Meet The Artist: Michelle Brunner
Credit: Michelle Brunner
CC: Where are you based?
MB: I am based in Perrysburg, Ohio. Perrysburg is a darling historic town located on the Maumee River and close to Lake Erie. I have lived here for most of my life and even teach at the same high school I attended!
CC: Tell us about your background and how you got your start as a artist:
MB: Art has always been a part of my life. My grandma and cousin are both artists and I grew up drawing and painting with them. When I was a teenager I would paint murals on my bedroom walls. I knew that eventually I would make art into a career. I majored in art education with a focus in painting and drawing. I was lucky enough to get a job teaching high school art at Perrysburg High school in 2004 and have been there ever since! As a mom to young kids I felt that I never had time for my own art. To get back into my own personal art making I started painting a small daily painting starting in January 2017 and still paint something everyday. The process of creating a daily painting helped me figure out my style and what I wanted to paint. I began painting larger artworks and posted all of it on Instagram and was able to connect with many wonderful artists, galleries and buyers this way. So lucky to have found Cailíní Coastal through this amazing platform!
CC: You are also a mom to two young daughters..how do you find the time to teach, paint and be a mom?
MB: When my girls were really young I was unable to find a lot of time to paint but now they are a little bit older (ages 9 and 5) and best friends. They often play together for hours so I am able to get some painting in especially during the weekends and summer months. During the school week I get up super early and try to paint for an hour before I go into school. Finding the balance is tricky and I am still trying to figure it out!
Credit: Michelle Brunner
CC: What inspires your work?
MB: My inspiration comes from spending lots of time on Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. My aunts had amazing cottages on Lake Michigan and I went there frequently growing up. Currently my family has a cottage on an island in the middle of Lake Erie and I go there a lot in the summer. Seeing sailboats on the lake, hydrangeas in front of cottages and the beautiful flowers growing along the lakeshore bring me such joy and I want to share it with everyone through my paintings. My husband also sails and we have a small sailboat. This has really inspired me to paint these beautiful boats!
Credit: Michelle Brunner
CC: Tell us about the style in which you paint?
MB: I paint in an impressionist style. I try to paint my emotional reaction to a scene and focus on the colors and the effect light has on my subject.
CC: What material do you paint on and what type of paint do you use?
MB: I paint with acrylics on canvas and sometimes on paper. I love how fast the acrylic paint dries so I can add lots of layers and textures within the painting.
Credit: Michelle Brunner
CC: Our customers love your landscapes, hydrangea and sailboat scenes...they love them all! Which are your favorites to paint?
MB: I am so happy they love them! That makes me so happy to hear. I enjoy painting all of them. Each painting I complete takes me back to being on the water and seeing the amazing scenery. It is like reliving a beautiful memory every time I begin a painting.
Credit: Michelle Brunner
CC: As you know, we're about to introduce some new pieces to Cailíní Coastal. Can you tell us a little about these pieces?
MB: I am so excited for these new pieces! The subject is of course hydrangeas and sailboats! They depict my favorite color combinations of white, blue and pink. What is super special about them is they are all custom-framed in white by my talented husband. It is almost like you are receiving two artworks combined! These paintings are all inspired by my life at our island cottage and the beautiful scenery that surrounds me there. 
Credit: Michelle Brunner
CC: How do you recommend people style your art? Do you like a larger statement piece, a small piece on a shelf or a collage?
MB: I think there are many ways to style my art. Honestly, whatever works best for you and your space! I have painted some huge statement pieces and I think they are fun to add a bold look to a wall. I also love hanging multiple paintings together to create a collage effect. The mini 6" x 6" paintings are perfect to add to bookshelf or a cute shelf on the wall. I personally have many of these small paintings throughout my house to add a pop of color throughout.
Credit: Michelle Brunner
Shop Michelle Brunner Art on Cailíní Coastal. For more information on Michelle Brunner and her gorgeous paintings, follow @michellebrunnerart on Instagram.
Michelle is the daughter of a dear neighbor here on Middle Bass Island and such a joy. I have some of her art at our home and it is so peaceful! She is so talented and such a lovely person.
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