Born in Chicago to a Colombian mother and a Mexican father, a transitory lifestyle marked Samantha Michell’s early years, spending time between the United States and Mexico. However, her heart has always been firmly rooted in Mérida.
“I spent 18 years living here, going back and forth,” she recalls. “I’ve technically been here more than in the States.” This duality of identity and experience, living between cultures, profoundly influences her art, which explores themes of memory, nostalgia, and the body as a vessel of those experiences.
Samantha’s artistic journey took her from the streets of New York, where she studied at the School of Visual Arts, to the more serene yet culturally rich city of Mérida. She fondly reflects on her time in New York, describing the city as a place of endless possibilities, where her young mind was nourished by the arts and the vibrant culture surrounding her. “The city was just alive with possibilities. Now, I feel like a little bit of that is lost,” she laments, noting the city’s transformation over the years.
Her work is a testament to her process, which she describes as being as important as the finished piece itself.
“Process is everything,” she says as we survey her studio in a privada north of Mérida. “The smaller works are studies—understanding the materials, the colors, and how they interact.” Samantha works across various mediums, from oil to acrylic, charcoal, and mixed media, each chosen carefully to convey the emotions and memories she seeks to express.
A recent residency in Tokyo has deeply influenced her latest series, which is inspired by Japanese bathhouses. “It changed everything for me,” she shares. “I’ve been exploring the body as a way to convey memories. In Japan, seeing the delicate techniques of watercolors and charcoals brought my work to a new level.” Her current palette, dominated by serene blues and vibrant greens, is a direct result of the impressions left on her by Japan’s summer colors and the lush, verdant landscapes she encountered there.
Despite her global experiences, Mérida remains the anchor in Samantha’s life and work. The city’s growing art community fuels her creativity and provides a sense of belonging.
“The art community here is growing. More artists are setting up studios and shipping their work internationally,” she notes. Yet, she acknowledges her need for solitude in her creative process. “I’m a hermit,” she says in a very matter-of-fact manner. “My work is all about memory and revisiting experiences, which requires a lot of introspection.”
Looking ahead, Samantha is clearly excited about bridging a cultural gap, bringing Japanese artists to Mérida and possibly creating a residency exchange.
“I had such a beautiful experience in Japan. I want to share that with others here,” she says, her eyes lighting up with the possibilities. This initiative reflects her belief in the power of artistic collaboration and cross-cultural exchange, something she feels Mérida is ripe for.
Samantha Michell’s story is one of constant movement—between places, cultures, and ideas. Through her art, she captures the fluidity of memory, the vibrancy of life, and the beauty of the body in motion, inviting us all to step into her world, where memory and emotion dance together on the canvas.
