Michelle René Cobb’s work is inspired by French Post-Impressionist plein air painters. Her work captures the essence of the landscape, still life, and graphite figures through direct observation and a uniquely developed sense of color and light. Her signature intense colors emerge from the canvas with energy due to the artist’s method of painting 1stroke juxtaposed to another. Her paintings’ visual vocabulary draws upon her residencies in France, Italy, Africa, Martha’s Vineyard, and Canada.

Michelle René Cobb is an award winning artist and graphic designer who began her career as a designer and illustrator for over 35 Time-Life Books. She later became the first African American Promotion Art Director for Sports Illustrated magazine. This included designing promotional materials for the Calgary Winter Olympics and Los Angeles Summer Olympics, NBA, U.S. Open, Kentucky Derby, World Series, NCCA, Indy 500, and the SuperBowl. Michelle René then launched her own graphic design firm in New York City which included the following clients; CBS, Bell Atlantic, CitiBank, Time-Warner, Tony Brown’s Journal, United Negro College Fund, The Washington Post, National Council of Negro Women, Black Student Fund, Obama For America Campaign, Arthur Ashe Foundation, Yolanda Adams, The Black Student Fund, Terrie Williams Agency, and Wynton Marsalis.

Michelle René Cobb’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Skidmore College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Communications from George Washington University. She completed additional studies at Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, Corcoran College of Art and Design, United Digital Artists in New York, and the Adobe Institute in Los Angeles. Her artist’s residencies include West Africa, Quebec City, South of France, Spain, and Umbria Italy. For 15 years, she studied oil painting in the Brandywine Valley under her mentor, the late master painter, Edward Loper, Sr.

Michelle René has taught art and design at the high school and university level for over 25 years, including launching the first computer graphics program at University of Maryland. She has taught Graphic Design and art classes at University of Delaware, Montgomery College of Visual Art and Design, Delaware College of Art & Design, and Lincoln University. She completed her teacher training at The Studio Museum in Harlem, and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. She is currently a Studio Art Chair in Washington, DC.