About Michelle

Michelle Hou is an abstract painter whose work is rooted in the pursuit of capturing the emotional weight of a single moment: its energy, its residue, and its fleeting presence. Rather than depicting the visible world, her practice gives form to the intangible: emotion, memory, and the ephemeral essence of lived experience. Through abstraction, she explores how  a moment feels: its texture, its gravity, its quiet hum beneath the surface.

For Hou, painting is not only a form of expression but also a practice of healing. The act of creating allows her to process complex emotions, reconnect with herself, and give shape to what might otherwise remain unspoken. In each work, she seeks not resolution, but understanding; offering a space where emotional vulnerability is both welcomed and transformed.

Guided by a philosophy of emotional honesty, she enters the studio without pretense, bringing her full self, unfiltered and present, into the process. She believes that even the most difficult emotions hold intrinsic beauty, and that painting can be a vessel for personal and shared healing.

Hou’s process is deeply physical and immersive. Working in close proximity to the canvas, she often hovers over the surface, seeking a sense of intimacy and presence. She employs substantial tools—trowels, squeegees, spatulas, and large palette knives—that ground her in the moment. Their weight and resistance help forge a visceral connection between her internal state and the evolving surface of the work.

Her paintings—layered, gestural, and deeply intuitive—create contemplative spaces that invite viewers to pause, reflect, and connect with their own emotional landscapes. In this way, her work becomes more than a personal journey; it offers a shared space for resonance, recognition, and renewal. Designed to evoke a sense of shared humanity, her art speaks to the quiet emotional echoes we all carry—reminding us that in those moments of connection, we are never truly alone.