As a young girl, Toronto-based abstract artist Mishel Schwartz used to hide on the stairs that led to her artist parent’s studio and watch them paint life 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. Schwartz 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, Schwartz 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, Schwartz 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, Schwartz spends most of her time in her studio, working on various collections as well as private commissions and collaborations with branding companies. For more information, visit mishelschwartzart.com, and Instagram: @mishelart2
You grew up in Montreal with parents as artists. Can you tell us about your journey into art, and why, after a 20-year career as a creative director, you changed paths?
Like many artists, I suppose I was programmed to pursue a ‘career’ in the arts, more than looking to be an artist. I went to school, which I considered a gift. The path that seemed most in line with my skills was graphic design and I balanced this with a degree in fine arts and art history, which was always my first love. In studying the Masters, I cultivated my deep fascination with, and respect for, the genius of storytelling through the visual arts. After more than 20 years as creative director for a family-owned business, something began to gnaw at me. I felt first a void than a pull – and this led me to the easel. The desire took hold of me quickly, palpable was this longing and pull towards the canvas. I began to explore and get back to my roots as an artist. And, at the risk of sounding cliché, that first moment was like an epiphany, and the more I painted, the more I knew that it was time, and this was what I was meant to do.
The art you create is beautifully fluid. Can you tell us about your process, and what inspires you to create like this?
My primary inspiration comes from the natural world – the sights, smells and shapes of all living things. And I love the dynamic interplay of light and shadow – and alcohol ink, with its fluidity and malleability, is the perfect medium for expressing my affinity with nature. Sometimes, when I sit down at a canvas, I have something in mind; I have a chosen colour palette and a vision if you will. Other times, I sit down with no plan at all and see what evolves. Sometimes, my inspiration comes from a deeply-felt emotion; other times, I am working purely from a desire to create. It’s a freedom that is difficult to articulate yet feels so natural when I am immersed in the creative process.
What is it about the medium alcohol ink you love so much?
When I first started exploring alcohol ink, there was a learning curve. It wasn’t a medium I had ever used before, but I had seen some work by other artists and was drawn to it. This ‘fluidity’ you mention is exactly what I loved. The more I manipulated the inks, the more I saw their depth and potential. I soon developed a technique of layering the inks and carving into them to add depth and detail. It’s a process I have come to love, and one that I am continually learning from. I love the fact that the ink is so malleable because it broadens the scope of possibility when you work with it. It has a mysterious quality that has really captivated me.
You have collaborated with several companies such as Pallas Snowboards. Can you tell us about this and any other favourites? We personally want to refurb the office with one of your photo walls designs. They are stunning.
Thank you very much, I am so happy you like them. It was a thrill to work on this collaboration with Photowall, to see it all come to fruition and on such a grand scale. When I was first approached by Pallas Snowboards – my first collaboration – I didn’t know what to expect, but I approached it as a new chapter in my life as an artist that could be fun and, at the very least, a learning experience; I would get to use my art for products that would be out there in the world which would give me added exposure – but, more importantly, I felt it would expand my experience of the artistic process. The owner of Pallas Snowboards had seen my work on Instagram and approached me about creating a series of paintings representing the seasons. She loved the organic quality of the work and felt we could collaborate to bring these snowboards to life. That first collaboration did not disappoint – it was a great success on many levels. I loved working with the owner and the illustrator who added her own delicate imagery of animals to the boards.
I’ve since collaborated with some incredible people running successful companies. We work together, share ideas and have fascinating discussions, which are both inspiring and interesting.
It’s wonderful to see my work replicated on beautifully-made products, and I have had a great response in my collaboration with Icanvas – an online site that allows people to have original artwork that has been printed on canvas. Today, I’m very passionate about collaboration; it is tremendously fulfilling on so many levels. It’s not only about the end result – the Pallas Snowboard designs were voted Editor’s Choice for the design of the year – but also the collaborative journey, which has brought about an exhilarating aspect to my work as an artist.
What are you working on currently, and do you have any exhibitions lined up that you can tell us about?
Lately, I have been thinking of different ways of bringing more nature into my work. I am currently working on a series of paintings where I am integrating actual pieces of wildflowers, twigs and branches which I gather on my long daily walks. I trim and dry these pieces and press them in my favourite art books for a while. When they are dried and pressed, I play around with their placement on the canvas, and once I am satisfied with the composition, I use a special spray to adhere them to the canvas. Then the fun begins! I enhance the pieces I’ve used with different colours of ink to bring out the light shadow and details.
I am always looking for new ways to express the joy and beauty I see in nature, but also to bring into light, visually, the importance of preserving this planet we have been gifted. Perhaps this series is my small way of creating something permanent in a time when the fear and worry about what we are leaving behind is so at risk – so fragile and tenuous.
Because of Covid, many planned exhibitions have been cancelled. However, I will be showing my work at The Other Art Fair in Toronto, hopefully, this autumn. This is the first time they will be in Canada, and I have previously shown them in Chicago in 2018. I am really looking forward to the return of live, in-person exhibitions. In many ways, it is the lifeblood of the artist and the artistic experience.
