Michelle Kogan grew up in Chicago and made regular trips to all the museums. She also had a keen interest in plants, gardens, and animals. She studied first at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, receiving a BFA, and went on to receive an MFA in painting from Northern Illinois University. Her desire to draw figures has been on-going, although figures always seemed to be asking her to tell their story, and eventually these interests, figures, flora and fauna all make their way into her art.
Michelle teaches art, and in the summers spends a good amount of time painting plein air in gardens and nature venues in the Chicago area, including the Chicago Botanic Garden, Lurie Garden in Millennium Park, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory. You can also find her drawing, poring over books in her studio, writing and composing haikus while she’s on a walk.
Contributions to Humans & Nature:
- Why I Paint City Creatures
A City Creatures blog post.
