As a young girl, Toronto-based abstract artist Mishel Schwartz used to hide on the stairs that led to her artist-parents’ studio and watch them paint live models. This innocent voyeurism was the catalyst for a lifelong passion for the arts. 

The journey began with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in college, followed by a degree in Art History from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.  Mishel concluded her studies with a degree in Graphic Design from York University in Toronto. 

After almost 20 years as Creative Director for a Canadian home furnishings company, Mishel took a leap of faith and plunged into the pursuit of a career as a working artist.  She is emerging as a force on the Toronto art-scene, gaining recognition locally and branching out with international shows as well.  In October 2019, Mishel was handpicked by a curator to show her works in the well-known Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.  

Her primary medium is alcohol ink—a medium she discovered by exploring the art scene on social media. Intrigued, she began experimenting with the inks and slowly developed a technique wherein layers of colour are added and intricate details are then carved out of the layers, giving her work great depth and mystery. 

These days, Mishel spends most of her time in her studio, working on various collections as well as private commissions and collaborations with branding companies 

 

As a young girl, Toronto-based abstract artist Mishel Schwartz used to hide on the stairs that led to her artist-parents’ studio and watch them paint live models. This innocent voyeurism was the catalyst for a lifelong passion for the arts. 

The journey began with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in college, followed by a degree in Art History from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.  Mishel concluded her studies with a degree in Graphic Design from York University in Toronto. 

After almost 20 years as Creative Director for a Canadian home furnishings company, Mishel took a leap of faith and plunged into the pursuit of a career as a working artist.  She is emerging as a force on the Toronto art-scene, gaining recognition locally and branching out with international shows as well.  In October 2019, Mishel was handpicked by a curator to show her works in the well-known Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.  

Her primary medium is alcohol ink—a medium she discovered by exploring the art scene on social media. Intrigued, she began experimenting with the inks and slowly developed a technique wherein layers of colour are added and intricate details are then carved out of the layers, giving her work great depth and mystery. 

These days, Mishel spends most of her time in her studio, working on various collections as well as private commissions and collaborations with branding companies 

 

“When I paint, I feel at peace, grounded to the earth and the organic world. It’s a symbiotic relationship; a personal experience that connects me to all living things.” 

Reaching out through art, I explore nature in all its complexities; flowers in bloom, birth, death, light, dark— the opposites and the complements—all present in my mind’s eye. 

I don’t paint from photos or actual objects, but rather, I let the ink guide the art. I look at each piece as a kind of visual diary; a way to document beauty and express joy. Sometimes the forms are organic and real, and often they can even take on an imperceptible quality, much like the living world we inhabit. 

The rich layers and textures of the natural world are my primary inspiration. I love the dynamic interplay of light and shadow and how sights and smells seem to seep into the paper through inanimate forms. Using alcohol ink allows for great depth in my art. It has a mysterious fluidity and is very malleable. I can watch, almost as a third person, as one shape evolves into something else entirely; I add layers of colour and then carve into the dry ink to bring out a rich network of detail. The end result often takes me by surprise and makes me realize that you can find a delicate balance between control and freedom in your work and in your life. 

Looking back, I now realize that all the angst I felt in my 20’s, the pressure that burdened me in my 30’s, and the life experiences that knocked me down in my 40’s, have all culminated to bring about the sense of inner calm I now feel.  There is no doubt in my mind that this new confidence and fulfillment comes from the gift of being able to tap into my emotions and express them through my art. 

 

 

“When I paint, I feel at peace, grounded to the earth and the organic world. It’s a symbiotic relationship; a personal experience that connects me to all living things.” 

Reaching out through art, I explore nature in all its complexities; flowers in bloom, birth, death, light, dark— the opposites and the complements—all present in my mind’s eye. 

I don’t paint from photos or actual objects, but rather, I let the ink guide the art. I look at each piece as a kind of visual diary; a way to document beauty and express joy. Sometimes the forms are organic and real, and often they can even take on an imperceptible quality, much like the living world we inhabit. 

The rich layers and textures of the natural world are my primary inspiration. I love the dynamic interplay of light and shadow and how sights and smells seem to seep into the paper through inanimate forms. Using alcohol ink allows for great depth in my art. It has a mysterious fluidity and is very malleable. I can watch, almost as a third person, as one shape evolves into something else entirely; I add layers of colour and then carve into the dry ink to bring out a rich network of detail. The end result often takes me by surprise and makes me realize that you can find a delicate balance between control and freedom in your work and in your life. 

Looking back, I now realize that all the angst I felt in my 20’s, the pressure that burdened me in my 30’s, and the life experiences that knocked me down in my 40’s, have all culminated to bring about the sense of inner calm I now feel.  There is no doubt in my mind that this new confidence and fulfillment comes from the gift of being able to tap into my emotions and express them through my art.