Meet Michelle Hoogveld: Painter + Mural Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Hoogveld and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Often I feel like the choices I make within my art practice are how I take risks in real life. The colours, the patterns, they may seem spontaneous, other times premeditated, but usually they’re based on intuition and the willingness to be open to the unknown. I mean, I’m not going to jump off a cliff in a squirrel suit, but when it comes to risk, I’m all over it. I would say I’m naturally optimistic so the idea of trying new things and seeing where they go is something I’ve always found exciting. In exploring my curiosity, my fear, my wildest of dreams, I feel like so much growth has come from simply taking a chance. It’s like an adventure that never ends. This space to discover yourself, the world, new concepts, the highs, the lows, love, connection and pretty much anything and everything! There’s no crystal ball in life and truthfully, I think I like it that way.  I feel like the more we trust ourselves, the more we lean into risk, that’s where the real magic happens. Without risk, my life would look very different than it does today. I’m convinced that this mindset is why I have been able to paint in so many cool places around the world, meeting so many interesting artists and people along the way! And it seems that no matter that amount of obstacles, tears, or buckets of spilled paint, it has always been worth it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Painting and drawing is something I’ve always done. In university I would sneak into the art studio late at night, listening to Death Cab For Cutie on repeat (because it was the only cd in the room) and would get lost in a canvas for hours upon hours. That feeling of being in the studio was a space that became my own little world. Like a never-ending universe to create and dream and uncover parts of myself that I didn’t even know were inside of me. Fast forward a few years, I now have both a studio and mural practice which has been so fun to experience life as an artist in two entirely different spaces. In the studio, there is more of a sense of freedom and play within the work. Testing out new concepts, trying new colour combinations, pushing to see what works and what doesn’t. It is from my canvas work (and solo dance parties) where certain techniques and themes seem to come alive then naturally find their way into my murals. In the studio, I can create in a much more intimate and personal way, then just like that, be up on a wall, sharing such a bright, creative experience in the public realm. It’s definitely a major high going from mural project to mural project, but I’ve realized the importance of taking certain periods to grow and challenge the work back in the studio. I guess it requires a bit of a balancing act. I will say, public art is a pretty cool space to be in as an artist. The impact you leave on others is so immediate and I love how colour so easily transforms the feeling of an environment. All I want to do is paint bigger and higher and if it were up to me, I’d paint entire cities in the colour of the rainbow.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s nothing that beats the morning sun, so with a matcha latte in hand, first things first – we would be heading to the ocean! Other great things to take in would be to cruise around to check out all the amazing murals, Abbot Kinney, the skatepark and Venice canals, Disneyland (because I’m a big kid at heart and I secretly love the teacup ride), Thinkspace Projects, The Container Yard, Runyon Canyon, vintage + thrift shops, a day in Malibu, a surf sesh and of course, all things to do with taste.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a BIG shoutout (and hug) to all the creatives that have been absolute gems in my world. It has been such a gift connecting with other artists, sharing and learning new artistic techniques, going deep in conversation and supporting one another in this pretty unique way of living (Not to mention all the funny stories that randomly happen along the way). Some of these friendships go way back, while others are pretty new, but the things consistent within all of them is love, encouragement and commitment to the work. In what can be a fairly demanding and competitive world, these artists feel like family, and I feel truly lucky to be a part of such an amazing community.

Website: https://www.michellehoogveld.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellehoogveld/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellehoogveld/

Image Credits
Michael Ngvyen Brenden Klem Patrice Lacroix Kunikazu Kawashima