Michelle Patterson

@auntieshellie

Existential optimist, collage artist, aspiring author, social justice warrior, rock & roll groupie, sci-fi geek, Buffy fanatic, francophile and world's greatest aunt (she/her) IG @michellepattersoncreates

814 Siguiendo405 Seguidores438 Publicaciones

Bluesky

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Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· 2h

A few more collages for #ATCAugust from Mini Collage Collective. #artsky #collage

A collage of random scraps of paper with different patterns and colors arranged like patchwork.

A collage of a woman in a voting booth surrounded by words representing current issues facing voters in shades of ted, white and blue.

A collage of an arctic sea along with an iceberg in the background a turquoise blue burd diving straight into the water like a torpedo.

A collage patchwork of the number 8 of diamonds made up of two different competing colors of orange and light blue. The diamond cutouts are pasted on top of the card with a small effort.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· 6d

Third @writingbattle.bsky.social in the books! I've done 6 microfiction writing competitions so far, and while there are no prizes (yet), I'm getting much more creative and quick. I'm also a cutthroat editor. I look forward to sharing my work here soon. #writingcommunity

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· 17d

Here's a brief intro and my little story for the inaugural @whimsyfiction.bsky.social competition. Enjoy! #writingcommunity

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· 22d

Fun with mini minimalist collages! All on handmade paper. SWAMP, FRESH, Wild Side, Wild Art. #collage #artsky

A toad perched on the word swamp with a crown of white flowers on its head set on a gray paper background with torn edges.

A black pear with a tiny stem and illustrated white leaf overlaid with strips of lime green, electric blue, hot pink and white alongside the word fresh in pink letters set on gray paper background with torn edges.

An illustrated bird with a fat body, long legs and bug eyes facing left over a green background of a treeline with the moon shining over it and a block of mixed font and color text that says Take a Walk on the Wild Side above it on a light gray paper background with torn edges.

A red flower in the middle of a gray paper background with torn edges overlaid with a brightly colored bird perched on a white branch with the words wilr art placed on the side and top of the image.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· 25d

I somehow entered myself in 2 writing contests this past weekend. I feel so accomplished! I hope I did well. #writingcommunity #writingbattle #24hrshortstorycontest

A graphic acknowledging submission in a 100 word writing battle microfiction contest.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Jul 7

I entered the July @whimsyfiction.bsky.social writing contest! #writingcommunity #whimsy

An alpaca riding through the night sky on a quill pen under the words "I followed my whim!" Underneath is a banner that says "Submitted."

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Jul 3

Self-portrait | Mixed media on paper | 12in x 18in Making this collage was part therapy and part indulgent nostalgia. No matter who this girl was at every stage of her life, I love her. I wouldn't be here today without her. #collageart

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Apr 7

Latest creation. Feeling adventurous and passionate about my future. #collage #artsky

A collage based on the color orange featuring worldly images of Egypt, Africa, Asia and a sense of travel and adventure. The top left has the words Great Escapes, the top right says What's You Calling, and the bottom says Wonder And Wander.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 28

This is maybe my favorite creation to date. It came out so much better than I even imagined. Collage is the outlet my brain needed that I didn't know I was missing. I wish I had discovered it sooner. #collage #artsky

A collage of a lake at sunset with a peach sky featuring a puffy white cloud over the black silhouette of a tree line. A butterfly hovers in the cloud, which is drifting behind a lighthouse made of books and featuring the word Adventure. In the lake are two fish jumping along a rocky shore.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 22

New #collage today. This one actually took me a few days. I don't want to say too much because art is open for interpretation, but it definitely has something to do with my disdain for the #patriarchy. #artsky

An abstract collage featuring women's faces looking in through a window at a woman sitting between two men with red eyes amongst a cityscape. The collage has a heading of Dreamers: An American Journey, and the sitting woman's eyes are covered with the words The Sound of Silence. The words The Mam are underneath them and a snake is weaving its way through the skyline.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 18

HE never dies.

A black page with a tan pen on the left side and the words Write a horror story using only 3 Words in white typewriter lettering on the right.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 16

#IVoted #Vote

A smiling woman wearing fluffy grey earmuffs, black frame glasses and a black winter coat with an I Voted sticker on it.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 14

Today's collage. #collageart #artsky

A collage featuring patterns and items in shades of yellow and the words What's On Your Bucket List.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 13

I'm obsessed with collage. I've always struggled to adequately describe the vividness of my thoughts, but then I discovered the magic of collage art. I feel like I'm looking at photographs of the inside of my head when I make them. I build them on vibes and emotions. It's deeply satisfying. #artsky

A collage of images in red with various words and phrases pasted over them.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 8

Today's writing exercise was a practice in gratitude ending in writing a poem. I'm not a poet, but I don't think this is too bad. This mini writing retreat is amazing. I feel inspired again and have tools to help me write more and better. Feeling grateful. #writingcommunity #poetry #gratitude

A poem titled Grateful
Today I cannot see beyond the darkness of the world.
It closes in around me, but I'm the distance, there's a light.
I strain to see what shines so bright and cuts through the blackness.
It is love. It is beauty.
Echoes of heartbeats saved just for me ring out like church bells.
The warmth of arms holding tight and cozy blankets and hot, nourishing meals surrounds me.
I see the places I've been, near and far, like beacons guiding me through the storm.
I feel the emotional weight of a masterpiece filling my head and my soul.
In these hopeless moments, I find my solace in being grateful.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Mar 6

In January, I signed up for a free online writing retreat. I finally decided to start it because I need inspiration to get my writing flowing again, so today I did the first exercise - GREEN. The prompt was "Last night I dreamt of a forest," and I had 10 minutes. Pardon the errors. #writingcommunity

Written text that says, "Last night I dreamt of a forest. It was dark, but not like night - shadowed by the towering trees choking out the sun. The ground was soft from the previous night's rain, soaking the dried leaves and needles. I was glad I wore boots because the spongy earth caked them with mud in the bare spots. I could hear rustling in the branches as a gust of wind caused me a chill. My jacket wasn't warm enough for the cool damp air in these woods. I wasn't sure where I was going or what I was looking for, so I took my time feeling the forest and noticing every tiny detail. There was thick, soft moss growing on the rough bark of a tall tree. A fallen trunk was home to tiny mushrooms and assorted insects. I narrowly missed walking through a spider web as I ducked between a narrow gap in the trees. The forest became close, as if the trees were gathering around me. The previously chilly air was now warming. My too light jacket was now too heavy. My boots, covered in mud over the..."

Written text that says, "...toes were weighing me down. Despite the feeling of being closed in, I chose not to panic. I took as deep a breath as I could manage and felt the green of the woods fill my lungs. I was swallowed by the earth and became a pile of moss."

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Jan 13

EAT, PRAY, LOVE x DARK MATTER Did 46yo Evelyn make the wrong choice 20 years ago? She discovers a way to find out, but is that life really better, who's going to get hurt on her journey of self-discovery & how far is she willing to go to get what she really wants? #bluepit📖 #A #SP #W #thriller

A collage with a pale blue background featuring pictures of the Eiffel Tower, the Rodin statue of The Thinker, a scrap of paper with handwriting saying, "how far would you go?", a dark street lit only by two street lamps, a shard of mirror with a forlorn woman's face in it, the back of a woman standing in the middle of a winter road, the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, two hands grasping one hand in a forceful and supportive way, and typed text that says, "The hardest thing about the road not taken is that you never know where it might have led," attributed to Lisa Wingate. The time of the image is dark and a bit sad.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Jan 10

Post something beautiful to combat the awful. #GrandMarais

An orange sunset and sea smoke on Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MN

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Jan 10

I created my first vision board tonight, and it is an incredibly accurate image of my inner life and my hopes and dreams. I made it at a local wallpaper shop as part of a new year, new beginnings book event with other women in my community. #visionboard

A vision board collage featuring a background of different swatches of wallpaper with bold patterns and many quotes and words cut out of magazines.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Dec 14

We are insignificant specks in a vast and mysterious universe. And yet we're significant enough to be here - earthlings hurtling through space on this giant rock. How are we honoring the privilege of being? I choose meaning through creation and service. #northwoods #darksky #stars #existentialism

A picture of the night sky with thousands of stars above a line of winter trees.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Dec 1

Four Christmas movies to know me by...

The cover for the movie A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim. The background is gold and the movie title is in large white letters over a picture of Scrooge dressed in a top hat, red scarf and green coat holding Tiny Tim on his shoulder, who is dressed in a blue jacket and pants with a red scarf and cap.

The cover of the movie It's a Wonderful Life. The background is blue with the title in large white and gold letters over the picture of a family. The tall, thin father has brown hair and is in the middle looking down at his wife, who is hugging him. She has an angelic face and is looking up at him smiling. He has a little blonde girl hanging on his shoulders, a little blonde boy under his arm and a little brunette girl smiling up at him.

The cover of the movie While You Were Sleeping featuring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. The background is the L platform in Chicago with a train coming. A blonde man wearing a blue shirt and jeans is lifting up a smiling brunette woman wearing a white top and brown skirt.

The cover of the movie Scrooged starring Bill Murray. A skeleton hand in a Santa sleeve holding mistletoe is coming from the top hanging over the word Scrooged in red letters. A man with a huge open mouth smile, crazy eyes and spiky brown hair is holding a lit cigar and wearing a green bowtie with red stripes.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Dec 1

I just finished reading an amazing book. For anyone who loves rocks, science and philosophy, like me, I highly recommend reading Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks by Marcia Bjornerud. Beautifully written. #booksky #geology share.google/zuhov73PtM3C...

A book cover with a white background and the title Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks by Marcia Bjornerud with a column of rock shaped images in differing colors and textures.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Nov 10

As long as the House is back in session, Democrats need to push for swearing in Adelita Grijalva and vote to release the #EpsteinFiles. #Congress #shutdown

A black box with blocks of yellow that says The House is Reconvening. Swear in Adelita Grijalva. Release the Epstein Files. Contact your representative today.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Nov 7

Got back yesterday from 11 days in #paris and am so grateful for this experience. I went through a lot of emotions and self-discovery on this trip, and I wasn't ready to leave. Recovering today from walking 73 miles and over 110k steps. Can't wait for my next adventure!

The word Paris in giant neon pink block letters next to a large cut out of a heart with a reflection showing on wet ground at night on the roof of the Montparnasse Tower

The grand staircase in the Palais Garnier opera house featuring a high ceiling with a central skylight surrounded by an elaborate painted mural over a gallery of wide white stairs, ornate bannisters, chandeliers and carved stone arches. Tourists are scattered on the stairs.

A vaulted Gothic ceiling of a church with golden arches, chandeliers and walls filled with stained glass. Tourists are scattered around the room.

The Thinker by Rodin is a bronze statue on a high stone pedestal in a garden surrounded by pruned evergreen shrubs and backlit by the setting sun with orange hues shining through trees.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Nov 3

This is day 9 of my 11 day solo trip, and I'm a little lonely. As a super extrovert, it's hard being alone for so long and not sharing some special moments. Today I'm at the Eiffel Tower, and there will never be a time when I'm not awestruck by its beauty. #paris #eiffeltower

A woman with short brown hair and black rimmed glasses smiling with the Eiffel Tower at night lit up in the background.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Oct 31

Since it's #Halloween I thought I'd share some pictures from the Catacombs I took this week. This is a must see attraction for anyone interested in history and the macabre.

A wall of bones and skulls with the skulls making an arch pattern with a cross in the middle.

A wall of bones and skulls with the skulls and bones configured in a layered horizontal pattern.

A barrel shaped column of bones and skulls arranged in a horizontal, alternating pattern.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Oct 24

Off on my next adventure! I left my heart in #Paris on my last trip, so in a way, I'm going home.

A collage that says "If I don't come home from Paris..." with an image of a woman in black riding a scooter, half the Mona Lisa's face, several jeweled crowns and the Louve.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Oct 18

I saw an incredible new musical last night - Revolution(s). Book by Zayd Ayers Dohrn, music & lyrics by the great @tommorelloofficial.bsky.social The last time I felt this way leaving a musical, it was RENT in 1997. I sobbed through the whole second half. If you're in #Chicago, see it. Link below.

A picture of a lit match on a white background with the The Goodman 100 and Revolution(s) printed around it and a yellow box with the word Playbill in the lower right corner.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Oct 5

I ran a 5k for the first time this weekend and survived! Up until a month ago, I had never run for more than the bus. It was 85 degrees on Oct 4th, and I'd never run outside, so I had to walk 2/3 of it, but I finished in the middle of all participants. It's never too late to try new things.

A screen shot of a participant's 5k race stats showing a chip time of 46:12, gun time of 46:29, pace of 14:54, overall placement of 162 out of 298 and placement in the females age 40-49 of 35 out of 64.

Michelle Patterson@auntieshellie· Sep 7

For anyone who doesn't know, #Chicago is a beautiful city filled with talented, warm and passionate people. It's not perfect, but it's most definitely not a hellscape in need of military intervention. We don't want or need the dickwad in charge to send troops here and terrorize us. Leave us alone!