We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Boucher a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I always knew I would live a creative life, even as a child, I knew. Although, I did not understand what that would look like. The next Bob Ross, James Robins, or Frank Frazetta? An animator for Looney Tunes? How about a fashion designer or a puppet maker? The possibilities were endless.
I remember a high school assignment asking me to describe what I wanted my life to look like by the time I would be 30. Well, a famous artist painting wildlife who lives on the Serengeti, naturally. Big Dreams, and not a single clue how this could happen.
Reality started to slowly sink in after being told by countless adults and friends that art is just a hobby and you cannot make a living doing it. I believed them. Art remained a hobby, then an afterthought, then forgotten.
Life, rent, car payments, bills, and cigarettes became my reality. Working in restaurants and retail for many years to survive. While working in a salon, I was asked to style a photo shoot, which led to styling a fashion show. Which led to doing more. Fashion styling fell into my lap. After a few years, the film industry came calling. I was a seamstress, costume builder, set costumer, a costume supervisor, and yes, I had the opportunity to costume design a few low-budget films.
I thought, “This is it! This is my forever career”. After about 10 years, the industry broke me. I was tired, and I was in severe burnout. I had to leave for my sanity… and do what? Art slowly crept back in.
I developed a therapeutic relationship with it. It felt good to draw and paint again. I leaned into that. People started to show interest in buying prints or even commissioning custom art. What? Can I do this? Really? It was a slow build and worth every teeny, tiny baby step to get here.
Art saved me. I had to go through burnout to fully appreciate what it means to live a creative life. If art can help heal me, can it do the same for others?

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Watercolor is my medium of choice. Acrylic is my first love, and I still use it for certain projects. Painting with watercolor is a practice of letting go of control. You can only control it just so much. If you mess up, there is only so much you can do to fix it. Unlike acrylic, you cannot always paint over a mistake. You make do or start over. The starting over can sting a bit.
The connection between humans and the animal world is what inspires me. The magic between us. Whether that relationship is with a beloved pet or an animal you admire or even fear.
The pet portraits are near and dear to my heart. I’m a pet owner, and I also know the heartache of saying goodbye to one. I hope each portrait can ease the pain, even just a little.
“Soul Animals” is my interpretation of the coexistence with the animal world. I want to get mystical with it. Can we embody the essence of an animal or become one with them? With art, anything is possible. The symbolism and meaning behind each creature are reimagined with its human counterpart. Unsure of your Soul Animal, I can interview you so that we may find one that resonates with you.
“The Fortunate Hand” series is my homage to the magical, the mystical, and the fortune tellers of my childhood stories. Painted with acrylic on an articulated wood hand. I incorporate alchemical, astrology, and zodiac elements. The rest is a true collaboration between me and the collector. Every art piece is one of a kind.
I strive to create art that people can have an emotional attachment to. Art that is personal and created with love and the utmost care, and it shows.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT ARTISTS! Guess what? Not all involve money.
-Buy their art
-Commission from them
-Hire them
-Recommend them
-Talk about their art
-Share their art on social media
-Interact with their social media accounts
-Attend their events, art shows, craft fairs…
-Cheer them on.
By supporting an independent artist, you are supporting their dream.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The advice that art is just a hobby, not a profession. For years, this was pounded into my head. I stuffed it down and carried it like shackles through most of my life. I had to abandon those childhood dreams. I had to burnout in a career to come back to art. I had to leave it to welcome it back with a new lens.
I don’t regret the jobs or the career I had. Through those experiences, I am where I am today because of them. They might not have been the experiences I wanted, but they were the ones I needed,
Here I am. an artist making a living from the things I create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://foxheartart.com
• Instagram: @fox_heart_art
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FoxHeartArtDesign

Image Credits

All images and photos were created or taken by me