BIOGRAPHY
Mexican-American Artist
Michelle Iglesias was born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and now lives and works in Houston, Texas. A graphic designer and painter, she earned a BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in Painting from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2002.
Iglesias is a mixed media artist best known for her large-scale, multimedia paintings. In her studio practice, she combines traditional and modern media to tell her own stories. Her aesthetic grew out of her early training in graphic design, before the shift to computers, and was deepened by the art history courses in college that pushed her to find her own form of expression.
“I’ve been drawn to art my entire life, and I started painting at a very young age. My early work was rooted in design, in letterforms and shapes. I was fascinated by the many styles of lettering, which is why I chose to study graphic design.
Over time, I became more drawn to the freedom of painting. I began by laying down a design on canvas, then building up thick layers of paint, a kind of rebellion against perfection. I let color energy move in every direction, without limits. Careful planning and precise placement of each element gave way to something looser. Planning still matters, but it was important for me to be playful, to be curious about what my hand creates, and to be fully present in the act of making. My paintings have become complex and busy, the opposite of my design work, and almost three-dimensional.”
CV
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A) Graphic Design | December 2002
The University of Texas – EL Paso, Texas, United States
Founder / Creative Art Director | June 2020 – Present
MI ART & DESIGN LLC – Houston, Texas, United States
Burn Brights Studio
Open studios @corkartsdistrict including us! Come find us at 600 King St Jacksonville FL 32205
My work has been selected for exhibitions at the El Paso Art Association in El Paso, Texas.
STATEMENT
As an artist, I believe one of my essential responsibilities is to observe and interpret the world around me as honestly as I can.
My work is a playful exploration of my inner world, a reflection of my emotional responses to the events and experiences of the world outside me. I am a self-taught artist, and my work is dramatic, expressive, and bold. I want viewers to feel something when they encounter it.
The very act of creating gives my imagination room to roam, opening the door to innovative ideas and allowing grace to shape my work.
— Michelle Iglesias
