Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Fuller.
Hi Michelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey has been long and full of hard work, but I wouldn’t change any of it. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to keep going and never give up. Don’t be afraid to change your entire life to make it better.
From an early age, art was my sanctuary, a language that spoke to me when words felt out of reach. Growing up with ADHD, dyslexia, and auditory processing challenges, I struggled with traditional learning. But my mom, an artist herself, taught me that creativity was just as essential as any lesson learned in school and to never give up. Art became my way of expressing myself when words failed.
I was once told I might not graduate high school, but I pushed forward, not only graduating but earning a spot in Parsons School of Design’s summer intensive program in New York at 16. That experience helped me become one of the first post-secondary students in my senior year of high school at the College of Visual Arts in Saint Paul, where I later earned a BFA in Interdisciplinary Design intending to become an art teacher. I still think to this day that if I didn’t have art, I would have been another special needs learner who didn’t finish school.
During my last semester of college, I completed my practicum hours in education and quickly realized the system wasn’t what I had expected. The lack of funding for the arts was present in nearly every school I encountered. I graduated but chose to not go on to do my masters in teaching. My true passion had always been printmaking. I loved the process, the exploration, and the way I could express my energy through fluid, intaglio abstract works. That was my focus and loved making art and connecting with other artists.
To support myself, I worked in the hospitality industry while showing my work at art fairs like the Edina Art Fair and Powderhorn Art Fair on weekends. It was exhausting, but I never gave up and took every opportunity I could to share my art.
Like many in their mid-20s, I felt pressure to “grow up” and find stability. An opportunity arose to work in office support at a tech company, and I took it. What started as a simple admin role turned into a decade-long journey at Nerdery, where I grew from maintaining conference rooms to managing a four-person team that handled events, catering, and community engagement. I wasn’t just planning events—I was creating moments that built a sense of belonging.
Then, everything changed.
During COVID-19, our 300-person company went fully remote, and my role disappeared overnight. At the same time, I was living in the heart of the Minneapolis uprising, watching my neighborhood burn, and facing the end of a decade-long relationship. I was at a crossroads.
Instead of giving up, I pivoted. I became Nerdery’s first UX design intern, building a bridge between my creativity, customer service skills, and passion for technology. I put my art fairs on hold, packed up my press, moved in with family, and focused on learning how to design intuitive digital experiences. Working from home was isolating and intimidating, but I knew I had to push forward to build a stable career, especially as a single woman navigating an unsupportive world.
After an eight-month UX internship, I was hired full-time. I worked hard, saving money and searching for a place where I could finally rebuild my art practice. But every work/live artist studio I applied for had income restrictions. I made just enough to be disqualified yet still struggled with bills and student loans. I felt stuck.
Then, I saw a Facebook Marketplace post for a live/work space in Lowertown, Saint Paul. A developer had rebuilt the old Station 4 building to include two spaces specifically for artists, each with a brick-and-mortar storefront in the front and a small studio apartment in the back. It was exactly what I had been searching for. I reached out immediately, and everything fell into place.
That moment was the beginning of Owl’s Eye Art Collective, a space where local artists can create, teach, and connect. I know firsthand how isolating life can be, and I wanted to build a community where art is accessible to everyone, not just artists.
I spent my off-hours from my full-time UX job developing the collective on my dime, navigating self-doubt along the way. But after months of persistence, the space is finally open. We host classes where people can learn, create, and connect. It took 15 years since college, but I finally have my press again, and now I get to use it to bring others together.
Since opening last fall, there have been setbacks. I lost my full-time UX job during the holidays, spent months building a new personal website and portfolio, and navigated the fear and doubt that comes with running a business without a safety net. But I remind myself why I started.
My love for bringing people together led me to create Owl’s Eye Art Collective, a space where everyone can benefit from making art. As the collective grows, challenges remain, like spreading the word, engaging with the community, and continuing to learn. Fear sometimes slows me down, but my mom always taught me to never give up.
Life is hard, but it’s mine to build, and it’s better with people in it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
These words from Dune remind me daily that fear is just a barrier waiting to be dismantled. Every pivot—from navigating learning challenges in my youth, to transitioning from events to the world of UX design—required me to confront and overcome my doubts. In the midst of uncertainty, especially during the disruptive times of the pandemic, I learned that the only way forward was to face my fears head-on. With every challenge met, I grew more confident in my abilities, reaffirming that when fear fades away, my true self shines through.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Twin Cities printmaker with a BFA in Printmaking from the College of Visual Arts. My work focuses on creating abstract intaglio prints using a variation of classic printmaking techniques. I explore texture and depth by combining unique materials, pushing the boundaries of traditional processes to create original, one-of-a-kind prints.
To start, I adhere a layer of emulsion to a copper plate in different ways, then brush Gum Arabic on the surface. By slowly heating the plate, the emulsion cracks, building tension and adding additional dimensions that wouldn’t be possible with a flat plate. I’m particularly interested in how these textures interact with ink when printed. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with exposing imagery onto the plate and adding ink to the surface to create even more depth.
I ink the plate as an intaglio plate, using tarlatan to wipe away excess ink so that it remains only in the grooves. Then, I run the inked plate and a wet sheet of printmaking paper through an intaglio press. The final moment—lifting the paper off the plate—is always exciting, revealing the intricate details and textures of the print. Each piece is truly unique, shaped by both process and chance.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a spirited and creative child who often found school challenging—not because I lacked curiosity, but because I struggled with paying attention and sometimes found myself in trouble. I had a rebellious streak that clashed with the rigid structure of the classroom, and while that often got me into hot water, it also fueled my passion for creative expression. Instead of conforming to traditional expectations, I gravitated towards art as a way to channel my energy and ideas. I was always doodling, sketching, and exploring different ways to express myself, even if it meant bending the rules. That lively, unconventional spirit, despite the challenges I faced, laid the foundation for my journey into the world of art and creativity.
Contact Info:
- Website: owlseyeart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owlseyeartcollective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559456606935
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/michellefuller0406
