Michelle Heron
About
Using paint to explore the overlooked and abandoned, British artist Michelle Heron immortalises the many threatened independent stores that make our high streets what they are. Michelle's figurative paintings take viewers on a nostalgic trip down memory lane, documenting the many distinct shop fronts, greasy spoons, and launderettes of bygone eras. Influenced by iconic realists Edward Hopper and George Shaw, Michelle approaches her work with a sensitive use of colour and light to capture the mood and feel of everyday scenes. She maintains an incredibly human touch in her urban works, combining style, technique, and feeling to give life to her locations.
Michelle’s work has been shortlisted for The Lynn Painter-Stainers' Prize (2016), the 157th Society of Women Artists Annual Open Exhibition (2018), The National Open Art Competition (2016), The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2017), Jackson's Painting Prize (2020) and was a heat finalist on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2018. Michelle has twice been a finalist of The John Ruskin Prize (2016 & 2019) and has recently been selected for The Young Masters Art Prize 2022.
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Michelle Heron
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Michelle Heron
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3 questions on inspiration with
Michelle Heron
We're asking artists to choose one notable person, place and object that has inspired them in their journey so far. We're mapping inspiration at a scale never attempted before
Person
I find it hard to think of anyone in particular as growing up there wasn't anyone close to me that inspired me. I was drawn to artists from the past like Rembrandt and Degas, which now seems strange considering I don't paint portraits! But I loved how they conveyed emotion and time and their use of light and mood.
Place
I guess it would have to be London, where I lived for half my adult life. I'm still inspired by it even though I left years ago. There's so much history and many stories told through the layers of shops that have come and gone and it always amazes me how it's constantly changing.
Object
An early experience of an art exhibition at the art gallery in The UEA in Norwich really moved me. I was 13 and had to guess the age of a replica of a ballerina sculpture by Edgar Degas. I really connected with her and felt like she was close to my age. I can't get that image out of my head of her looking emotionless. I now realise how much I enjoy connecting with others through my own artwork.
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