"When I started painting, I was surprised to see how much happiness poured onto the canvas.
​ I really like to celebrate life and all its moments. I have painted about friendship, love and human issues. I also love painting animals."

One Fish And Five Cats

Michele Taras With Utility Box

Michele Taras has been described by reporter Kitty Huisman as "a young Picasso, as if he fell into a rainbow." She began painting in 2018 after a long career as a fashion photographer. Her work has sold across North America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. Her style is contemporary art - naive. Her bright colours and happy images make her style easily recognizable and her artwork stands out in a room.
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Horse Corral

You are a painter, fashion photographer, and art apparel designer. What do you enjoy most about each of these creative pathways?
I love the fact that being an artist, you don't have to limit yourself to one medium. I have always been a bit of an overachiever and work hard at everything I do. Being a fashion photographer was a lot of work. You had to coordinate models, makeup artists, hair stylists, designers, location etc... but the challenge of bringing everything together always brought such satisfying end results, and it is fun working in a team. It is funny how your insecurities can hold you back from what you were really meant to do. For years I thought I couldn't draw or paint and I think it is because of this that I went full throttle into photography. In 2018, I decided I would try my hand at painting and see how it goes. I bought a canvas and it actually sat in my guestroom for about 2 months before I actually had the courage to start. However, with paint and brush in hand I found that colours and forms came easily to me and before I knew it I was painting and selling more than I even dreamed was possible. In 2019 I decided on a bit of a whim to design clothing and bring together my passion for fashion with my passion for art. It was really rewarding. I didn't expect much to come from it, I was really only doing it for fun and to express myself, but then I received a phone call from Vancouver Fashion Week asking me to come be a part of their show. It was mind-blowing to receive this personal invitation because their fashion week is truly spectacular. When I sat there watching all the other amazing designers I was so humbled to be a part of it all.

You describe your style of art as 'contemporary art - naive'. Please explain.
We have all heard of the style "Art Naive" where artists use child - like forms and imagery to create their art. My style is so unique and many people have told me that it stands apart from other artists and you can recognize a Michele Taras right away. I think what makes my art contemporary is my use of curvy forms, imaginary characters and bright complex colour patterns.

Blue Horses

Patterned Horse

"My style is so unique and many people have told me that it stands apart from other artists and you can recognize a Michele Taras right away. ​I think what makes my art contemporary is my use of curvy forms, imaginary characters and bright complex colour patterns."

COVID-19

You are from Montreal but you have lived in China, and travelled to Haiti and Kenya. How has travelling influenced your creativity?

I believe that we are all influenced by the world in which we live. African artists are more likely to depict African culture in their work, American artists more likely to depict American life and so on. Having lived abroad and traveled extensively, you cannot help but bring more to your art. Travel really changes you as a person. I first noticed this when one of my paintings "Portrait of Long-necked ladies" made many people comment that it had a definite African vibe to it. Africans are not afraid of using colour and patterns and neither am I.

You combine unexpected colors, patterns and shapes that fluidly support and communicate with each other. Tell us about the evolution of a piece?
My mind is constantly churning up ideas for paintings. I find it hard to keep up with my thoughts. Usually I have a definite idea of what the painting will be in terms of the subject and how it moves on the canvas. Then I start painting. Sometimes the colours come quickly, other times I have to stop and give space and time to properly figure out which colour should go where so the piece makes sense and everything balances in the end. 
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Drinks My Deer

Michele Taras

"I remember as a child walking with my mom in art museums, looking at the paintings and commenting: "Mom, if these painters had taken a photography course, their art would be so much better."

Menage A Trois Pieds

​What are you passionate about and how does your art speak about those themes?
When I started painting, I was surprised to see how much happiness poured onto the canvas. I really like to celebrate life and all its moments. I have painted about friendship, love and human issues such as Trump's wall and the impact of Covid. I also love painting animals. Sometimes on their own and sometimes showing their relationship with their human counterparts.

Your art has been well received across the globe. Tell us about some of your major successes?
I love how people appreciate my art. There is no greater
compliment than someone buying one of my pieces. It is pretty incredible to me that I have only been painting two years and I have already been accepted in many juried shows and have sold my work to different continents.

You had a distinguished career as a photographer. Share with us some of the highlights.
I have been very fortunate to receive wide acclaim for my photography work by the largest international photography awards in the world: the PX3 (Paris International Awards) and IPA (the International Photography Awards based in the USA) among many others.

I Have No Friends

My Best Friend

"My mission with my Art Apparel brand was to make women understand that we are all beautiful, regardless of race, age, size, sexual preference or disability"

The Stalker

How does your background in photography influence your painting?
I remember as a child walking with my mom in art museums, looking at the paintings and commenting: "Mom, if these painters had taken a photography course, their art would be so much better." I believe that photography trains you to see the world. It teaches you how to balance objects in the frame to make it look much more than ordinary.

​Tell us about the mission behind Michele Taras Art Apparel?
My mission with my Art Apparel brand was to make women understand that we are all beautiful, regardless of race, age, size, sexual preference or disability. It was very important to me on all my runway shows to have all types of models. I had gay models, older models, petite models, curvy models, a model with Alopecia and even a model in a wheelchair. I also had a runway show with exclusively Asian models. (You can see videos on YouTube) For many years I had the motto: "The purpose of art is to break the rules of conformity." My fashion design was always more about making a statement in the fashion world than selling clothing. I was so grateful to the fashion shows for supporting this mission and allowing me to bring this variety of models to the runway.

Raining Love

Four Cats And Dogs

"I feel like I have traveled a long road of hard work to finally end up where I belong. Expect to see my paintings on the walls of big museums going forward."

Michele In Her Art Room

Share with us a bit about the creative process behind your art apparel brand's range.
Being a photographer I am no stranger to computer work. When I design my clothing I take elements of computer graphics and some elements of my paintings. I might for instance take an eye that I painted and repeat it in a pattern and put it on clothing. I do not like to take an exact replica of my art because I like my art to remain intact and unique. I also want my clothing to be high-end so I have it manufactured high quality and limited edition. I never make more than 25 pieces of one item.
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​What can we look forward to from you, going forward?
When people ask me what I will do going forward, I always say that I am riding the roller coaster and will see where it takes me. However I am so excited with my paintings. I feel like I have traveled a long road of hard work to finally end up where I belong. Expect to see my paintings on the walls of big museums going forward. I feel I owe it to the people who have bought my paintings to do my best to become a famous, well-accomplished artist.


Website: www.micheletaras.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/michele_taras