Sounds like a midwestern cliche, but Michelle was born just days after a tornado destroyed her parents' town, with her birth certificate listing the Ramada Inn in Topeka, Kansas as her birthplace.

Growing up in Kansas City, she developed her artistic sensibilities through visits to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and performances by the Kansas City Symphony and Ballet. Drawing and creating from an early age, Michelle earned multiple scholarships to the University of Arizona, graduating with a BFA in 1989.

While pursuing her own art, she built a professional career in the arts sector across the country, working with institutions including the University of Arizona, Berta Wright Gallery, Tom Philabaum, Otto Naumann Ltd., Arroyo Design, and Cervini Haas Gallery.

Her paintings are now held in several private collections.