this leo's life

Southern California based artist Michelle D. Ferrera took the leap to become a full-time artist upon moving West. Utilizing her fine art degree from New Jersey, armed with years of journals filled with experiences and people, sketches and ideas, Ferrera found her medium by accident. In her Imperial Beach garage studio, Michelle creates original and commissioned figurative fine art, drawn freehand with pencil (and sometimes mixed media) on custom built wood panels, she builds herself. The raw wood serves as her mirror, reflecting the artist’s words, skin, durability, vulnerability and individuality. Keeping her tools and medium minimal provides Ferrera an environment conducive to creating such personal, intimate moments and poses.

Ferrera says about her work, “the nude figures, whether self-portrait or other, represent the vulnerable process of letting go, in hopes to build self-love and strength needed to fuel honest communication and connections.”

Ferrera garnered local attention early and was named RAW Natural Born Artist: Visual Artist of the Year (2013) which helped to catapult exhibition opportunities from Southern CA to LA, Laguna Beach and San Francisco. Since then, Ferrera has received multiple drawing awards, magazine (Artist Portfolio) and book publications (50 to Watch), solo exhibitions and opportunities to be a part of collaborative and community projects. Ferrera contributes her progression and drive to be an artist to her supportive family and friends, creative outlets, nature and art loving community. You can find Ferrera keeping busy working side by side, easel to easel, expanding her art series with her three year old daughter, and building roots, having recently painted a mural in town, as part of Imperial Beach’s beautification project.