Michelle Schleider
"This series: Departure: Ready for Takeoff, focuses on a longing and excitement for travel. These pieces of luggage and handbags create a yearning for adventure or recall memories of past experiences. I chose indigenous plants and airline logos for the backgrounds to represent destinations like Japan, France, and Bora Bora. Whether stacked or sitting alone, these bags are like colorful sculptures that have their own unique design quality." - Michelle Schleider
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Michelle Schleider, "Queen of the Blues," 2023, oil on linen, 40 x 40 inches, $7,000
Michelle Schleider, "Pink Darling," 2023, oil on linen, 40 x 40 inches - SOLD
Michelle Schleider, "Queen of the Blues,"
2023, oil on linen, 40 x 40 inches, $7,000
Michelle Schleider, "Pink Darling,"
2023, oil on linen, 40 x 40 inches - SOLD
Michelle Schleider, "Ocean Bound," 2023, oil on linen, 12 x 12 inches - $1,400
Michelle Schleider, "The Happy Traveler," 2023, oil on linen, 12 x 12 inches - $1,400
Michelle Schleider, "The Unexpected Guest," 2023, oil on linen, 12 x 12 inches - $1,400
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Michelle Schleider, "Adventure," 2022, oil on linen, 10 x 10 inches - SOLD
Michelle Schleider, "Journey," 2022, oil on linen, 10 x 10 inches - SOLD
Michelle Schleider, "Explore," 2022, oil on linen, 10 x 10 inches - SOLD
Michelle Schleider, "Journey," Adventure" and "Explore,"2022, oil on linen, 10 x 10 inches - SOLD
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Michelle Schleider, "Pride of Barbados," 2022, oil on linen, 40 x 30 inches - SOLD
"A triple stack of 1940’s vintage American Tourister suitcases painted in thin layers of viridian oil paint makes for an electric green color that vibrates on this gallery-wrapped canvas. I imagined these cases have traveled to the Caribbean island of Barbados and are surrounded by the national flower called, ‘The Pride of Barbados’. The bright floral arrangements in my painting are an homage to the 18th-century artist, Mary Delaney, the first-ever collage artist. She would cut detailed florals out of paper and arrange them on a stark black background, just as I did in this painting. Luggage monograms were very popular with these cases in the ’40s. Instead of painting a personal monogram, I included the letters, BGI, which represents the island’s international airport code." - Michelle Schleider
Michelle Schleider, "French Macarons," 2022, oil on linen, 36 x 24 inches, $4,800
"I painted French Macarons with these five vintage 1950’s suitcases stacked right in front of my easel. The background has pink floating winged sea horses which represent the almost century old logo of the airline, Air France. The rose colored luggage came together looking like a group of delicious French Macarons, and so the title came to be." - Michelle Schleider
Michelle Schleider, "Time Traveler," 2022, oil on linen, 40 x 30 inches, $6,000
"This painting is inspired by Japan’s Edo Period and the airline Air Japan. The figure is taken from a historical block-cut made by the artist Katada Chojirodo in 1861, which can be seen at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. I painted her portrait on a piece of modern luggage while imagining what she would have thought if she could explore the world through air travel. During her time, people were restricted to their villages and only allowed to leave on particular holidays or to visit special shrines. A turquoise colored background is covered with Air Japan’s logo, brilliant red cranes with their wings extended in full flight. They are called tsurumaru which means “crane circle." - Michelle Schleider
Link to see the original work of art on the MFA website:
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/576913
Michelle Schleider, "Buttermints," 2022, oil on linen, 20 x 16 inches, $3,000
"This painting is based on short travel. It’s about childhood memories of going to a favorite restaurant with my family. After dinner I’d look forward to the dish of buttermints on a silver stand near the door. I was enamored with the pastel colors of these pretty, little squares all piled on top of each other. The textured circles in the background reference the chalkiness of the mints and add a playfulness to the painting." - Michelle Schleider
Michelle Schleider, "Cabo San Lucas," 2022, oil on linen, 40 x 30 inches - SOLD
"I imagined a trip to Baja, Mexico and a visit to Cabo San Lucas in this contemporary and expressionistic still life oil painting. Behind the cream color suitcase stack is a spray of Mexican Blue Palm leaves painted with the rare and exceptional pigment, Afghan Lapis Lazuli. Adorning the top case are Baja Breeze Hibiscus flowers painted with bright scarlet brushstrokes." - Michelle Schleider
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Every object, living or inanimate, has the ability to communicate. Everything has an energy and sometimes is sending a message that we are able receive without any conversation involved. My oil paintings contain carefully thought-out compositions and color harmonies to amplify the story of the item. I am interested in personifying the subjects of my work by including clues about human involvement through the use of symbolism, expressive backgrounds, and including human qualities in my painting titles. I see a story behind each painting I make, not just a representation of an object. The viewer may even find themselves to be a part of that story." - Michelle Schleider