Artist: Michelle Dahl
Titles:
Compressed (0220) - The closed pose always intrigues me because what should feel closed off opens so much to the imagination.
Cowboy (0221) - I grew up around farmers and ranchers, and somehow this is my first time actually painting someone from that life. There is a steadfast awareness and curiosity in this profile. I wondered whether his mind is following his gaze as he surveys the land or perhaps wandering elsewhere.
Curious (0222) - This curious cat inspects the light shining through the Pothos and Philodendron collection.
Mitchell's Return (0223) - My favorite subject combination is anatomical structures and florals. I love the contrast of forms and textures, the way color and light play off one another, and the poetic way they both remind us to enjoy the beauty of each fleeting moment.
Tattooed Shadows (0224) - This close crop of the woman's collarbones allows for an interesting exploration of light and the human form. The shadows create tattoos climbing towards her neck.
Medium: Oil on canvas mounted to magnetic ground
Dimensions: 2 x 3 ½ inches
Price: $80
Artist Bio: Michelle Dahl’s (1983) oil paintings channel the remarkable depth of human experience, weaving emotion into visual stories of resilience. Raised in rural Northern California and currently residing in Southeast Tennessee, Dahl developed an interest in observation and detail as a means of connection. She pursued technical growth through publications, regional college coursework, and later expanded into oil painting through rigorous self-directed study. A serious injury in 2013 catalyzed a renewed focus to her creative career. She has since received the Ridley Gallery Purchase Award (2019) and is a member of the Portrait Society of America, OPA, and NOAPS. Her work has been exhibited widely across the western United States, culminating in her pinnacle solo exhibition “Incandescent Umbra” (Sacramento, 2024). In 2025, her work was selected for the Society of Women Artists’ 164th Annual Exhibition in London, and she was named Planned Parenthood’s Artist in Residence.
