatin prints, painted papers, handmade papers, and polymer clay.”
Michelle is passionate about sharing techniques and tips which she’s used in her own work, and teaching art to people of all ages and abilities, saying “I have conducted classes and workshops at Sertoma Arts Center, Jerry’s Artarama, Total Life Center, Life Experiences, and Raleigh Parks and Recreation’s Quest Program, and as the resident artist at Wake Enterprises. Having taught students from age 17 months to 102 years old, I can truly say that I have witnessed the power of art to engage, excite, and make the world a more colorful place.”
