Can you bake, sew + build a house at the same time?

Me neither. Though my most vivid childhood memories are of watching my grandfather build houses, my grandmother sew and bake (almost simultaneously) and my uncle paint portraits on wall-sized canvases. It’s an indelible part of who I am.

In today’s world, we’re told we have to have it all. And all together well. You know exactly what I mean… the perfect house… the perfect life. The impossible, and in my opinion, the boring (insert yawn).

embracing THE perfection of imperfection…

finding deep-rooted soul + meaning that radiates from within, seeping into your home and into your world. If this resonates with you, you’ve landed in the right place. Hi, I’m Michel Van Devender. Artist and designer. Seeker and dreamer. Vibe creator. Just like you I’m on this journey called life, trying to figure it out as I go, learning, changing and evolving. It’s a process. We’re all in process. It’s messy, and it’s incredibly beautiful.

WHO I AM.

Simply put… a creative. Creativity is my language, my inner voice, expressed visually to the outer world. Artistic expression and visual storytelling came naturally to me from a young age.

I hail from a family of craftsmen, artists and makers. Although my multidisciplinary interests, innate curiosity and love of learning have led me down many paths, all roads lead back to my love of art and design. There’s never been a time in my life when I haven’t been creating.

It’s a vibe thing.

My curated style has been described as modern, warm, approachable, eclectic and soulful. For me, it’s really more about a feeling, a mood, a vibe. Being inspired and supported on a deeper level by my environment. 

I paint and collage textured and layered pieces, marked by my inner life, sometimes bold and graphic, other times more organic. I create what I’m feeling at the time, guided by my inner dialogue. My ever-evolving work is influenced by travel, architecture, interior and graphic design, fashion and nature. I’m drawn to a more neutral palette, especially contrasting black and white commonly reflected in my work. I create out of love, what I love.

I naturally mix and shake things up. I’ve never been much for following the rules either… at my core a rebellious spirit. So no boxes or boundaries, please! I’m attracted to the tension of juxtaposition and contradictions. I’m drawn to the interesting, often quirky, in artwork, interiors and people. I don’t subscribe to the grind, nor do I mass produce. It’s just not my thing.

My deepest desire is that my creativity and expression of love for what I love inspires you in some way, in this journey. 

art travels.

No matter where you reside, so does my art.

I live in Charlotte, NC, with my husband, three boys and our French Bulldog, Queen Maxine. I’m about as “normal” as an artistic person can be (I think!). Most days, you’ll find me at home wrangling boys, painting, creating or collaging, rearranging furniture, writing a blog post, designing our next house, planning an out-of-town adventure and/or spending way too much time on Pinterest and Instagram!

While I may live on the other side of the country or across the pond from you, just like love (and sending you lots of it), art knows no boundaries. I hope to make magic happen for you with a meaningful piece that sparks joy, inspiration, connection, feeling.

✖︎ ✖︎,

Michel