Michelle Thornburg Art Exhibit

Michelle Thornburg is a California Artist and Art Teacher living and working in the Central Valley.  She creates dream like paintings from her subconscious using the Surrealist technique of automatism, or automatic painting.  Her technique of using mainly her hands to apply acrylic or oil paint to the canvas allow her to connect with her artwork.  Her paintings are created by applying paints onto the canvas in various colors, patterns, and movements. Her paintings are often reworked and go through many changes before they are completed. These expressive paintings are full of fanciful images and colorful landscapes.

My style of creating artwork is painting from the subconscious. There are no carefully planned sketches, no grids, it is just me and my paint with no expectations of anything but painting. I use my hands to apply the paint directly onto my canvas, no rules, just whatever feels right.  The key for me is to let go of the conscious world around me, and just paint, allowing my hands to take the lead. Eventually the painting reveals itself. It's like daydreaming on a canvas.