MICHELLE VELLA INTERVIEW
Your paintings arrived at a time when figurative art was experiencing a remarkable resurgence, yet your work has always felt distinctly your own. Looking back, what drew you toward figurative painting, and how did you develop a visual language that felt authentic to you?
I never felt like I was taking a risk with my style as I was just being true to myself in what I painted. I found my own voice and I am grateful that people enjoy my style. I never knew that figurative art was on trend until recently—how fortunate for me.
The expressive eyes in your portraits have become one of the most recognizable elements of your work. Can you tell us about the evolution of your signature "Big Eyes" style and how it became such an important part of your artistic identity?
I started with fashion gesture drawings and posting them to Instagram less than two years ago. I began noticing fashion illustrators on Instagram and was inspired by their work, but I was determined to develop a style that felt uniquely my own.
My full figurative drawings gradually evolved into painted portraits using acrylics, and by the summer of 2015, my "Big Eyes" style came to life right before my eyes.
In a remarkably short period of time, your work caught the attention of an impressive roster of collectors and celebrities. One of the most memorable moments was being commissioned by fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg. How did that relationship begin, and what was it like meeting someone whose influence on fashion is so significant?
I have been very fortunate and owe much of my success to Instagram. I started creating celebrity portraits and sharing them online, hoping the subjects themselves might notice, share, or tag my work.
In June of 2015, I posted a portrait of Diane von Furstenberg. While having coffee with my sister Marjorie, my phone suddenly lit up with notifications saying, "DVF is now following you" on Instagram and Twitter. Shortly afterward, she commented, "I love this, I want to buy it," and "I want this for my collection." Needless to say, I nearly fell off my chair.
I followed up through email, and Diane responded immediately, inviting me to meet her and bring my portfolio. Since I was attending New York Fashion Week with W Magazine that September, I was able to personally deliver the portrait.
Waiting in the lobby of DVF headquarters was surreal. I was surrounded by portraits of Diane created by artists such as Andy Warhol and Francesco Clemente. To think that my work would be displayed among artists of that caliber was incredibly humbling.
When we finally met, she embraced me warmly and was so generous with her compliments. We took photographs together in her office with the portrait, and then she proudly carried it around introducing it to her team. Diane even gifted me one of her Secret Agent handbags and invited me to her fashion show.
A few weeks later, I was featured on the DVF website and Instagram. It remains one of the most exciting moments of my career.
Your portraits invite viewers into intimate moments while leaving room for personal interpretation. When someone stands in front of one of your paintings, what do you hope they see, feel, or discover within the work?
When people look at my paintings, I want them to relate to them in their own way, create their own stories, and enjoy them for whatever meaning they hold personally.
Two of my paintings, "Eyes Inspired" and "Eyes on Fashion," are self-portraits and reveal a little more about me. In those works, I included artists and fashion icons who have inspired me throughout my journey. I am barefoot in both paintings as a sign of respect and admiration.
The eyes communicate so much, and one of my favorite things is hearing the different interpretations people bring to the work. There are no wrong answers.
Fashion continues to play an important role in your creative world, extending beyond the canvas into exciting collaborative projects. You are currently partnering with an Italian designer on a new venture. What excites you most about the collaborative process, and what have you learned from creating across borders and disciplines?
I am incredibly excited about this collaboration. It has been a wonderful experience, and I cannot wait to share more once it officially launches.
What makes the project especially remarkable is how unlikely it seemed in the beginning. We met through Instagram over a year ago. I live in Toronto, Canada; she lives in Sydney, Australia; and the product itself is designed and manufactured in Italy.
Despite the distance, we developed a genuine friendship and eventually had the opportunity to meet in Italy this past summer to work together in person. The experience has reinforced for me how creativity can connect people across continents and cultures, and I am excited to see where the collaboration leads.