The artist behind the color
There is no fear on my canvas, only magic.
I’m Michelle Johnson Fairchild, artist, author, teacher, and lifelong believer in the magic that happens when creativity is given room to run wild.
For 24 years, I taught high school art, encouraging young artists to find their voices while quietly putting much of my own painting aside. Then life changed in ways I never expected, and so did I.
Finding my voice
And I found a lot of it on canvas.
My journey back to painting came during a time of tremendous change in my life. Somewhere along the way, I rediscovered something I had almost forgotten, my own voice.
That discovery eventually grew into Be a Voice, allowing me to speak, advocate, and encourage others to find their own courage and voice. Painting became part of that journey, too.
Today, my art has a voice of its own, one filled with hope, joy, courage, color, soul, and a little bit of magic.
Big. Bold. Alive.
Art that refuses to whisper.
I love BIG canvases, BOLD color, expressive brushwork, and art that refuses to whisper.
Whether I’m painting a beloved face, a soulful animal, or something completely unexpected, I’m searching for the spark that makes the subject them. I don’t just want to capture a likeness. I want to capture spirit, personality, joy and soul, something you can feel.
My love of portraiture has also taken me into the colorful world of conventions, where I’ve had the chance to meet some of the people who inspired my portraits and collect their autographs on my original artwork. There’s something pretty magical about watching someone come face-to-face with my version of them.
At the heart of it
Connection.
I want you to look at one of my paintings and feel something. Maybe it makes you smile. Maybe it brings back a memory. Maybe you recognize someone you love. Or maybe it simply adds a little more joy, color, soul, and magic to your corner of the world.
My voice was once something someone tried to take from me. Today, I use it, and my art, to be a voice for hope and joy.
Be bold. Be colorful. Be courageous. And always leave a little room for magic.