michele maule mixed media: miniview
posted by the scholar on June 16th, 2008filed under: art, illustration, miniviews, mixed media
i think i have mentioned before that my father in law has this awesome collection of old typewriters? they’re all black, which is perfect and fine of course, but just a tad heavy to be filling my eyes and mind, what with all the summery things that are pouring into my head at warp speed right now. the old brightly colored ones are perfect in a different way, a seasonal way, a now way, which is why i am sooo attracted to the most excellent artwork of michele maule. i love her free-spirited interpretation of these utilitarian objects, with their foxy colors and soft curves. there is some big love behind these pieces, you can just tell. and her other work, which includes original encaustic paintings, illustrations and screenprints, is a nice crusty contrast to those colorful jammy typewriters. that’s right, i said jammy. the point is, there’s all different kinds of plenty for people to enjoy in her prolific collection, and with all that said, wouldn’t you like to know just a little more about the brains behind the operation? me too!
q: where do you live and where do you make your collection?
a: i live in pontiac, michigan, a forgotten suburb of detroit. i mostly work in my house. i recently converted my living room into a work space, and there is also a small space in my bedroom where i work.
q: what inspires you to create?
a: i find inspiration in everyday objects. i love seeing the personalities that things like chairs, typewriters, spools of thread, and sewing machines take on. every time i draw one of these objects, it seems to take on a life of its own. each one has their own character, and i really enjoy seeing that.
i also find a lot of inspiration in nature, and in illustrated science books. things like the anatomy of flowers and our skeletal system really interest me.
q: what did you think you would grow up to be when you were a little kid?
a: well, i remember the first thing/person i wanted to be when i grew up was wonder woman. i thought she was rad. i even wore these blue rubber bands on my wrists for weeks and weeks. 🙂 later, i knew that i wanted to do something that would let me be creative. i didn’t know what exactly, and i don’t think i really figured that out until my junior year of college!
q: can we go anywhere to see your work in person?
a: yes you can!! i currently have work in the following galleries and boutiques: fact and fancy in brooklyn, 323 east gallery in royal oak, mi and the ddp gallery in fayetteville, ar.
see more of michele’s terrific artwork on her website, check out her flickr stream, purchase these pieces at her etsy shop, and be sure to stop by and say hi on her blog too!
thank you michele!
June 16th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
thank you for this feature! i love everything she does and the variety of dark and light subject matter and moods. gorgeous work!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:37 am
i know exactly what you mean — i love those typewriters but i REALLY love those paintings with the industrial motifs.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
ooh what wonderful pieces… i had to go to her site and check out more….
June 19th, 2008 at 9:57 am
hi milo,
i bet you liked it all too — it’s so expressive and covers such a wide range of emotions.
June 20th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
What a great feature! I love Michelle’s work! Thanks. 🙂
June 20th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
hi jenipher,
me too! and thanks for commenting — i am going to have to go and explore your store now that i know about it — cool stuff!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
The industrial landscapes are just stunning! Great feature interview, Gigi!
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:37 am
glad you like michele’s work too — thanks suana!
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:58 pm
I really love this work! I am hoping I can use it to illustrate an ordinarily mundane post on my blog. Of course, I’ll credit the artist and your blog for coming across it. I hope that is okay. Please let me know if it is not.
Man, do I love old typewriters!