Michelle Jardines shares creative highs and lows on Instagram
Abstract impressionist painter Michelle Jardines has found her lane: living unapologetically. She’s chosen to do so not just in her art and her personal relationships, but in the way she connects with her social media following.
Known for her layered abstract landscapes using bold blues and greens, she deviated from the expected with a recent exhibit at Oyé Studios and documented the entire—sometimes painful—process via her Instagram stories.
“I’m Cuban and Spaniard, and I’m tired of the judgment and the fear of hiding who you are, and I think a lot of people right now are doing more of that than ever, but I want to do the opposite because I like to go against the grain,” Jardines says. “I like to push some limits. And so this whole series is a women’s power movement.”
The result is a series of female portraits and figures that maintain her signature layering of paint with broad strokes but show a different side of her talent and vision than her collectors have come to recognize in her work.
It was important to her that her Instagram community experience that tension she felt in creating the series, and she explains how and why she’s chosen to embrace social media as a major component of her business.
“There’s a lot of judgment when you put yourself out on social media, but once you get that thick skin, you just do it anyway, you succeed,” she says. “You can actually get people to see your work and want your work, be interested in you, if that’s what you want, right? I want as many people to see my work as possible. And the only way that I’m gonna be able to do that is through social media.”
Oye Studios celebrated its 5-year anniversary in 2025.
Q&A with Michelle Jardines
TOWN: Social media has such a negative connotation in many ways, but you’re using it in a way that lets people into your process. What’s your mindset of doing that, and do you have hesitations?
MJ: I think it’s important to be authentic. That’s one thing that I really try to be. I want people not to feel like what they see is perfect, and I’m far, far from perfect. It’s just we have to be real when we are, allow people to either accept it or not, and then just move on. And it’s allowed me to be free with my work and not worry about what other people think.
In a way, since you’re putting your work out there so soon, it could make you worry more. Does that add to the pressure?
I find it to be easier for me to put my process out there and allow people to see that it’s okay to mess up, and it’s just paint, right? And how to work through that, because a lot of artists have fear. They have this fear of [their work] not connecting with their audience. And that’s important because we like money, we need money. So, it’s the fine balance between your authentic self, the kind of work that you do, and what other people are attracted to.
The way you use social media requires a certain amount of vulnerability. How do you approach that?
So, I’m still careful, but I’ve figured out what type of vulnerability I’m willing to put out there. Like, I’m willing to look semi-ugly. I’m willing to show my studio and what my process is. I don’t care if people copy it, because, I mean, we’re all copying. And if you think about it, it’s almost impossible to invent anything at this point. And there’s an abundance for everyone. I think when people have this mindset of, ‘She’s already doing that so I can’t do it,’ we gotta get out of that. There’s enough for everybody, and once you stop thinking that way, you become successful.
So, when you do put yourself out there, mentioning your ADHD and any other perceived personal challenges, what is the response you get?
It’s always super-positive. Everyone’s just like, ‘Oh my God, I’m struggling with that, too.’ So it’s nice that there is a community for everybody on social media. It’s just finding your people. And I find that a lot of creatives have ADHD. It’s just the way our brains work, which is pretty special, and then I think ADHD can be a superpower. I try to make mine a superpower.
How do you handle the responses, good and bad, to what you’re sharing?
I get trolls all the time. I get people DMing me, and they’re always like, ‘That’s not how you’re supposed to do that. You’re not a real trained artist. Who would buy that?’ Or ‘Do you know that color theory doesn’t belong with this one?’ Or there are a lot of people that DM me like, ‘How did you do that? What paint did you use? What brushes do you use?’ And you’re able to help other people not only create but plant a seed.
Does it surprise you when you hear from people who’ve been following along?
People are actually listening and paying attention. Like I probably shouldn’t say certain things. But I feel like that’s the side of the vulnerability, that’s what builds the community. That’s the great part of social media, and I think that’s why it’s so attractive to people is that you don’t ever feel alone.
Does it feel good knowing that people are watching what you’re doing and you’re essentially teaching a community of people online?
Yeah, it does, and I just started doing live painting just so they could see how and what I’m painting for shows and how I started. Even if it’s three people watching me, it’s still pretty cool because somebody is sitting there in their home, in their pajamas, eating a cucumber, or a cookie, and watching you. It could be anywhere in the world; they could be in Germany watching you. That’s crazy. And you don’t really think about it.
Why is social media so important for artists?
I think there are a lot of artists who don’t understand the business part of being an artist and that kind of contributes to them not succeeding. So, we need to learn the business parts of being an artist. Using social is part of that business, because I’m only doing it for the business. I’m not on social media because I want to be. [For example], someone in Australia can see a painting of mine that would have never seen it. I was discovered by a gallery in Argentina via social media, and they’re the ones who put me in [the premier art show] Miami Art Basel.
But I feel like I have something to say, for one person at least, you know? And that’s special. Like I said, you could be across the world and you can change somebody’s life, or you can contribute to it in some way, whether it’s through laughter or inspiration or whatever it is.
Follow along on Instagram @michellejardines
