Michelle Dunaway (b 1972) is an Internationally known American artist whose paintings are revered for their bold brushwork yet sensitive portrayal of emotions that capture the human experience. Dunaway's paintings have been exhibited in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles and her work has won awards and honors in the Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait Competition multiple years. Dunaway's artwork has been featured in numerous publications including International Artist Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, American Artist, Southwest Art, Art of the West, and American Art Collector along with inclusion in several art books.
Dunaway grew up in Alaska where she found immense inspiration in the vast wilderness and the native Alaskan people that forged a living in the frontier in harmony with the land. She currently resides and maintains her studio in New Mexico, but travels frequently to immerse herself in other cultures and paint the people and landscapes of various regions.
Most recently, Dunaway has made several journeys to Africa to paint the indigenous tribes of the area and has found a beautiful cross cultural artistic expression that relates to the North American indigenous tribes that are a part of her ancestry and the Alaskan native tribes that she was immersed in growing up. “There is an artistic expression cross continentally that moves my spirit as well as the symbiotic relationship the people have with the land and animals. Whether it is in the traditions of the Maasai tribes of Africa, the North American indigenous tribes that I have heritage in ( Cherokee and Apache ) and even the western culture of the American settlers that ties back to my Scottish ancestry. Each culture is unique and exquisite in its own and yet we are also all connected in spirit beneath the surface of things. It fascinates me to find those connections we have as human beings traversing this earth and express that through my art while simultaneously celebrating the unique heritage of the individual people I portray in my paintings."
Dunaway's paintings are highly sought after by distinguished collectors and displayed in prominent collections throughout the US and Europe. "To me, the extraordinary resides in the everyday moments of life. Those moments when we stop, pay attention and feel gratitude. All of us experience such moments and they transform us for the better. These instances of human life, personal reflection and inspiration are what I love to capture in paint. Painting is my way of saying Amen visually, to say I am in agreement with the beauty and mystery of this magnificent world"
