Photo: Stephen Churchill Downes
BIO
Michelle Doll’s paintings capture quiet, private moments hinged on personal connections between herself and her subjects. Her paintings are infused with themes of intimacy and introspection and explore contemporary ideas about family, love, desire and femininity. The subject matter, although not idealized in form, implies idealized moments of intimacy that we all either consciously or unconsciously crave.
Born in Canton, Ohio, she received her BFA from Kent State University (1999) and her MFA from the New York Academy of Art (2006). Among her awards and acknowledgements, Michelle received the Prince of Wales / Forbes Foundation Travel Grant (2006), Artist in Residence at Eden Rock on St. Barth’s (2008), The Bennett Prize Honorable Mention (2018), a fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (2019) and The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant in Association with PAAM (2024). Her paintings have been exhibited in the US and internationally with solo exhibitions at Lyons Wier Gallery in NYC, Pontone Gallery in London, Gallery Ramfjord in Oslo, Blank Space Gallery in NYC and DFN Gallery in NYC.
Doll’s artwork has been the subject of numerous interviews in publications such as Quiet Lunch, ArtSpeak NYC, American Art Collectors Magazine, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, White Hot Magazine, Evolved Magazine, also featured in publications including “The Figure”, by Margaret McCann (a Rizzoli Publication) and “The Figurative Artists Handbook”, by Robert Zeller (Published by Moncelli Studio). She’s been interviewed in podcasts including John Dalton Podcast, The Drop Interviews, The Art Grind Podcast, Mother Artist Podcast and Art Haus Radio with Bo Bartlett. Her work is is also featured in publications including “The Figure”, by Margaret McCann (a Rizzoli Publication) and “The Figurative Artists Handbook”, by Robert Zeller (Published by Moncelli Studio).
She currently lives and works in Hoboken, NJ and is an adjunct professor at the New Jersey City University while also teaching and mentoring artists both in person and online. For more information about Michelle Doll and her work please visit www.MichelleDoll.com or follow her on Instagram @michellelynndoll
Artist Statement
My paintings are rooted in the idea of creating safe, idealized worlds that bring to light intimate spiritual connections—safe and sacred spaces that resonate with affection and trust. Through the process of rendering these moments of loving connection, time seems to slow, and a heightened sense of awareness is awakened on the canvas. It is in these moments that everyday figures and families come alive with hope and compassion.
Each touch, glance, and embrace carries meaning in the folds, creases and weight of connecting bodies. These fleeting, intimate moments are captured in their raw beauty, allowing familiarity to play out across patterned fabrics and intertwined forms. Inspired by the classical mastery of artists like Mary Cassatt, Raphael, and Gerard David, every brushstroke records both physical bodies and the resonance of unspoken emotional dialogue, tracing invisible bonds and unraveling frozen moments of divine union. Beyond dysfunction, life here transcends the ordinary, allowing the viewer to focus on fixed moments of tenderness and mystical rhapsody. These painted worlds enable us to explore both the physical and metaphysical energies within us all, freeing us to fully be ourselves, at peace, in love, and at play.