Michelle is currently working on a collection of Boulder Bank Bach paintings. On her last visit to Nelson Michelle visited the baches on a warm evening, where she made a new study on four of the baches. These new works are a new approach, subtle changes within the baches themselves and a closer study of fine detail, composition and colour promises something quite different.
The works are the main body of a exhbition that Michelle will be holding in Nelson at the Rutherford Gallery from September to October 2011. They are vibrant, intricate and there is a size for everyone and anyone.

During the first part of 2010 Michelle worked on a large commission. The brief was to ceate a large bright and fun work to hang in the foyer of the Public Trust Building in Wellington, New Zealand. Hot air balloons were the main inspiration, although a city-scape was requested also.
  After much research Michelle decided to work on the finest quality belgium linen, it had to be heavyweight, as it was to be stretched over a large custom-made cedar frame. Athough Michelle is more used to working on the rigid surface of a board she did not find the linen to unusual to work with. If fact she loved the fluid texture and felt it added more to the painting.
 A work this size involved more planning and sensible work ethic, rather than sudden 'emotion'. The may layers, colours and shading had to be applied in a certain process to bring the painting together. Inspriration for aspects of this painting are as follows.

 Michelle started with the general layout, placing the water, city-scape and hills, while also mapping out the balloon placement. The balloons were chosen for thier bold, bright, fun colours and patterns. Michelle decided to use Auckland as her chosen city-scape, during a disscussion with the client, it was decided that the skytower not be included. This was so the painting had a more gereral, worldly feel, as though it could be any city in the world. The hills in the background were a personal touch, they are the eastern Nelson ranges and are close to Michelle's heart, as she was born and grew up in Nelson. The foreground with the water and boats were similar to any day, viewing Auckland city. Overall Michelle tied these aspects and places together to create a fun and bright painting.