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

Michelle, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My creative practice spans multiple media, so I’m always on a learning curve. While I consider myself self-taught, especially since I haven’t had formal education in studio art, I owe a lot to the creatives I’ve encountered who have guided me along the way. YouTube has also been invaluable, especially for learning video editing on the go. The most significant breakthrough in my practice came when I accepted that it’s okay not to be understood.

Michelle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am one half of the artist duo Attic Portrait, collaborating with Sea Zeda. Our core medium is textiles, though we also incorporate other disciplines like video, painting, and culinary crafts. My background is in the business side of fine art—I hold a B.A. in Art History and have worked at galleries in NYC and LA. Sea and I met in 2019 and immediately connected, forming a close friendship. It took about a year for us to realize that we were creatives, not actively creating (Sea’s background is in fashion), and we felt frustrated by a lack of community. That’s when Attic Portrait was born. Bringing our passions and aesthetics to life requires a lot of trust and patience, but it’s incredibly rewarding.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

To build a community of creatives from all disciplines to collaborate with. I’m fascinated by how an idea evolves and comes to life when filtered through someone else’s perspective.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass profoundly shaped my creative philosophy, instilling a deep appreciation and responsibility that has become integral to my work. The book’s blend of indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge inspires me to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, enriching my art by drawing from diverse fields and creating layered, nuanced pieces. This approach has led to more inclusive and varied representations in my work as I strive to create art that resonates with a broader audience.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atticportrait/

Image Credits

Hero Image, please credit: Brian McCormack