Michelle Guitard is a Canadian artist born in the 60s in Vancouver British Columbia Canada. She is currently living in St. George Ontario, while spending time painting in France, Mexico, Spain, Ireland, and Morocco. 

Michelle for the last 10 years has  owned and operated  Art and Soul Creative. She teaches extensively throughout the world and from her studio in St. George. She currently facilitates monthly weekend art workshop retreats in Collingwood Ontario, as well as art retreats in San Miguel Mexico, Italy, France and Morocco. She also spends much of her time mentoring students through her monthly mentorship program. 

Michelle was accepted to the prestigious 6 week Artist Residency in Orquevaux France in April of 2023. She was awarded the Denis Diderot Grant and Emerging Artist Grant for this residency. She has recently been awarded a spot at The Westcove Estate Ateleir Artist Residency in Ireland for the month of May 2024. 

Michelle has studied fine arts/graphic design  at the University of Guelph, York University and Georgian College. She also holds an addiction caseworker diploma from the University of McMaster. 

Michelle’s latest travels and nomadic existence allows her to be constantly perceiving her environment as a newcomer resulting in a unique perspective which is infused into her paintings in acrylic on canvas. 

Within the canvas there are no boundaries of subject, perspective or reality, just the borrowings from all that she has been exposed to. 

Her work is predominantly focussed on the female figure and its relationship to the earth and landscape. Through landscape topography, symbolism, colour, patterning and design, heavily influenced by her graphic design background, she is able to integrate these elements in her work. Her current work takes on a more surrealist feel, layering objects, symbols, patterns, human form, and landscape in an approach reminiscent of a collage piece.  Her strong female archetypes possess energies that challenge and influence our beliefs about ourselves and the role we play in the world. Her Feminine archetypes explore the life stages that women go through from girl to woman to wise-woman. They represent feminine energy and feminine power. 

All of Michelles work is bought and sold through the platform of social media predominantly Instagram. Through her teachings and travels, she has gained a significant following through social media. 

www.michelleguitard.net