Meet Henriett Michel | Abstract Painter & Sculpture Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Henriett Michel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Henriett, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve been passionate about creating and sharing art with people since I was a child. I love inspiring joy, positivity, and feeling through my work, I think art is a universal language that speaks to any community. After years of creating work on a small scale in my spare time, I realized if I’m really passionate about this, why not pursue it completely, go all in and make it my primary profession.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

2. What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?

I’m sure most are aware that the art world is very subjective, very personal, and very niche based. However, many may not understand that because of this subjectivity, the industry is highly fragmented which makes it very hard to establish yourself as an artist and create a following. You must embrace and build your social skills to find and establish clients for your business to survive. While that includes traditional salesperson type skills, it also includes building friendships with other artists, gallery owners, and prominent business in the community. Additionally, you must be active in the community and put yourself into often times uncomfortable situations to build your brand.

3. Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?

Risk for me is about breaking free from the “norms” of a given medium or subject matter, as well as breaking free from my own comfort zone as an artist. Taking risks as an artist can be scary however, because you don’t know how they will be received in the community and that might mean you can’t make ends meet for that project. Yet I think taking risks is absolutely necessary for growth as a professional artist, and to distinguish yourself from the pack. I’m also very eager to try to news and experiment freely with new mediums, techniques, styles, and materials all the time. I have a hard time staying locked into one project or focus for long.

4. Other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?

The most important decision I made was deciding to open up the types of work I took on as an artist. I have a very active imagination and creative drive, and I’m very passionate about certain projects, but it can be difficult to make money following passion alone. To help support my primary work, I started taking on commissions and restoration jobs. In the long run, aside from a boost in my income, these jobs also helped me grow as an artist by working in various mediums, styles, materials, and settings I hadn’t worked with before. Expanding my work into these other areas was a big reason I created an LLC in the first place so that I could take on professional contract opportunities.

5. What is the most important factor behind your success/ the success of your brand?

Being dissatisfied with standing still! I’m always itching to move around and stay active with my time. Being a mom of 4 children, I’ve stayed way too active for most of my life, and I love it. Since I’ve become a full-time artist, I’ve just channeled that activity and energy into my work. I think that tenacity and activity has allowed me to push through barriers a lot of artists encounter with creative blocks. Even if I’m having a down period of inspiration, I just put myself in the studio and find something to experiment and play with. I’ve learned to let projects sit and pick up something new as a result, and that always helps me maintain enthusiasm and creativity. That same energy has also helped me stay active in the artistic community leading to new friends, clients, and networking opportunities for commission work.

6. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?

Moving to the United States (Florida) from Budapest, Hungary as a young mother. I left the comfort zone of familiarity in my homeland (language, culture, family, friends) to provide a better opportunity for my kids. Even though it has been incredibly hard to rebuild a life in Florida, it was the best decision I ever made. Not only has it been the best thing for my children, but moving to Florida really helped me lean into my artwork seriously. Art really became a means for me to cope with and adjust to my new environment and community while maintaining some grounding in my home culture. Self-expression through art is a universal language everyone can connect to in some way.

7. Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?

I started working on art as a child, but it wasn’t until my children were grown and out of my house for me to fully commit to becoming a professional artist. Before they left the nest, I was a full time mom, and I had to work around their needs. Now, anytime inspiration strikes I can go all-in and completely immerse myself in my work. I’ve learned in recent years how unhealthy that can be though. Balancing work with self-care, family time, friends/community, and my other interests (I’m a plant mom too!) is so important to maintaining my mental and physical health. I’m still learning how to approach balancing all of these things together, but I’m making progress and figuring it out as I go.

8. Do you have a favorite quote or affirmation? What does it mean to you/ what do you like about it?

One of my favorite quotes is from the famous printmaker Andy Warhol, and it speaks directly to the self-doubt I often encounter as an artist who is constantly exploring new mediums, styles, and materials. “Don’t think about making art, just do it. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it, or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” My inspiration as an artist is infused with risk taking, but the more I work through developing a business, the more I find myself pulling back out of fear that something I’m working on won’t be successful and can hurt me financially. That doubt can be very disruptive to my creative process, and my pension to push my comfort boundaries. Warhol’s message inspires me to just push through and keep the real point of the creative process in perspective, just create your work and let the rest be what it is. I think ultimately, if you create art that is meaningful to yourself first, the right people will eventually find and appreciate it.

9. Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

I feel like I was born to be an artist, I really can’t imagine doing anything else with my life aside from being a mother. I have always been drawn to artwork, since I can remember I’ve been searching for beauty in my everyday surroundings, and my imagination has constantly whirled into new projects and works. I find such immense joy in bringing ideas, emotions, and experiences into reality through my creations. The only thing more rewarding for me than the creative process itself though, is sharing my creations with other people around me. Since I was a child, I’ve loved sharing handmade artworks as gifts to my friends and family. I find it’s my way of expressing love and affection for those I care about and spreading my joy with others. Being able to create artwork “gifts” for people full-time on a much bigger scale now professionally is truly a dream come true.

10. What do you want your legacy to be? What do you want people to remember about you?

I try not to think about these things too much, I try to live in the moment and make the best of every experience I have. I feel if I do that, my legacy will be a reflection of my life and take care of itself. I hope to leave behind a legacy of warmth, love, inspiration, and affection to everyone I’ve encountered. I think of myself as a giver, and I hope people will remember that I was always willing to give my time, attention, care, and thought to my friends and family. I also hope they remember the fun and good times we had together. My art pieces are also a part of what I’ll leave behind, and they too are reflections of my life journey lived. In most cases the work I’ve made has been a response or a reaction to the path I’ve walked and the story I’ve lived. It’s been a form of self expression in multiple ways that I hope others can resonate and appreciate even when I am gone.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Palm Beach Gardens – Jupiter – West Palm Beach areas. Restaurants/Bars; Pistache French Bistro, Waxin’s, Café Chardonnay, The Parched Pig, Square Grouper Tiki Bar, Spruzzo. Places; Norton Museum of Art, various nature preserves, Loggerhead Marine life Center.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County whose mission is to “champion, engage and grow the arts in Palm Beach County.” I was selected as their 2022 Artist Innovation Fellowship Recipient! And Chris Riccardo who is my Ceramic Sculpture Mentor and friend.

Website: https://www.HenriettMichelArt.com

Instagram: @HenriettMichel