MICHELE MECHLING
Michele David Mechling brings enthusiasm and a deep passion for visual art to every classroom and healthcare facility she works with, fostering a creative environment from the first day to the last. She invites students and participants to take ownership of their projects by helping them to understand the properties of the materials they are working with. By teaching traditional techniques with design elements and principles, Michele ensures that each project is both technically challenging and innovative, pushing boundaries while respecting the fundamentals of art. Michele explores a variety of media—including painting, printmaking, mosaics, and public art—while also introducing participants to the work of other artists as inspiration. In every residency, students focus on their personal interpretations and individual contributions of the subject matter, with the goal of creating a unified composition that reflects their collective creativity.
Michele has been a member of the South Dakota Arts Council teaching artist roster since 2016 and enjoys the opportunity to work with schools and communities across the state. Her artistic experience is multi-faceted and continuously evolving, from her roles a teaching artist, and gallery curator to her work as a facilitator of grant funding, programming coordinator, and arts advocate. As a recipient of two pilot grants—the Creative Aging Artist Grant and as part of the Art for Life cohort—Michele strives to inspire participants of all ages and abilities to connect through creative expression and find confidence in their practice, all while forging friendships in the art sessions.
In her community, Michele plays a key role in bringing art lessons to children and adults for several local organizations. She continues to be an integral part of the Messy Hands Summer Arts Camp in Vermillion for over 15 years and serves on the arts programming committee for the Vermillion Cultural Association. Through her volunteer hours working with Sanford Arts Vermillion, and Dakota Gardens Independent Living, she is certified to also teach art at the Main Street Senior Activities Center, and SESDAC Southeast South Dakota Activities Center for adults with disabilities. Additionally, she is the owner of Davida Art Company/Artist Collective, benefitting partnerships between artists and venues through exhibitions, education, and artful community events.
Ages: K– 12 / All ages / All abilities
Contact: Michele David Mechling
Phone: (605) 670-2945
Email: michele.mechling4dac@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidaartcompany/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidaartcompany/