Michelle Arnott
Contemporary Australian Artist | Urban Landscapes & Architecture-Inspired Painting
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Michelle Arnott is a contemporary Australian artist whose work explores the character and narrative of the built environment. Born in Orange, NSW, and now based in Sydney, Michelle works full time from her studio in the Headland Artist Precinct at Georges Heights. With a strong background in Fine Arts and Visual Arts education, her painting practice focuses on architecture, place, and the connection between people and their environments.
Michelle’s work often pays homage to enduring structures - icons that sit at the intersection of past and present. This series is congruent with the artist’s broader practice, which resonates with the idea of buildings as “guardians of identity” and “silent witnesses” (Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness, 2006). The distinctive buildings and scenes of the Central West inspire her deeply - offering open space, natural light, and a sense of quiet history that refresh and comfort the city-based artist.
Her paintings reflect a contemporary interpretation of place - using form, structure, and light to tell stories embedded in architectural landscapes.
Michelle has exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions, completed significant commissions, and has work held in public and private collections. She has been a finalist in key Australian art awards including the Mosman Art Prize, Burwood Art Prize, and the National Emerging Artist Prize (2022). She was awarded the Mosman Rowers inaugural Acquisitive Art Prize, judged by Ken Done, and in 2025 will undertake a twelve-month residency at the State Library of NSW.
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Michelle Arnott, photograph by Madeline Young.