Interview with abstract painter Michelle Hold

Hold’s artistic career consists of a multitude of significant turning points - she started studying architecture in Austria, was a successful fashion model in Milan, Paris and New York, studied textile design in London, subsequently working actively in Milan before finding her feet in abstract painting. Each experience has added a new dimension to her paintings, which embody the structured layering of architecture and a trained understanding of the minute differences in color hues.

“Michelle’s large abstract canvases are almost overwhelmingly vibrant. They have a quality that perhaps can be best described as ‘wall presence’ – the layers of paint and shapes merging into each other grab the viewers’ attention and draw them in.” Nat Rubinstein

Michelle says: ‘My work concentrates on the unseen, the ever-present energy that holds the universe together. I love to paint emotions, feelings, philosophical thoughts, states of mind. I aim to offer the spectators a view into special moments where all is possible, where my dance like gestures encounter the vibrations of color and I like my creations to enchant, add to wellbeing, bring beauty to a home and open the mind.’

(Photo: Lorenzo Morandi)

How does you art year start?

From Feb. 7-9 I will be participating and being present day by day at the Affordable Art Fair in Milano, which is very well visited because it is a great appointment for art lovers to see new talent and enjoy and buy affordable art art.

Do you have any Solo Show? When and what will be the feature for this exhibition?

‘Energetic Spirit’ from April 2 - 30 in LACKE&FARBEN Gallery, situated in Brunnenstrasse, 170 Berlin. part of a project "Italians in Berlin" by Domenico Monteforte.

My paintings will be talking about the importance of having a positive mindset and clear ideas about what my future should look like, showing that we are energy and as such attract certain energies we match.

When was 'Timeless' Project be founded? Where else do you operate and which other cities will you bring this exhibition to?

‘Timeless’is a project I thought of to enroll with the group of artists I have been working with for the last 10 years. We discuss and create artworks to a different theme every year, always in alignment with nature.

The idea of ‘Timeless’ is to show that time is not linear but works circular , like the cycles of nature, There is time for seeding, growing, harvesting and resting , much like spring, summer, autumn and winter. By accepting this fact we can concentrate more on the moment instead of the outcome.

We have confirmed exhibition dates for the Castle of Casale Monferrato, but are hoping to bring the exhibition to Milano, Torino or an Italian Culture Institute like in the past we had done in Vienna and Köln.

What kind of experiences do you have in that field?

Painting for a specific theme is always exiting because you start with an idea but the outcome is unknown.

I love to curate exhibitions and have done so for 10 years, it is amazing to put works together that talk to each other and each work is a milestone to develop the theme.

This exhibition ‘Anduma - Building Bridges’ will be co-curated by Canadian gallery owner/ curator at Gallery 44, Bouwien Luppes, and me. Our concept is to build bridges between the masculine and the feminine, between bold and soft, movement and stillness, the old and the new. With the intention to inspire the viewer towards more loving and balanced days ahead. A future with room for uniqueness; acceptance of diversity, while connecting in humanity.

We are 5 strong female painters:

Christa Haack (Germany) Michelle Hold (Italy), Magdalena Morey (Spain)

Janet Timmerije (Netherlands) Bea Garding Schubert (Germany)

What is your advice to new up and coming artists in art marketing success and art publicity and promotion?

Certainly the use of Instagram and Twitter to sell paintings, being present on online galleries like Saatchi, Singulart. But at the same time gather mind like artists around you, organize exhibitions yourself.

What is your philosophy?

I believe that we are all part of an amazing timeless creation, that we are entangled, each of us is pushing humanity forward sometimes backward as well, that our emotions are the key to change and improvement and we must learn to listen to this guidance by mediation, walking in nature , singing, painting, dancing etc.

If we could hold the vision of a peaceful, united world and understand that we have to operate as a collective and not individuals fighting against each other we could do massive steps ahead.We just have to see how nature works.

More info:

Website: https://www.michellehold.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/holdm4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4michellehold
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellehold.contemporary