Michelle Atkinson is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in themes of environmental sustainability and is based in Calgary, Alberta, where she was born and educated.

For more than 20 years she worked as a graphic designer and gained international acclaim for her work with more than 30 awards. Her work retains the influences of her time in design, as evident in the juxtaposition of structured and organic sensibilities.

She also has extensive knowledge in glass casting where she became known for innovative recycling techniques, and has since evolved her practice to incorporate a wide range of alternative materials. These materials tend to pay homage to the qualities of glass with their reflective and light-transmitting properties.

She is the only entrepreneur to win the Made in Alberta Awards (hosted by Avenue magazine) three times across three distinct categories in consecutive years (2019, 2021, 2022). Recently, she received grants from both the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council for the Arts for a year-long installation at the Leighton Art Centre. Her first large-scale permanent public art installation debuted as the entrance to the newly designed Wild Canada section at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo (2023). Additionally, her most recent commission for the Calgary Stampede’s corporate art collection is showcased in the newly renovated BMO Centre (2024).

Michelle’s work has developed over the years from representational through abstraction to a blend of approaches from craft to installation and exhibition. Her practice reflects a deep connection to our world’s landscape and its ecosystems.

Atkinson’s work is represented in galleries across Western Canada.