Artist Statement

I grew up in South Auckland, New Zealand, in a diverse Pacific Island community where cultures intertwined, and you became family the moment you stepped into a friend’s home. Moving to the United States sparked a deeper exploration of connection, community, and cultural identity. Quilting became my bridge—a way to connect people, honor traditions (from both New Zealand and the United States), and carry forward the communal spirit I knew as a child.

My artistic narrative involves a visual dialogue often shaped by photography, translating moments into textile works that play with texture, light, and form. I blend traditional quilting techniques with a contemporary twist, embracing improvisation, minimalism, and color.

My current practice pushes the boundaries of what a quilt can be—challenging the perfectionism I once learned and embracing the possibilities within the form. I explore dimensionality and texture, often using traditional techniques like embroidery and smocking in unconventional ways. The tactile act of making has become both a source of joy and a form of meditation, leading me to expand into wood block carving and printing. Photography, quilting, and printmaking now intersect in my work, each medium informing and enriching the others.

I love these traditional crafts, as they have been in essence a way to connect community, the maker, and document our histories. My work carries this spirit forward— interweaving emotion, connection, and narrative so that each piece tells its own story.

Bio

Michelle Wilkie is an artist who works predominantly in textiles. Her practice blends traditional quilting techniques with contemporary aesthetics, embracing both improvisation and minimalism.

Michelle's work has been featured in prominent venues, including the North Carolina Museum of Art, Virginia Quilt Museum, PNW Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum, the Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, and Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) Raleigh. She is fresh off three well-received solo exhibitions at the PAAL Gallery (VA), the Page-Walker Arts and History Center (NC), and the Durham Art Guild (NC). She has participated in notable juried international exhibitions in England, Taiwan, France, Italy, and Czechia

Her work is included in the notable collections of SAS Institute (Goodnight Collection), the City of Raleigh (NC), and Chateau d’Orquevaux. She has also leased works for short-term periods with North Carolina Museum of Art and Triangle Community Foundation.

Michelle has completed artist residencies at Virginia Center of Creative Arts, Chateau d’Orquevaux (France), Pine Meadow Ranch, Ox-Bow School of Art, Durham Art Guild, and Penland School of Craft.

Following the success of her first 3 years as a full-time artist Michelle is producing two new bodies of work which will be ready in later 2026 to show across the US.