There is no shortage of local artistic talent. I’m reminded of that fact when I see the work of Greely Myatt, Carl Moore, Bobby Spillman, Darlene Newman, Emily Walls and-of course-Ian. Among many others! But there is always room for more, and I am grateful to Odessa for introducing me to my new favorite local artist: MCA alumna Michelle Duckworth.
Making Ends Meet
We wandered through Odessa’s holiday artists market, and both had an immediate WOW moment as we stood in front of Michelle’s work. We bought three pieces on the spot, and something tells me that our collection will grow… I couldn’t resist the opportunity to speak further with Michelle, to learn about her inspiration, her process, and her thoughts about Memphis. And with no further ado, I want to share her insights (and her work) with you:
How do you describe your work?
The feeling I’m trying to capture is like that of being a child and looking with wonder and fear at the big weird world around us, trying to make sense of it. I like to create pictures that tell a story and draw the viewer in, making them wonder who the characters are and what is going on.
Who or what are your greatest inspirations?
Really anything I think is interesting in some way can end up as subject matter. Art Nouveau, illustrators from the late 1800′s/early 1900′s like Aubrey Beardsley, Kay Neilsen, Arthur Rackham, among others. Tons of contemporary illustrators and artists I randomly find online. Medieval art, patterns, nature, cartoons, old stuff, antique/junk shops, historical costume. Folk and traditional arts from various cultures, particularly Russia and early Mesoamerica. I love that people can look at art from a forgotten culture that we no longer know the meaning or significance of and still feel that it is important. The ability to communicate across boundaries of time and location is something I find fascinating about the arts in general, I guess.
Dancing
When did you know that this was your passion, that you’d become an artist?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. My earliest influences were the illustrated books I had as a kid, I thought the idea of being able to tell a story with pictures was really cool. Lots of people encouraged me along the way, so even though I doubted I would be good enough to do it for real I kept at it. By the time I got to high school I was still more interested in art than anything else, so I decided to take a chance and run with it.
How long have you been in Memphis?
I grew up in Bartlett so I’ve been familiar with the city for most of my life. I went to the Memphis College of Art and graduated in 2006 and am now living in midtown.
What excites you most about the local art scene?
There are a lot of talented people here doing interesting stuff. Also the personality of the city itself has kind of an odd, quirky earthiness that I like.
Where do you feel are the greatest opportunities for the local art scene?
I would like to see the established galleries taking more risks and showing art that’s a little more challenging and different. Every time I go to South Main lately, for example, it seems like it’s always the same stuff over again.
Island Plague
How would you describe a perfect night in Memphis?
Pretty much anything involving hanging out with my friends and laughing. I’ll just randomly list some places I like- for restaurants/bars, Bosco’s, the Cove, Café Eclectic, Vietnamese restaurants for pho, Edo, Abyssinia, the deli in Kwik Check, Celtic Crossing during Sunday brunch (you can sit outside and listen to a band that plays traditional Irish music). For free entertainment I like to browse around in Bojo’s antique mall, thrift stores, and the Central library. I also enjoy outdoor festivals like the Cooper-Young fest, and the Nuts Over Art thing this past September in Overton Park. I’m really happy about the revitalization of the Levitt Shell and the free concert series in the fall. I got to sit under the stars and watch a performance by Tibetan monks!
What’s next? Where can we see more of your work?
Right now I’m mainly focusing on building a solid body of work and promoting myself more. I’ve also been selling pieces through my recently opened Etsy store.
website: michelleduckworth.com
blog: whatisaduckworth.blogspot.com
Etsy store- michelleduckworth.etsy.com
Take a virtual tour of Michelle’s home studio:
A Look at Memphis Artist Michelle Duckworth from Elizabeth Lemmonds on Vimeo.
WOOT MICHELLE YOU GO GIRL!!!!