STELLA MICHAELS
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  • The Drawing Board collection presents a compelling exploration of the interplay between subject, geometric form, and rhythm, using painting to challenge how disparate elements can converge into a unified narrative. It invites us to engage with the underlying structures of perception—how the connections between points, lines, and shapes create not only visual harmony but also resonate on emotional & intellectual levels. In this way, The Drawing Board becomes a metaphor for the creative process itself, where the act of painting, connecting, form, color, and rhythm—guides us to experience how order & chaos coexist, both in art & in the fabric of our lives. Each piece draws us into a dynamic interaction, encouraging a deeper understanding of how structure and spontaneity shape not only the artwork but the very contours of our world.

Behind the Mask No. VIII ©2020

17 x 16 inches (43.18  x 40.64 cm) (Stretched)


Enamel, acrylic and gold leaf


The collection "Behind the Mask" is a series of nine original paintings on canvas that began in the late spring of 2020 when most people were leaving the major cities to find peace and space: the artist remained in New York. Watching the people behind masks during the day while the night was still. Day after day, night after night so many different images and colors resonated and then transposed onto canvas. The collection takes you into the complexities of our mind, and the use of color that creates the metaphor, as each piece slowly unravels into form. The green tones depict new beginnings and growth. The gold tones represent the pavement of prosperity and achievement in harmony with the universe. The dance is a celebration of embracing you and the mantra “I am who I am and that is enough.”

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Behind the Mask No. III ©2023

16.5 x 17 inches (41.91 x 43.18 cm) (Stretched) 


Enamel, gold acrylic on canvas.


The collection "Behind the Mask" is a series of nine original paintings on canvas that began in the late spring of 2020 when most people were leaving the major cities to find peace and space: the artist remained in New York. Watching the people behind masks during the day while the night was still. Day after day, night after night so many different images and colors resonated and then transposed onto canvas. The collection takes you into the complexities of our mind, and the use of color that creates the metaphor, as each piece slowly unravels into form. The dance is a celebration of embracing you and the mantra “I am who I am and that is enough.” The orange and green tones depict prosperity, new beginnings and growth. The gold tones represent the pavement of prosperity and achievement in harmony with the universe.

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Knock, Knock, Knocking #3 ©2025

23 x 11 inches (58.42  x  27.94 cm)


Enamel Gold and Acrylic ©2025


Knock, Knock, Knocking Wood Panel # 3 carries an undeniable sense of harmony, where every stroke and layer feels intentional yet fluid, evoking a meditative rhythm. Completed in the winter of 2025 as part of an 10-panel collection, the piece blends the real and the imagined in a poetic dance of color and texture. The palette of deep greens, luminous yellows, and soft whites creates a glowing atmosphere, speaking to themes of growth, light, and transcendence.


The forms within the piece are suggestive, almost figurative, yet ethereal enough to invite personal interpretation. The layered textures, built through a meditative process of application and removal, create a sense of movement and vitality, as though the panel itself is alive. A clean white border frames the composition, grounding its energy and focusing the viewer’s gaze inward, where its depth and rhythm unfold. The interplay of bright yellows and soft whites against the green background suggests a quiet, celebratory energy that reflects optimism, transformation, and the joy of creation.


Rooted in the symbolic act of knocking on wood, the piece resonates with the energy of fortune and the artist’s intention to honor both the unknown and the creative journey. This panel serves as a poetic exploration of renewal, persistence, and the subtle celebrations that unfold in both life and art.

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Rolling in the Deep No.1 ©2024

23.25 x 19 inches (59.05  x 48.26 cm)


Enamel Acrylic on Canvas


Rolling in the Deep is a set of four minimalist paintings that explore the interplay between light and dark, form and space—metaphorically representing how visions, energy, and emotion form in waves. Each piece meditates on the dynamic tension between calm and intensity, with blackness grounding the composition below and vibrant hues filling the space above. This dynamic contrast and harmony reflect the perpetual motion and shifts in life.


Rolling in the Deep No. 1 invites the viewer into a tranquil world where soft purple gradients seamlessly blend into a vibrant horizon line, delicately defined in pink. This visual divider creates harmony between the calming, ethereal space above and the grounding dark tones below. The light gradient above the horizon evokes a sense of transition—from the softness of early morning to the calm of evening. The piece serves as a meditation on stillness, offering space for reflection and peaceful, flowing motion.


Rolling in the Deep No. 1 was completed in 2024 at the artist’s studio in New York.

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Rolling in the Deep No.4 ©2024

23.25 x 19 inches (59.05  x 48.26 cm)


Enamel Acrylic on Canvas


Rolling in the Deep is a set of four minimalist paintings that explore the interplay between light and dark, form and space—metaphorically representing how visions, energy, and emotion form in waves. Each piece meditates on the dynamic tension between calm and intensity, with blackness grounding the composition below and vibrant hues filling the space above. This dynamic contrast and harmony reflect the perpetual motion and shifts in life


The final piece in the Rolling in the Deep series, Rolling in the Deep No. 4, embodies a dynamic flow of color. Warm hues of pink and orange swell at the top of the canvas, gradually blending into calm, wavy compositions of blues and whites below. The fluidity of the color transitions mimics the organic rhythm of the natural world—the ebb and flow of water, the undulating horizon. The contrasting dark base provides stability to the dynamic upper half, grounding the movement and offering a sense of balance amidst the energy. This piece speaks to the cyclical nature of life, where movement and stillness coexist in harmony.


Rolling in the Deep No. 4, was completed in 2024 at the artist’s studio in New York.

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Rolling in the Deep No. 3 ©2024

23.25 x 19 inches (59.05  x 48.26 cm)


Enamel Acrylic on Canvas


Rolling in the Deep is a set of four minimalist paintings that explore the interplay between light and dark, form and space—metaphorically representing how visions, energy, and emotion form in waves. Each piece meditates on the dynamic tension between calm and intensity, with blackness grounding the composition below and vibrant hues filling the space above. This dynamic contrast and harmony reflect the perpetual motion and shifts in life


Rolling in the Deep No. 3  explores the deepening transition of color, where the interplay of hues suggests the shift from night into twilight. The calming dark tones at the bottom provide a grounding force, while the upper portion, with its delicate hues, evokes the quiet beauty of dusk’s embrace. The piece captures the peacefulness that comes with the end of the day—quiet, introspective, and contemplative.


Rolling in the Deep No. 3 was completed in 2024 at the artist’s studio in New York.

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Rolling in the Deep No.2 ©2024

23.25 x 19 inches (59.05  x 48.26 cm)


Enamel Acrylic on Canvas


Rolling in the Deep is a set of four minimalist paintings that explore the interplay between light and dark, form and space—metaphorically representing how visions, energy, and emotion form in waves. Each piece meditates on the dynamic tension between calm and intensity, with blackness grounding the composition below and vibrant hues filling the space above. This dynamic contrast and harmony reflect the perpetual motion and shifts in life.


In Rolling in the Deep No. 2, mint green swells across the top, with delicate pinks blending seamlessly into the cool, calming hues below. The composition draws the eye upward, evoking a sense of airiness—like a breath of fresh air just before dawn.


Rolling in the Deep No. 2 was completed in 2024 at the artist’s studio in New York.

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Copyright ©2007-2025 Stella Michaels;  All images are ©Stella Michaels.  ​All rights reserved.
  • The Gate
  • The Collection
    • Pop Movements Collection
    • Houses of the Holy Collection
    • The Drawing Board Collection
    • Symphony Collection
  • About the Artist
    • Stella Michaels Exhibitions
  • Inside the Studio