Artist of the Month

Michelle Hawes

Michelle studied at Southend Art college specialising in Fashion Design and Pattern Cutting. After a successful career of 38 years in the fashion industry she now concentrates full time on drawing and painting.

Her preferred medium is oil paint but she also adores the fluidity of watercolour and occasionally uses acrylics.

Michelle has exhibited many times in Barnes and Notting Hill. She won The Barnes Fine Art Gallery Best Landscape Award in 2021.

Michelle is happy to accept commissions.

What are you working on now?
I tend to have two projects on the go at one time.

I like painting animals focusing on their individual expressions and personalities using a loose style of painting to create life and movement.

I am also experimenting with different techniques of painting landscapes; using mixed media and impressionistic marks, with brush strokes to suggest weather and atmosphere.

Recent technical discovery?
An online workshop with UK artist Peter Keegan, 'How to critique your own work’, was a personal ground breaker as it demonstrated the four key skills to help produce pieces of work that really hold the viewer’s eye.

Favourite artist?
I have many. Monet is my absolute favourite. I adore most of the Impressionists but Monet’s use of colours, style and subject matter is so clever, and sits with great ease. His paintings invite you into the picture and if you look long enough there are areas of exquisite joy. My other favourite artist is Degas for his wonderful composition and use of colour. In particular I am endlessly inspired by 'La Coiffure'. The use of tone and temperature is genius.

Colour you can't do without?
Green! It's the hardest colour to get right in a landscape but essential. I mix my own and am amazed at the breadth of results I can achieve.

En plein air or Studio?
Both, but plein air painting is special. There is nothing better than turning your phone off and painting outside while feeling and listening to the elements of nature around me.

What does the Barnes Artist Group mean to you?
The group has become part of my life with a particular emphasis on making new and special friends. We are all very different but we share the same passion for art so it makes every meeting and exhibition exciting. Working together we have achieved so much organic growth and recognition in the community, of which we are very proud. There are many more exciting projects and partnerships on the horizon which make Barnes Artists an exciting group to be part of.

Favourite piece of kit?
Without doubt my NEW WAVE Pochade box and tripod for plein air painting. It is so compact, light and easy to erect. My whole kit now fits into a backpack. I just love it!

What makes Barnes special to an artist?
Barnes is a remarkable London village where you are uplifted everyday seeing familiar faces and bumping into friends. There is a wealth of local activities to join, cafes and eateries to visit, theatre, film and so much more. The central hub is the village pond which unfolds beautifully throughout the year, but Barnes is also surrounded by numerous nature reserves and waterscapes which make it so unique and visually appealing to an artist.

Next show?
Barnes Art Fair ‘East meets West’ 17th-19th November at St Michael & All Angels Church, SW13 0NX ; a properly professional show that has grown from strength to strength.