Michelle Lane

Michelle discovered her love for painting when she moved to Central Oregon. She had been an educator and counselor in K-8 schools, primarily assisting students in their social-emotional development. She often used art activities to relieve their stress and promote their ability to communicate. In retirement, she became curious to know if she could paint, having been inspired by her grandmother’s watercolors.

“My first summer here, I took a Vino Van Gogh class at Hood Avenue Art. The participant seated next to me was creating a very beautiful piece. I kept thinking to myself how skilled she was. As I discovered at the end of the class, I was sitting next to Winnie Givot, an accomplished watercolorist in Sisters. That same fall, I began taking classes from her. I was hooked! She taught and coached me for nearly two years. The rest, they say, is history.”

Click on any image below to see an enlarged view.

She has also studied with Ian Factor, Sarah B. Hansen, and Steve Kleier.

“Painting in watercolor is one of my passions,” she says, “the other is golf. Both are relaxing, meditative, challenging and require focus. Creating an image that captures someone’s attention and helps one to pause, breathe, relax, or smile is the challenge and the reward.

“There is a world of images that inspire me to paint. And I love the beauty and challenge of watercolor.” Michelle is a member of SageBrushers Art Society and the Watercolor Society of Oregon.