PODCAST FEATURES

Wellness and Wanderlust

Let’s talk about art! This week’s guest is Michelle Sakhai, an artist whose work focuses on light and energy. In our conversation, Michelle shares the ways that art can transform the soul and awaken our spirits. (When you check out her work, you’ll see exactly what she means!)

We discuss:

• How art can transform and heal us

• Connecting to our innermost emotions and experiences

• Ways to foster more creativity in our lives

• How Michelle’s spiritual journey ties into her art

• The basics of energy healing

• And more!

Michelle was formally trained as a plein air painter, but her work now follows a more abstract expressionist style with metal leaf and oils.

TAROT BYTES

More and more people are finding that tarot isn’t just for divination. Tarot can be used for therapy, storytelling, healing, and creativity. Artist Michelle Sakhai sits down with The Tarot Lady and shares how tarot inspires her art – and how it lead to her amazing exhibit The Arcana Series: Interpretations of Tarot.

REIKI RADIO

Michelle Sakhai and Yolanda sit down to talk about Sakhai’s work with Reiki and Transformative Art in hospitals, as well as her upcoming solo exhibition. If you're in the New York area, be sure to check it out! The Arcana Series, a talking event with Michelle, will be held Saturday, September 21st, at Madelyn Jordon Fine Art gallery, which will also host a live tarot reader.

The APRIL Kirkwood Show: Soulfully Yours

There are many ways to return to your whole state where soul shines amidst the clouds of life. Michelle's story of how she found her light and helps others gives insight to the transformative powers within each of us to realize our greatness and our ability to be the light in the world we are intended to be.

https://aprilkirkwood.com You can read more about Michelle and find where her art is exhibited all over the world. You are going to love her. I do!

SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE

Lyons Radio Network podcast show, hosted by Ima Sumac Watkins

Spiritual Intelligence

Artist Michelle Sakhai believes and trusts in the energy of the creative spirit as a healing force on the earth. Michelle conveys this valuable message of healing through her art and her words in this compilation of her recent body of abstract paintings. Sakhai's extensive world travels, which began at an early age, and her mixed heritage have shaped her as an artist. With both Persian and Japanese roots, Michelle's art derives influences from both cultures. Michelle Sakhai received a Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors from Hofstra University. She went on to receive her Masters in Fine Arts from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. She has studied in Venice, Italy, and at d'Arts Plastique I Disseny in Barcelona, Spain with the School of Visual Arts. Michelle also traveled to France to study at the Marchutz Academy of Fine Art in Aix en Provence. Sakhai currently works and resides in New York City while continuing to travel the world.

Contact www.michellesakhai.com

Spiritual intelligence: imasumacwatkins@gmail.com

HILARY TOPPER ON AIR

Hear from Michelle about her artistic journey and how art can also offer healing and inner peace to those who connect with it.

Michelle Sakhai’s paintings reference the teachings of Transformative Art. With a focus on light and energy, each spontaneous stroke serves as a vehicle for healing and channeling peace. Sakhai’s work blends her formal background as a plain air painter with the style of abstract expressionism. Her use of metal leaves and oils on canvas creates emotionally transformative and spiritually expansive art that she hopes will offer inner peace and healing to those who connect. To contact Michelle or learn more about art visit www.michellesakhai.com.

THE CONSCIOUS CREATIVE

Michelle Sakhai is a visual artist who resides in New York City. Michelle believes and trusts in the energy of the creative spirit as a healing force on the earth, she conveys this valuable message of healing through her art and her words. Today we discussed how Michelle defines transformative art, her recent exhibition of abstract renderings of tarot cards entitled ARCANA, as well as her new book Awakening: The Paintings of Michelle Sakhai. You can find Michelle on Instagram at @michellesakhaiart as well as www.michelleskahai.com

MISS ART WORLD

Born in 1983, in Long Island, New York, Michelle Sakhai's extensive world travels began at an early age and her mixed heritage have shaped her as an artist. With both Persian and Japanese roots, her art derives influences from both cultures. She grew up traveling to Japan to visit her family every summer for twenty years. In Japan, Sakhai was inspired by the culture and scenery of her grandparents’ hometown, Kashiwazaki, a tiny village by the sea, surrounded by vast mountains. This special place left an indelible impression that still feeds her imagination. Sakhai’s creative perception and talent was also nurtured by her Persian culture. The exposure to both traditions in her young life has impacted her artistic vision.

In pursuit of her spiritual path, Michelle Sakhai is a Primordial Sound Meditation instructor through the Chopra Center, as well as a certified Reiki Master. She believes and trusts in the energy of the creative spirit as a healing force on the earth. Sakhai conveys this valuable message of healing through her art and all her speaking engagements. She teaches Transformative Art at the Harlem Hospital through the Art Works Foundation in New York City where she currently resides while continuing to travel the world.

Women Om Wisdom

"There's so much in the culture that's not said rather than what is said. It's the subtleties...there's a beauty, a way of life that is more about the belief that less is more...about respect of each other and elders and the idea of namasté ~ the light in you is the light in me." Michelle Sakhai, New York City based artist, sharing about how her experience visiting family in Japan every summer while growing up informs her art and how she lives her life.

In this episode, you'll feel that respect and light coming through in Michelle's way of being. There's such grounded strength and gentleness in her words and her paintings.

We talk about how Michelle naturally tunes into her body, mind, and spirit when she's painting, what she's learned from teaching transformative art at the Harlem Hospital, and how her spirituality has evolved over time. We also discuss the importance of recognizing and honoring the many ways in which 2020 opened the door for reflection, introspection, and creativity.

We concluded with Michelle sharing about what the power of women means to her and and what she’s looking forward to in 2021.

Enjoy!

The Left Brain Artist

New York-based artist Michelle Sakhai painted landscapes in oil for many years. She mostly created her paintings outside, in the method of plein aire painters. She started adding metal leafing to her paintings to show light, and before she knew it, the leafing had taken over her artwork. She now uses oils and leafing to make beautiful abstract expressionist art.

Pencil Kings

Do you want to take your art to the next level? Then, in the words of contemporary artist Michelle Sakhai, simply let go. Free your mind from any artistic constraints and allow your hands to create. This is the mindset that allowed Michelle to experience her artistic awakening and discover her authentic vision as a painter. 

Michelle’s ingenuity and ability to go beyond her area of expertise have paved the way for her free-flowing abstract art. After specializing in plein air painting for over 20 years, Michelle made the transition to the abstract—and she has never felt more connected to her craft. 

In this week’s episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler sits down with contemporary fine artist, author, and educator, Michelle Sakhai. They discuss letting go of form, finding the balance between reality and expectations as an artist, and pursuing your unique artistic expression. Michelle also emphasizes the importance of experiencing the business side of the art world, in addition to honing your craft. Stay tuned!

The living artist

In this episode of The Living Artist, Preston speaks with New York City based artist Michelle Sakhai. In this wide-ranging conversation, Michelle shares with Preston her extensive background and traditional training as an artist both in the States and abroad. She discusses her evolution from having a formal background in plein air painting to becoming an abstract artist, influences from her Japanese and Persian roots, the role of healing and spirituality in her work, her latest solo show Garden of Peace and book Awakening, creating work during the pandemic, painting in France with a surprise mentor, and much more.

The Artist Business Plan

In this episode of The Artist Business Plan we sit down with Michelle Sakhai, painter, teacher, Reiki master for a class on exploring your artistry. Sakhai gives amazing tips for art students including the number one lesson an art student should learn. Then we dive into painting through your fears (so healing!), clarifying the type of artist you want to be, and detaching yourself from your work to sell it! Such a helpful class for new artists and those who need to refresh their spirit.

“If you ever painted your fears you’ll be surprised what happens- Instead of burying trauma, if we can go within ourselves and grab it and paint it not only are we transforming those old emotions and the pain and suffering then we are turning it into something beautiful at the same time. By giving it space we are allowing ourselves to heal.”- Michelle Sakhai