We were lucky to catch up with Michelle Marin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I have worked on was creating a series of portraits of long term care home residents and healthcare workers.

I met the sitters for my portrait project during the pandemic at a long term care home in downtown Toronto.
As a Therapeutic Recreationist, I either worked alongside them or served them. While I was establishing my career in healthcare, I realized that the majority of my community members residing or working in healthcare settings were not being represented in contemporary art. I felt a responsibility to represent both my colleagues and residents through portraiture in a dignifying and empowering way. I was fortunate to receive grants from both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council to create this body of work. The project was exhibited at my first solo show in April 2023 at Spence Gallery in Toronto, Ontario.

Each portrait is a mixed media piece, featuring materials such as yarn, fabric and paint. The completed series can be seen at Spence Gallery in Toronto, either online or in person.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I pursued an undergraduate degree in material arts at OCAD University where I learned the foundations of textile design. But it wasn’t until I received a diploma in Gerontology at George Brown College and started working with older adults in long term care home settings that I discovered my “art voice”.

When I was a student at OCAD University, my focus was on knitwear design. I worked at a yarn store and based my thesis on knitwear for the home. Upon graduating I sustained a wrist injury and decided I need a career change. I knew my body wouldn’t support a full time career as a knitwear designer. So, I went back to school to study Gerontology. While completing my student placements in long term care homes, community day centres and on dementia units, I realized that I needed to develop an art or craft practice to digest the hardships I was witness to.

Around this time, I had was looking at a lot of Alice Neel and Vincent Van Gogh, and felt the urger to paint with oils. My problem was that, as a low income student, I couldn’t afford new art materials. I did, however, have access to a large stash of yarn and needles from my years as a knitter. I decided to explore painting techniques with craft materials, such as yarn and thread. It was time consuming, and I made a lot of technical mistakes along the way, but after two years of experimentation I felt I had developed my “art voice”. I knew what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it.

Today my subject matter are my community members in healthcare settings. They include behaviour support nurses, registered practical nurses, personal support workers, housekeepers, dietary staff, recreation therapists, physiotherapists, screeners, receptionists, long term care home residents and patients in rehabilitation hospitals.
I work with a multitude of mixed media, such as yarn, paint, fabric, beads and clay. I use traditional techniques, such as knitting, embroidery, drawing and painting, and apply them to linen canvas in a contemporary manner. I create still life and portraits, and in all of my compositions I explore the fragility of life.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I highly recommend “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. It’s approachable, relatable and jam packed with helpful exercises and incredible tips. It changed my life and my art practice. I highly recommend this book to anyone feeling stuck in life. “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown was also a game changer.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

It took me a very long term to figure out how to establish myself as an artist. I wish I had had access to a youtube channel, a podcast or a book that that was specific to Canadian emerging artists. Topics that would have been handy include: resume writing, grant applications, art competitions, art shows, art fairs, art education, commissions, pricing, studio practices, memberships to art organizations, developing or finding art communities and working with galleries. What may seem obvious or normal to a mid career/established artist is invaluable to an emerging artist.      

Contact Info: 

• Website: www.michellemarin.ca
• Instagram: @michellemarinstudio
• Other: https://spencegallery.com/michelle-marin

Image Credits
Image credit for images of the artist in her studio: Jelena Subotic