Artists of the Boro Calendar

December's "Snowy Day," painted by Michele Goycoolea, was commissioned by a real estate agent as a closing gift. “The home buyer liked it so much she commissioned one for her parents as a Christmas gift – it’s still hanging in her home – and she was thrilled when I showed her the page in the [Borough] calendar,” says Michele, who comes from a family of artists.

Unsurprisingly, she’s been interested in art since she was a little girl, and with a degree from Parsons School of Design to boot, she worked professionally in graphic design for many years. She has lived in Glen Rock since 1992.

When her kids were young, Michele took up teaching Spanish and art so she could be home after school, and resourcefully launched Kaleidoscope, a program that combined her love for art and languages. She also speaks Portuguese, by the way.

inspiration for paintings often comes from taking photos, “but other times it could be a still life, a landscape or a trip to the museum that gets the creative juices flowing,” she says. In addition to her longstanding work on paintings, Michele started making silver and gold jewelry about seven years ago and now also paints gourd birdhouses and ornaments. “I like to alternate between the three,” she says.

To see more of Michele's artwork, visit MicheleDesign on FB, instagram.com/michelegoycoolea/, or https://micheledesign.com/.

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