About me

I was born in Puerto Rico, an island full of color, history, and inspiration. I am the daughter of an architect, and during my childhood my parents owned an art gallery in the city of Mayagüez. Inspiration was abundant, and art materials were always close at hand. From an early age, I took art lessons in a variety of media.

Even with hiatuses along the way, I have continued to pursue art as a therapeutic and healing endeavor. My work has evolved over the years and has included a wide range of media, including oils, acrylics, watercolors, oil pastels, and mixed media. In recent years, I have developed a particular fascination with the human figure, and my two daughters have become the subjects of many of my paintings. Human suffering, resilience, and the ability to overcome adversity are also recurring themes in my work.

As a hydrologist, I am especially sensitive to environmental issues, and water is a common theme throughout much of my artwork. I am also a climate and environmental activist who has lobbied for climate action and stronger environmental protections, and I volunteer with several national environmental organizations. In an effort to educate the public about the plight of our environment and the realities of climate change, I have organized and curated local environmental art exhibitions in Central Florida, including “Visions of Our Environment,” an online exhibition for the City of Casselberry in December 2020, and an exhibition at the Orlando Science Center in the summer of 2021. On my blog, I write about sustainability in the arts, the environment, and climate change.

My work has been described as colorful, introspective, profound, and thought-provoking. It has been exhibited in galleries throughout Central Florida, including Winter Garden’s SOBO Gallery, Osceola Arts in Kissimmee, CityArts in Orlando, and the Orlando Museum of Art’s 1st Thursday exhibitions.

—Michelle

Education

  • Self-taught artist.

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Select Awards

  • “Capilla del Cristo II” — First place “Fine Art Under Glass” category, Wellington Art Society Annual Juried Spring Exhibition (2007)

  • “Accordion Player” — First place, Martin F./Weber Summer Facebook Art Contest (2013)

  • “Mangoes” — First place “Associate” category, Oil Pastel Society Online Art Show “Journey 2013” (2013)

  • “Lost” — Second place, 2nd Annual Lifestyle Magazine Art Contest (2016)

  • “Drowning in Thoughts” — Honorable Mention, Women in the Arts Competition, Orlando, FL (2017)

  • “Where Will the Children Play?” — Best in Show, Volo Foundation’s Climate Correction art show (2022)

  • “Sandhill Cranes” — Best in Show, Orlando Museum of Art’s 1st Thursdays “Florida Grown” art show (2022)

  • “Underwater Whispers” — Top 3 Winner, Green for All, A Future to Fight for Art Contest (2017)

  • “Mini Frida” — Award of Distinction, Osceola Arts Historias Art Show (2017)

Select Publications

Collections

  • Private collections in United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Europe and New Zealand.