Michelle Bellamy has been interested in art from a very early age. At 15 she started exhibiting with the Rutherford Gallery, in Nelson.
She grew up and was educated in Nelson with her parents and two younger sisters and brother. Michelle is a second generation New Zealander with Central/Northern European grandparents who were both artists. Spare time involved heated drawing competitions between family members, and expeditions into the outdoors.
Michelle is mainly self-taught, although both parents are artists, her mother a illustrator, and father a painter and photographer. She gained valuable knowledge and critiques of her paintings from them as her skills developed over the years. A painting would be finished and both parents would have to evaluate it before it could leave for the gallery. Michelle started painting works early in high school, and sold them in local cafes.

By 16 she was represented by the Rutherford Gallery, at 17 she finished school, left home and started painting full-time. After two very successful solo exhibitions in 2007 and 2008, she has now established herself as a highly regarded and sought after artist throughout New Zealand.

The surrounding countryside of Nelson, and further south were inspiring landscapes for Bellamy. She had extensively explored the Boulder Bank Baches and based two exhibitions around them, as she enjoys the originality and rustic appeal. Although she now resides in the central north island her eye is still drawn coastward, and the body of work she is currently working on is based around coastal baches and boatsheds.
Michelle has worked in all mediums but has a great love for the special qualities that acrylic paint offers. Acrylics suit her temperament and particular way of working with paint. She paints on boards, canvas, canvas boards and linen boards. She has a realistic contemporary style, but always portrays old subject matter. The majority of the subjects she chooses are under dispute whether to terminate them or not. Therefore, throughout her work she is always looking to record a small part of New Zealand history.

Over the past few years Michelle has enjoyed working abroad in such inspiring places as Switzerland, Italy, and whilst travelling across Canada. However the beauty of New Zealand draws her back, and she has a deep personal bias for New Zealand vistas. 

Michelle Features in the following book, on pages 72 through to 75.
NEW ZEALAND ON CANVAS | PAPERBACK FINE ART BOOK
Compiled by Denis Robinson

New Zealand on Canvas is an exceptional collection featuring paintings by thirty of the country's most talented contemporary artists working in oil and acrylic media. It reveals not only the diversity among them but also the rich variety of subject matter available in this

beautiful country.

In his latest book, Denis Robinson has chosen more than 130 representative works, with two full spreads devoted to each artist. These include a personal commentary from the artist about their life as a painter. The captions, too, are written by the artist, offering insights into their style, technique and inspiration.

The book also gives the reader a visual tour of New Zealand today. The artworks, which range from mountainscapes to urban, rural and coastal scenes reflect a living country - from its majestic panoramas to intimate details observed along the way.

A must-have book for NZ art lovers and those who appreciate the beauty of the NZ landscape.

Released October 2009