PROFILE | Meet artist Michele Cormier

Michele Cormier is inspired by everything in the world around her –the impression of a leaf on a sidewalk, the play of light on birchtrees, how light is filtered through water. Things that most peoplewould pass by with no more than a glance are seen by her artistic eyein a different way. 

Her most popular paintings have been her series on “red chairs,” whichwill be included in an upcoming exhibit at the BlackRock Center forthe Arts in Germantown. Work by Cormier, Joel D’Orazio and Pat Gosleewill be on view through Saturday, June 25. The theater plans to host agallery reception Friday, June 3. 

The inspiration for “the chairs” was the most mundane of householdscenes. Cormier said that she was looking for a way to add a splash ofcolor to her paintings when she came home after taking her children toschool and opened the door to a scene of bright sunlight from thewindow shining on two blue Ikea chairs, one turned over and the otherupright. The juxtaposition of the chairs and the play of light andshadow made her see the chairs in a new way. In her paintings, Cormiersaid she made the chairs red because red is such a vibrant, emotionalcolor, and a plain red wooden chair is both classic and unusual. Byplacing the chairs on an abstract background she can play more withthe placement, lighting and shadow effects. By using multiple layersof paint and glazing, each chair is given its own subtle colorvariation and personality -- and “becomes something more than just achair,” she said. 

Cormier’s recent exhibit, “Surfaces,” at the Touchstone Gallery,featured her abstract black and white paintings. Working with only thetwo colors, she emphasizes the texture of the paint by sometimes imbedding small foreign objects or the impression of pieces ofnewspaper or cheesecloth, creating a complex visual image. Cormier said that “abstract art requires much more emotional effort,” and thatwhen she is creating an abstract piece she sees the image in her mindall the time, day and night, until it is finished. 

Cormier said she has produced a few two-part paintings, either becauseof size restrictions, or because the painting just needed to expand. But she is adamant that even if they work perfectly together, each canvas has to be able to stand alone.

Cormier is a French Canadian from Ottawa, Ontario. She moved with herfamily to the Washington area in 2007 when her husband received anassignment for four years with the Canadian Embassy. They plan to moveback to Canada in July.

The new environment and the gift of time, not having to work and withall three of her children in school, allowed Michele Cormier toexperiment more with her art and to evolve her style and technique togreater heights. Cormier said that her whole family has an artistic bent and that hermother is a painter. Cormier’s first steps into the creation of artwere through the medium of watercolor more than eight years ago. Shehas since become motivated to work in acrylics in order to add moretexture to her work. Artistically, she has moved from realisticlandscapes into the abstract world, creating some works that aretotally abstract and others that are partly realistic and partlyabstract. 

The evolution is ongoing. Cormier has added to her artistic education at the Ottawa School of Art by taking courses at Glen Echo and otherlocal venues.

“It has been a wonderful journey,” Cormier said.

Michele has one more show, her Farewell Tour at Gallery 555, 12th and G Street, NW, Washington, D.C., from June 4-30.