Michele Walter: Seasons
ON DISPLAY
November 5, 2024 until January 25, 2025
RECEPTION
Michel Walter’s new exhibit “Seasons” is showing at the Montgomery Museum of Art and History, 4 East Main Street, Christiansburg. The title refers, in part, to the four seasons of the year as in the two autumn pictures of the trail to the Cascades, but it also references the seasons of life that people experience.
Michele Walter lives in Blacksburg where she teaches courses in watercolor and other media. As an artist, Walter describes herself as on a journey that takes her through different styles and subjects. She paints landscapes, flowers, animals, and portraits using watercolor, acrylics, pastels, and collage. Walter is always experimenting with new techniques. The two mixed media works from the Cascades are painted in acrylic but use collage for added texture.
Out in Left Field (C) Michele Walter
Virginia Cruising (C) Michele Walter
A scene from Sullivan’s Island was painted first in watercolor and then embellished with pastels. The wonderful feeling of depth seen through a clearing in the foliage reveals tiny human figures seen from a distance. The beautiful greens and purples showcase her love of color, which is a hallmark of her works.
One of the most colorful works in the exhibit is “Making a Splash,” a watercolor on Yupo paper. The paints were literally thrown onto the surface and splashed over the hydrophobic medium. With this technique, the artist gives up some control over the outcome. To those artists who want to loosen up, Walter highly recommends painting on Yupo paper as a liberating experience. These are flowers, but what kind? The loose organic shapes suggest flowers, and the stems and vase are a dead giveaway. The vivid colors come from the artist’s choices, but the Yupo paper gives them added vibrancy. For all its vibrant colors, the painting still has areas of negative space. Walter says, “The eye needs some peace.”
Michele Walter paints in a lot of different styles. Walk around the exhibit, and you won’t be saying, “Oh, that is another one of hers.” She is always stretching herself and exploring new media and fresh subject matter. If there is one thing that unites her work, it is joy. Even when she is feeling sad, Walter creates joyful paintings.