Bio/CV
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Michelle Lee Rigell is a St. Louis-based contemporary realism artist who works in acrylics and watercolor.
Rigell attended Vanderbilt University, where she received her BA in Asian Studies and Neuroscience with the goal to attend medical school. Although she does not have any formal education in art, Rigell began painting when she was four years old under the instruction of Atlanta-based artist, Penelope Van der Putten, and received her first set of oil paints when she was eight.
Since 2015, Rigell has shown her work in several locations in the Greater St. Louis area including Angad Arts Hotel, Art Saint Louis and Duane Reed Gallery. Rigell volunteers as an instructor and is the associate director for the Arts As Healing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that brings therapeutic benefits of art to cancer patients and those with chronic illnesses. Rigell has also participated in several art fundraisers such as Wall Ball for Artscope, Art of PAWS presented by Purina and the Very Asian Foundation Creators Grant. She has been featured on platforms such as The Jealous Curator, PxP Contemporary and Carve Out Time For Art and in publications such as St. Louis Post-Dispatch and AcrylicWorks7 by Artists Magazine.
Education
2010
BA, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Selected Exhibitions & Charity Events
2024
Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon: Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2023
Small Works Invitational: Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2022
Art of PAWS Presented by Purina: The Grand Ballroom at Gallery 1014, St. Louis, MO
The Tiny Art Show: Bonboni Mercantile Co., St. Louis, MO
Over the Moon-Chicago: Chicago, IL
Stronger Together: Art Mums United
Small Works Invitational: Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
Wall Ball 2022 for Artscope: St. Louis, MO
Artisans in the Loop: St. Louis, MO
2021
Arts As Healing Gala X, St. Louis, MO
Art of PAWS Presented by Purina, St. Louis, MO
Artisans in the Loop: St. Louis, MO
Wall Ball 2021 for Artscope: St. Louis, MO
2020
Arts As Healing Gala IX, St. Louis, MO
Art of PAWS Presented by Purina, St. Louis, MO
Showfields x PxP Contemporary Live Curation: Showfields, NY
Then I Met You Art Show: Then I Met You Skincare, NY
ONE Exhibition: PxP Contemporary
Wall Ball 2020 for Artscope: Third Degree Glass Factory, St. Louis, MO
Honeycomb & AO&Co. Market, St. Louis, MO
2019
May's Place Night Market: The Ready Room, St. Louis, MO
Arts As Healing Gala VIII: Vue 17, St. Louis, MO
Honeycomb & AO&Co. Market, St. Louis, MO
Art of PAWS Presented by Purina: The Grand Ballroom at Gallery 1014, St. Louis, MO
Art Saint Louis Presents Summer Exhibition: Angad Arts Hotel, St. Louis, MO
PILOT Exhibition: PxP Contemporary
THE WORKS Exhibition: OA Gallery, Kirkwood, MO
2018
Arts As Healing Gala VII: Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2017
Annual Holiday Exhibition: SOHA Studio and Gallery, St. Louis, MO
20 Grand Exhibition: The Grandel Theatre, St. Louis, MO
Arts As Healing Gala VI: Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
The Blooming Artists Project: 1900 Park, St. Louis, MO
#nofilter Exhibition: Art Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO
Wall Ball 2017 for Artscope: Majorette, Maplewood, MO
2016
Annual Holiday Exhibition: SOHA Studio and Gallery, St. Louis, MO
Mix-Tape Exhibition: Art Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO
Art of PAWS Presented by Purina: Gallery 400, St. Louis, MO
Arts As Healing Foundation Presents The Circle of Life: Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
Activate Art Exhibition: CIC@4240, St. Louis, MO
Flashback Exhibition: Soulard Art Gallery, St. Louis, MO - “Award of Merit”
Driven to Abstraction Exhibition: Soulard Art Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2015
OKTA Presents A Night in HOTLANTA: Kai Lin Art, Atlanta, GA
eMotion Exhibition: Soulard Art Gallery, St. Louis, MO - “Best in Show”
MySLART.org August Exhibition: Old Orchard Gallery, Webster Groves, MO
Press/Media
KSDK: 5 On Your Side, February 2024
St. Louis Magazine, February 2024
Art Mums United, October 2022
The Huts Magazine, Issue 6, September 2022
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 2022
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November, 2020
The Best of Acrylic: AcrylicWorks 7 Competition Winners, October 2020
Carve Out Time For Art: Instagram Artist Takeover, August 2020
Visionary Art Collective, July 2020
The Klog, July 2020
Capitel Magazine Mexico, October 2019
PIKCHUR Magazine, Issue 6, October 2019
Create! Magazine: Studio Sunday, August 2019
The Jealous Curator, January 2019
All the Art, Winter 2017/2018