(Strawberry Skies by Michele Michael)
Each year, the Festival features an artist local to Central Oregon for the season’s poster. Artists were invited to submit their artwork for consideration and a jury of professional artists from the Artists’ Gallery Sunriver assists in making the final selection. Michael’s 18×24” acrylic on canvas painting, which has been custom framed by Eastlake Framing, will be auctioned at the Raise the Baton fundraising party on July 18 in Bend. Details and tickets at sunrivermusic.org.
Fine art quality reproductions of this work will grace the cover of the program magazine for the 49th season of Sunriver Music Festival. Posters are available for $35. Framed posters are $85. Notecards with Festival art are $25 for a pack of ten available at the Sunriver Music Festival office. Clothing and other merchandise are also available online at sunrivermusic.org/merch. Call 541-593-1084 or email tickets@sunrivermusic.org with merchandise questions or purchasing information.
About Michele Michael
In the artist’s words:
“I was raised in the countryside of Ohio farmlands and spent my youth creating everything from hand-drawn paper dolls to detailed illustrations in Microsoft Paint. I spent most of my teenage years and 20s dismissing my creativity, instead studying photojournalism and working odd jobs. I moved out west to Olympia, Washington in 2009 and immediately fell in love with the natural beauty of the mountains, rivers and coastlines of the American West, as well as the outdoor recreation community. I started working at REI, and did so for over ten years, which gave me a business mindset, an intimate knowledge with retail, and most importantly, the introduction to my husband and business partner, Jeff.
“That job also took me to multiple locations in Washington, Alaska and Oregon. After living all over the Pacific Northwest, I deepened my love of the outdoors and was drawn to bigger adventures. However, I did not feel compelled to capture the beauty of the natural world in art until Jeff and I spent a year traveling the world. With the rise of social media, and being exposed to artists of all kinds, I felt inspired to finally paint and draw again. I started posting my small sketches on Instagram and was encouraged by friends and strangers. I got my first commission while living in New Zealand; it was a request to draw… the Three Sisters mountains! When we returned stateside, we settled in my husband’s hometown of Bend, and I started my art business shortly thereafter.
“I started designing stickers and got my first retail account in 2018. My art and business has slowly grown, and I am proud to have my art in many local shops, as well as seven National Parks (and counting!). Along with my husband, we support our family with our business. I still live in Bend (in Three Rivers area now) with Jeff, our two young children, and our mutt dog. In 2022, I made the leap to pursue art full-time. I feel like the luckiest gal in the world to make art for a living!”
Sunriver Music Festival’s 2026 summer season will be held in Bend and Sunriver from August 10-20. Events are at the iconic Tower Theatre in downtown Bend and the historic Great Hall at Sunriver Resort. Artistic Director and Conductor Brett Mitchell will lead world-class orchestra musicians and acclaimed soloists in a remarkable 49th season.
Sunriver Music Festival is a year-round nonprofit presenting world-class orchestral performances and supporting music education throughout Central Oregon. Through a commitment to excellence, collaboration and innovation, the Festival seeks to foster a lifelong love of classical music in its many diverse forms.
