Artist’s Statement
Michelle Black is an experimental printmaker who collaborates with nature to create art that reflects her connection to the landscape. Her work is diverse, incorporating data, history, and environmental processes at times, while allowing the landscape to guide her creativity at others. She sometimes uses unconventional printmaking techniques and materials influenced by natural elements, such as ocean-printed cyanotypes created with sun, sand, salt, and sea; collagraphs or monoprints using earth or river sediment; and impressions from vegetation through cyanotype, collagraph or ecoprint. These are often complemented by traditional relief printing.
Biography
Michelle Black is an emerging artist who moved from central Queensland to Dalby, Downs in February 2023. She was awarded the 2023 Fairholme Open Art Prize Emerging Artist Prize (Acquisitive) and was selected as a finalist in 2024. Since 2012, she has participated in numerous small and large group exhibitions in central Queensland and, more recently, in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs. Additionally, Black's work was featured in the travelling Flying Arts Alliance Regional Arts Award exhibition in 2020-2021.
Black has three artworks held in the collection of the Rockhampton Museum of Art (RMOA), with one included in the inaugural collection exhibition "Welcome Home" at RMOA. She is currently exhibiting at RMOA as part of the Collection Focus: Capricornia Printmakers exhibition. In addition to this, she has completed several public art projects, including creating furnishings on the Nurim Circuit, Mount Archer in Rockhampton, and producing artwork on several privately owned buildings.Awards
2024 Finalist, Fairholme Open Art Prize - Facets, Toowoomba
2023 Finalist, awarded the Emerging Artist Prize (Acquisitive), Fairholme Open Art Prize - Facets, Toowoomba
2020 Finalist, Libris Awards: Australian Artists’ Book Prize, Mackay
2019 Finalist, State of Diversity, Queensland Regional Art Awards, Brisbane
2019 Finalist, Bayton Award, Rockhampton Art Gallery (acquired for the permanent collection)Exhibitions
Highlights:
2024 RMOA Collection Focus: Capricornia Printmakers, Rockhampton Museum of Art, Rockhampton
2024 Fairholme Open Art Prize - Facets, Fairholme College, Toowoomba
2023 Fairholme Open Art Prize - Facets, Fairholme College, Toowoomba
2022 Welcome Home, inaugural collection exhibition, Rockhampton Museum of Art, Rockhampton
2022 Nature + Art, small group exhibition, Fig Tree Galleries, Yeppoon
2022 CQ Collective, group exhibition, The Long Gallery, Benevolent Living, Rockhampton (including works acquired for the permanent collection)
2020-2021 State of Diversity, Queensland Regional Art Awards touring exhibition, Judith Wright Arts Centre, Fortitude Valley and various locations throughout Queensland
2020 Libris Awards: Australian Artists’ Book Prize (Finalist), Artspace Mackay, Mackay
2019 Counterparts, small group exhibition, Rockhampton Art Gallery, Rockhampton
2011-2023 Annual group exhibitions: Capricornia Printmakers, Walter Reid Gallery, Rockhampton
Showing all 3 artworks