b. 1961, lives in the suburbs outside Philadelphia, PA in the USA
Fine Artist / Creativity Mentor & Founder of Holistic Creativity, LLC

Summary

Michelle is a practicing Fine Artist whose work has been shown nationally in solo, juried, and group shows. Her work brings attention to the clash between Nature’s elegant forms, materials, and ecosystems and the relative crudeness of man-made objects, substances, and processes. She explores the relationships that merge the elegant forms and functions of Nature with the Artifacts created by human beings. Michelle’s Virtual Sculptures, Virtual Environments, Collages, and Drawings juxtapose organic and inorganic surfaces in order to engage our innate sensory awareness of our surroundings.

Her work is created using a combination of 2D and 3D computer graphics and traditional materials of artistic mark-making such as ink, graphite, and colored pencil all printed or created on paper. Both the intricacy and precision of digitally-generated forms and the immediacy and fluidity of hand-generated physical representations delight the artist.

Michelle Rothwell is an Associate Professor of Art, Media, and Design with over 20 years of college teaching experience and professional creative practices. During her career in academia, she created multiple degree programs for several colleges and universities, designed dozens of courses, and mentored hundreds of students and peers. She is the founder of the Game Art BFA program at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Mrs. Rothwell has more than 30 years of experience in creative fields. She has served in a wide range of professional roles including Director of Information Architecture, Interaction/Interface/Experience Designer, Virtual Reality Researcher, Product Developer, and Freelance Artist and Designer. Her client list includes DuPont, Proctor & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Merrill Lynch, AstraZeneca, SAP, Qwest Communications and Unisys.

In 2015, Michelle designed and launched Holistic Creativity, a dynamic program for creative healing and transformation. It combines her research and experience in the Arts with 20+ years of experience devoted to ancient Spiritual-healing and Mindfulness modalities. She is the author of Holistic Creativity: A Complete Course for Inspired Productivity.

Currently, Michelle balances her time between her own artistic practice and coaching others with their creative goals and dreams. “Helping people to explore their Creativity, conquer their limitations, and experience deep creative fulfillment is the most important work of my life. As a practicing artist and teacher, I have come to realize a personal path of creative engagement and joy that I did not know was even possible.”

Inliquid Gallery

Artsy Gallery

Education
Master of Industrial Design, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 1997
Bachelor of Art in Studio Art, University of Rhode Island, Kingstown, RI, 1989

Solo Shows

• The Urgent Imperative, Dec 12, 2019 – Jan. 25, 2020, Esther Klein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
• Virtual Sculptures, Aug. 31 – Oct. 16, 2015, President’s Gallery, The University of the Arts, Phila., PA
• Biomimesis, April 3 – April 27, 2015, CRUXspace, Philadelphia, PA
• Biomimesis//Sculptures on Paper, Sept. 10 – Oct. 7, 2013, Artworks, Trenton, NJ
• Good Earth Gallery, May 5 – Jun. 15, 2003, Philadelphia, PA
• The Fringe Festival, Solo Exhibition, Aug. 30 – Sept. 14, 2002, Ethical Society, Philadelphia, PA
• Avenue of the Arts Festival, Solo Exhibition, Oct., 1997, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Juried Shows

• 13th International Botanical Art Competition, Jan 2023, Online
• The Healing Power of ART inspired by NATURE, Jan. 1 – Mar. 1, 2023, Online
• International Botanical Art Competition, Aug 2018, Online
• LACDA 2014 International Juried Exhibition, Mar. 13 – Apr. 6, 2014, Los Angeles, CA
• Mercer County Artists 2014, Mar. 13 – Apr. 3, 2014, MCC College Gallery, NJ
• 3 Years + 3 Days, Feb. 4 – Feb. 7, 2014, NOoSPHERE ARTS, New York, NY
• Paper Work, Nov. 16 – Jan. 5, 2014, The Trenton City Art Museum at Ellarslie, Trenton, NJ
• Art for Art’s Sake, Apr. 9 – Jun. 5, 2010, Gallery 125, Trenton, NJ
• Emerging Artists’ Show, Feb. 9 – Mar. 2, 2007, The SPACE Centre, New Richmond, WI
• ArtsWest 27, Mar. 5 – Apr. 11, 2006, L. E. Phillips Library, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
• The Photographic Process, Juried Exhibition, Aug. 4 – 31, 2002, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

Group Shows

• Monorama, Sept. 28 – Oct. 28, 2023, The Holy Art Gallery, London, UK
• New Now VI, July 29 – Sept. 9, 2023, InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
• Digital Original, May 12 – Jun. 18, 2018, Duke Gallery, Community Art Center, Wallingford, PA
• University of the Arts Faculty Exhibition, Aug. 30 – Oct. 14, 2017, Montgomery Community College, Blue Bell, PA
• Faculty Show, Oct. 11 – Nov. 19, 2016, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
• Faculty Show, Oct. 2 – 23, 2013, Grace Gallery @ NYC College of Technology, Brooklyn, NY
• Contemporary Visions, Two-person show, Nov. 5 – Jan. 31, 2008, Univ. of Wisconsin-Marshfield Gallery
• Northern/Southern Exposure, Sept. 14 – Oct. 5, 2006, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stout, Menominee, WI
• Northern/Southern Exposure, Oct. 12 – Nov. 15, 2006,  Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
• Faculty Show 2005, Group Show, Nov. 18 – Jan. 30, 2005, Furlong Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Food for the Soul, 2004 Art Walk Series, Aug. 19, 2004, Menomonie, WI
• Faculty Show 2004, Group Show, Feb. 7 – Mar. 31, 2004, Furlong Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Women’s Studies, Group Show, Oct., 2003, Gallery 209, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• From a Woman’s Perspective, Group Exhibition, Apr. 4 – 30, 2003, Gallery 911 @ Revsin, Philadelphia, PA
• Good Earth Gallery, Group Show, Dec. 3 – Jan. 15, 2003, Philadelphia, PA

Awards

• “Best in Show”, Mercer County Artists 2014, Mar. 13 – Apr. 3, 2014, MCC College Gallery, NJ
• One of “10 Artists to Watch”, 2014 International Juried Exhibition, Los Angeles Center for Digital Arts
• Magna Cum Laude, MID, The University of the Arts, May 1997
• Corypheaus Fellowship, MID, The University of the Arts, 1995 – 1997

Professional Experience
Adjunct/Assistant/Associate Professor, (2001 – 2018)
2D Design/ Digital Imaging/ Digital Narrative
Interactive/ Web Design/ Interface Design/ 2D & 3D Animation
Game Art/ Design/ 3D Modeling/ 3D Rendering & Lighting

Corporate Employers/ Clients
Glaxo SmithKline/ Unisys/ DuPont
Merrill Lynch/ Qwest Communications/ Proctor & Gamble
SAP/ Rhone-Poulenc Rorer/ AstraZeneca
Bryn Mawr College/ Philadelphia University/ University of the Arts

Corporate Design Experience
Software Development/ Multimedia Design / Interaction Design
Information Architecture & Usability/ Design Consulting

Expertise

Creativity Consulting/ Coaching
3D Computer Graphics/ Game Art/ Motion Graphics & Computer Animation
Interactive, Information & Interdisciplinary Design
Academic Program Development & Curriculum Development

Entrepreneur

Holistic Creativity, LLC
11/2015 to present

Founder/Principle: Workshops, Coaching, and Courses
Book: Holistic Creativity: A Complete Course for Inspired Productivity, ISBN- 978-0-9992227-2-0, Published Aug. 2019, HolisticCreativity.com

Digital Ecology Design
10/2000 to 9/2007

Founder/Principle, Interactive/Interaction Design Consulting

Full CV