May 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 7
Sunriver Music Festival selects artwork for 2026 poster
Sunriver Music Festival has
selected Michele Michael’s
“Strawberry Skies” as its featured artwork for 2026.
Each year, the Sunriver Music
Festival features an artist local to Central Oregon for the
season’s poster.
Artists were invited to submit
their artwork for consideration
and a jury of professional artists from the Artists’ Gallery
Sunriver assists in making the
final selection. Michael’s acrylic
on canvas painting, which has
been custom framed by Eastlake
Framing, will be auctioned at
the Raise the Baton fundraising party on Saturday, July 18
in Bend.
Visit sunrivermusic.org to
purchase tickets.
Fine art quality reproductions
of this work will grace the cover
of the program magazine for the
49th season of Sunriver Music
Festival. Posters are available for
$35. Framed posters are $85.
Notecards are $25 for a pack
of 10 available at the Sunriver
Music Festival office.
Clothing and other merchandise are available online
at sunrivermusic.org/merch.
Call 541-593-1084 or email
tickets@sunrivermusic.org with
merchandise questions or purchasing information.
About Michele Michael
In the artist’s words:
“I was raised in the countryside of Ohio farmlands and
spent my youth creating everything from hand-drawn paper
dolls to detailed illustrations in
Microsoft Paint. I spent most
of my teenage years and 20s
dismissing my creativity, instead
studying photojournalism and
working odd jobs.
I moved out west to Olympia,
Washington in 2009 and immediately fell in love with the
natural beauty of the mountains, rivers and coastlines of the
American West, as well as the
outdoor recreation community.
I started working at REI, and
did so for over 10 years, which
gave me a business mindset, an
intimate knowledge with retail,
and most importantly, the introduction to my husband and
business partner, Jeff.
That job also took me to
multiple locations in Washington, Alaska, and Oregon.
After living all over the Pacific
Northwest, I deepened my love
of the outdoors and was drawn
to bigger adventures.
However, I did not feel compelled to capture the beauty of
the natural world in art until
Jeff and I spent a year traveling the world. With the rise
of social media, and being
exposed to artists of all kinds, I
felt inspired to finally paint and
draw again. I started posting
my small sketches on Instagram
and was encouraged by friends
and strangers.
I got my first commission
while living in New Zealand;
it was a request to draw... the
Three Sisters mountains.
When we returned stateside,
we settled in my husband’s
hometown of Bend, Oregon,
and I started my art business
shortly thereafter.
I started designing stickers
and got my first retail account
in 2018. My art and business
has slowly grown, and I am
proud to have my art in many
local shops, as well as seven
National Parks (and counting!).
Along with my husband, we
support our family with our
business. I still live in Bend (in
Three Rivers area now) with
Jeff, our two young children,
and our mutt dog.
In 2022, I made the leap
to pursue art full-time. I feel
like the luckiest gal in the
world to make art for a living.”
Visit www.michelemichaelart.
com to see the artist’s work.
Purchase tickets to the 2026
Sunriver Music Festival
Sunriver Music Festival’s
2026 summer season will be
held in Bend and Sunriver
from August 10-20. Events are
at the iconic Tower Theatre
in downtown Bend and the
historic Great Hall at Sunriver
Resort. Artistic Director &
Conductor Brett Mitchell will
lead world-class orchestra musicians and acclaimed soloists in
a remarkable 49th season. Visit
sunrivermusic.org for concert
details and to purchase tickets.
Vote NO
July 2026 on
The SROA
Transfer Tax
It Is Not
Fair!
All owners should
fund the desired
amenities, not just
those who buy and
sell their home.
John Baker
* Bruce Bischof
v
CCB# 224186
Central Oregon’s Ol dest Fam il y Owned Roofing Com pany
v
MAY 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
Page 7
