About


" I present an emotional connection to the real world through
a combination of vulnerability and strength."
- Michelle Eva May

Michelle Eva May is a contemporary portrait & figurative artist who lives in the United Kingdom, originally from
South Africa. The artist studied fine art in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the National School of Arts before moving
to the United Kingdom, in 2004.
She works in mixed media, employing layering techniques, strong colour contrasts and dripping paint to compose
a resonating balance of elegance and grit. Her compositions ultimately counter the traditional notion of portraiture, revealing internal layers of the human experience—including her own—with emotion and power.
Michelle Eva May's work has been sold to collectors worldwide: Japan, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, France and South Africa.
Exhibitions
MEM Studio, Northumberland, 2021
Singulart, Paris, invited to join Singulart, 2019
Karamel Club, Wood Green, London, 2017
ArtHouse Cinema, Crouch End, London, 2017
Chocolate Factory, Open Studios, Wood Green, London, 2016
Chocolate Factory, Open Studios, Wood Green, London, 2015
Chocolate Factory, Open Studios, Wood Green, London, 2014
The Maynard Arms, Crouch End Art Festival, 2013
Chocolate Factory, Open Studios, Wood Green, London, , 2013
The Taproom, Islington London, 2012