Michelle was born 1959 in Pennsylvania. She grew up in Arizona. She worked in charcoal and painting as a child. Michelle studied painting and drawing privately from a well known New York artist, Eljean Reason and at The Phoenix Art Museum. Michelle moved to Chicago in 1979 when she was accepted into the B.F.A. program at The School of the Art Institute with a strong focus in painting.

For many years she worked with The School of the Art Institute of Chicago through the Cooperative Education Department hiring and teaching students color matching and color theory for art restoration. When the working studio was relocated to Momence Illinois in 1996, Michelle continued working with the co-op department at Olivet Nazarene University.

Michelle has exhibited at her own gallery in Chicago since 1988, she sells her work and has done many commissions over the years, notably a portrait for former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson. A portrait of her French Bulldog, Louie has been published in The Art of the French Bulldog by Gary Bachman, 2019.

William and Michelle are active artists and art restorers. In 1980 they founded Broken Art Restoration Inc., a studio specializing in the restoration of sculptural objects, pottery and porcelain and have a nationwide reputation of excellence.