Silent Passage - Mallards by Michele Clarkson

ABOUT THE ARTIST: MICHELE CLARKSON

Michele Clarkson was born in Toronto, Ontario, and grew up in Mississauga. She spent much of her childhood with a paintbrush or a sketching pad in her hand and she can't remember a time that she did not dream of becoming a professional artist. Although Michele is mostly self-taught, she attended The Ontario College of Art on a part-time basis and focused her studies on painting and colour theory.

With a body of wildlife and nature paintings behind her, Michele was accepted into her first show, The Wye Marsh Wildlife Art Festival, in Midland, Ontario. The overwhelming response to her work encouraged Michele to paint on a full-time basis and she has never looked back. She has been invited to exhibit in some of the most prestigious art shows in Ontario, including The McMichael Gallery, The National Capital Fine Art Festival, The Wye Marsh Wildlife Art Festival and The Buckhorn Wildlife Art Festival.

Her acrylic painting of a beaver was chosen for the 2001 Ducks Unlimited Art Print Portfolio and Michele was honoured to have been chosen as the Buckhorn Festivals 2000 Cover Artist. In 2003, Michele's painting "Moose Portrait" was selected by the Archives of Ontario to participate in their 100 th anniversary art exhibition, "A celebration of Ontario Artists", that was held at the John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto.

Michele's work has gained international interest with collectors from Germany, Austria and the U.S. To date, Michele has published seven limited edition Giclée prints; "Marsh Mischief" (raccoon), "Red Among the Green" (red squirrel), "A Golden Moment" (Golden Retriever), "Autumn Mist" (landscape), "Forest Forager" (chipmunk), "Preening, trumpeter swan " and her newest print "Shadow Maker" (killdeer).

You can view Michele's work at her website, www.micheleclarkson.ca.

To find out more about Mallard ducks and their habitat, click here (Hinterland Who's Who)