Michelle Mara watched and drew animals as a small child, and by 4th grade, she was spending all of her free time near her home in the woods observing wildlife, drawing and painting each species and writing descriptions of it. Pursuing nature art like the field biologists do has always been her method of working. She learnt to appreciate the beauty of nature early in life, and that’s where she gets her inspiration to date. Her education enforced her passion for animals as it included natural history subjects as well as art. Michele majored in wildlife ecology and ornithology. Today, as dedicated and accomplished young painter, she works tirelessly to capture the wildlife and the perfection of wilderness from the arctic tundra of Alaska to the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado.
Her pieces of artwork are a creation of beautiful, inspiring, and colorful scenes taken from the places she holds dear to her. She’s always on the lookout for an inspiring subject for each piece of art. Her art is highly valued for the feeling it conveys to the viewers. Her originals are included in both corporate and private collections throughout the United States and several other nations. She has won many awards and has been widely published over the past 10 years. Michelle has also illustrated and written many articles for nature publications. Her first book was completed in March 2004. The book features more than 100 illustrations. Her home which is also her studio is located on a forested mountainside near the boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. She accepts commissions.
