Where to start?
Let’s start by taking a peek at Michel as he gets his front yard ready for Halloween.
He doesn’t know I took this picture. He wasn’t photo-ready. I’m so sneaky. Shhhhh!
My kids and I went to have a quick visit with Michel, to see him in action as he prepares for Halloween. Huge seasonal displays are a normal sight at Michel’s house when things start to get spooky.
As an artist, there’s nothing more satisfying for Michel than creating flashy and interesting designs for people to enjoy.
Sometimes Michel’s artistic creations are meant to be enjoyed strictly in a visual sense. His mosaic tile animals heads, landscapes, and flowers are a perfect example of art pieces meant to be admired.
Other times, Michel’s creations are meant to be a thing of beauty AND interaction! For instance, Michel is pretty well known for creating LED powered cellophane dresses! These dresses have been modeled by actual people in art events and drag shows all over the city and province. It’s wearable art in the realest sense!
This Halloween display is also meant to engage the viewers, particularly the little trick-or-treaters. With all the fun dresses and this front yard display, you can see that Michel is very fond of colourful cellophane creations that dance and sparkle underneath bright lights.
In the dark:
Michel has been all over the country participating in various art shows and gallery displays. As a Métis artist, Michel is just thrilled that his artwork can be showcased and represent his personal style and his beloved culture for so many to enjoy and appreciate.
Michel has lived in Thunder Bay for much of his life. He lived here through the 90’s when it was often difficult to walk down the street as an openly gay man without fear of the the reaction and action of others. His life experiences led him to spend many years involved with and leading the Gays and Lesbians of Thunder Bay.
His perseverance and strength has rewarded him greatly: Michel is lovingly settled, a devoted father to his teenage son and dedicated to his long term partner (now fiancé).
Michel and his fiancé are always involved in the Thunder Bay art scene, participating in activities such as Detelicte, The Hunger, Urban Infill, and countless Drag shows. He’s flashy, he’s talented, and he loves to play dress up. If you meet him one day, you might be lucky enough to see his trademarked Cheshire grin in person!
Be sure to drive up North Algoma (towards Boulevard Lake) on Halloween night. Bring your kids so they can see Michel and his amazing technicolor halloween display.
It’s sure to be fun and memorable for the whole family!