Peace of Mind

Oil on Linen

The Story Behind the Work
This piece emerged from exploring the tension between concealment and revelation. The vertical red streams evoke the sense of a curtain being drawn — a veil between the visible and the hidden. For me, it represents the rawness of emotion when we allow ourselves to drop the mask: the vulnerability of showing what lies beneath the surface. The deep crimson background holds weight and gravity, while the glowing red bands suggest movement, release, and emergence. It is a meditation on what it feels like to stand at the edge of transformation — the moment just before stepping through into a new chapter.

How It Lifts a Room
Collectors often find that this painting brings both drama and warmth into a space. The rich spectrum of reds adds intensity and depth, making it a natural focal point in a living area, office, or gallery wall. At the same time, the softness of the forms and the flowing quality of the lines lend a sense of calm, like light filtering through fabric. It’s a work that doesn’t just decorate a room — it anchors it, creating an atmosphere of presence, intimacy, and power.

Materials
The artwork is created using oil on fine Belgian linen, chosen for its durability and the luminous way it absorbs pigment. Linen offers a subtle, natural texture that enhances the depth of layered oil glazes. In this work, multiple layers of transparent and opaque reds are built up to achieve a glowing effect, allowing light to shift across the surface and giving the piece its immersive, almost liquid quality.

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Michelle Carden is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work is deeply inspired by the natural beauty and intricate details of shells. Her lifelong passion for shells began at the age of four, scouring the beaches of Adelaide where she was born. For Michelle, shell collecting was pure bliss—a meditative escape and a way to find beauty and solace amidst the challenges of childhood.

Her artistic journey began in her teenage years when she first picked up a paintbrush. Despite her talent and passion for painting, Michelle initially opted for a corporate career path. However, her creative spirit always lingered in the background, calling her back to her true passion. Over the years, Michelle refined her artistic abilities by studying under renowned professional artist Joanna Robertson, Director of the independent Art School, Kidogo ArtHouse in Fremantle, Western Australia. She further honed her skills at Central Saint Martins, London, specialising in Fashion Illustration.

Michelle’s art is a celebration of the intricate patterns, textures, and colours found in shells. She blends her fine art training with a keen eye for detail, incorporating shells into her paintings to create stunning works that echo the beauty of the marine world. Her pieces invite viewers to explore the delicate relationship between nature and artistry, offering a glimpse into her lifelong fascination with the ocean’s treasures.

Drawing on her dual experiences in the corporate and creative worlds, Michelle’s art is both technically refined and emotionally resonant. Her work provides a sanctuary for viewers, celebrating the harmony, complexity, and enchanting allure of marine life. Through her art, Michelle shares her lifelong journey of discovery and connection with nature, inviting others to see the world through her uniquely shell-inspired lens.