Michele Byrne

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist. This dream began in kindergarten and was nurtured by my family, who enrolled me in oil painting classes at age eight. After earning a BFA in Communication Design from Kutztown University, a life-changing internship in Manhattan sparked my lifelong infatuation with urban landscapes. Following a 20-year career in freelance graphic design—which provided a vital foundation for my professional practice—I transitioned to painting full-time in 2001 after further studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Inspired by Impressionists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, and Monet, my work focuses on "The Art of Conversation." I am fascinated by human interaction and body language, a theme explored in my two books, The Art of Conversation and The Art of Conversation: Manhattan. My paintings serve as invitations for viewers to examine their own gestures and the value of time spent in dialogue. I primarily paint en plein air, working directly on-site to capture the spirit of a location. Whether painting street scenes, beaches, urban cafes or jazz musicians in dimly lit clubs, I believe the sounds, smells, and mood of the environment become integral to the finished image. There is a mystical quality to standing firmly on the earth, absorbing the scene, and letting it flow onto the canvas. What begins as the technical work of composition eventually transforms into magic, resulting in a mirror of our shared lives.

Michele Byrne: The Art of Conversation Michele Byrne is an impressionistic oil painter celebrated for her bold palette knife technique and her ability to capture the energy of modern life. Her journey began at age eight in local oil painting classes, leading to a BFA in Communication Design from Kutztown University. A formative internship in Manhattan sparked a lifelong infatuation with urban landscapes, a theme that remains central to her work today. After a successful 20-year career in graphic design, Michele transitioned to painting full-time in 2001 after further studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Now based in Santa Fe, she blends her dynamic style with the vibrant colors of the Southwest. Her work focuses on "The Art of Conversation," exploring human interaction in cafés, street scenes, and jazz clubs. Michele’s work has garnered significant national recognition, including the January 2020 cover of PleinAir Magazine. A Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society and Plein Air Artists of New Mexico, she is also a Royal Talens Ambassador and a sought-after instructor. Whether painting en plein air on a busy street or inside a dimly lit music venue, Michele strives to capture the sensory essence of a place—the sounds, smells, and moods that turn a technical composition into something magical. She is represented by Reinert Fine Art and James R. Ross Fine Art, and has authored two books: The Art of Conversation and The Art of Conversation: Manhat

2-D, Drawing, Painting (all materials)