Michele Byrne

"I prefer to paint outdoors directly on site. I feel that it is the best way to capture the immediacy of the moment. It allows me to immerse myself in the subject. I am not the typical plein air landscape painter in that I enjoy capturing social situations and views of the urban landscape. Whether standing next to a busy café, an isolated landscape or inside a jazz club, I know that it is not just the visual information that becomes a part of the painting. The sounds, the smells, the mood and the environment all become integral to the finished image. My plein air paintings are meant to be mirrors of our lives. There is something magical and mystical about standing with your feet firmly planted on the earth, absorbing all the sounds, smells and conversations as well as the visual information and letting it all flow out onto the canvas. I become a part of the scene and the paintings seem to flow out of me."

Michele Byrne is an award-winning artist best known for her figurative plein air work.  Her paintings are regularly shown in magazines and national shows. She is a sought-after instructor known for her lively, informative classes with a touch of humor. She teaches across the United States as well as Mexico and Europe.

She lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.