Michelle Clair was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She specializes in bird painting, African wildlife, pet portraits, airbrush portraits, and scrimshaw. She welcomes personalized commissions. Michelle completed holds a Diploma in Graphic Design and Photography. The course took her three years to complete, after she worked as a studio photographer doing modeling and advertising portfolios before becoming a freelance artist and specializing in nature and landscape photography. Michelle is married and has two sons. Living in the Wilds of Africa, she was influenced by the wildlife and started painting professionally, drawing on her surroundings for inspiration. Soon she started exhibition at InnerSpace Gallery in Harare, both group and solo. Her art received a warm welcome and she graduated to participating in 3 group exhibitions held at Zimbabwe House in London. At venues in Zimbabwe, there were several sell out solo exhibitions before the artist emigrated to live in scenic New Zealand.
Already, she has had exhibitions at the Selwyn Gallery in Darfield, and the Akaroa Gallery in beautiful South Island in New Zealand. She also exhibited paintings at the Merivale Fine Arts gallery in Christchurch until the Quake. However this gallery is no longer operating. Michelle still does freelance photography both as a hobby and professionally. She also scrimshaws and designs knife handles on custom made knives for local knife makers. (Michelle is an associate member of the New Zealand Knife maker's guild). After completing a professional Airbrush course, she now does commissions for airbrush portraits of brides, children and pets - life size and bigger. Michelle has paintings in private collections in Spain, the United States, South Africa, Australia, United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
