Michelle Cortez Gonzales is a Fort Worth based interdisciplinary artist who creates sewn-textile paintings, and installations. She earned her BFA in painting from the University of Texas at Arlington, and her MFA in painting from the University of Dallas. Her work has been featured in Maake Magazine and exhibited in various galleries throughout Texas including Anya Tish Gallery (Houston, TX), and Presa House Gallery (San Antonio, TX). Cortez Gonzales was showcased in Visit Fort Worth’s 2021 series of “Women Worth Meeting”, and awarded residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, VT (2024), Cuttyhunk Artist Residency, MA (2021), and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art as a 2021 Community Artist. She was a recipient of the 2023 National Endowment for the Arts: Challenge America Grant from the Dallas District Colleges. In addition to her studio practice, Cortez Gonzales works as a public art project manager with Arts Fort Worth.
EDUCATION
2020 MFA, Painting, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
2018 MA, Painting, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
2007 BFA, Painting, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
2003 AA, Graphic Design, The Art Institute of Dallas, Dallas, TX
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
2024 Vermont Studio Center Residency Program, Johnson, VT
2023 National Endowment for the Arts: Challenge America Grant, Dallas District Colleges, TX
2021 Cuttyhunk Artist Residency, Cuttyhunk Island, MA
2021 Carter Community Artist, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, TX
2021 Women Worth Meeting 2021, Visit Fort Worth, TX
2017 Braniff Scholarship, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2022 Past is Present, Norman Brown Gallery, Richardson, TX
2022 On the Mend, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX
2021 The Space Between, Umbrella Gallery, Dallas, TX
2020 Misplaced Memories: Michelle C Gonzales and Austin Uzor, Arts Fort Worth, TX
2019 Tactile Nostalgia: Michelle Gonzales and Richie Peña. 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX
2018 Sowing the Familiar: MA Thesis Exhibition, Thompson Loggia, UD, Irving, TX
2014 Penetration: Impressions of a Memory, Artes de la Rosa Gallery, Fort Worth, TX
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Keijsers Koning Three Person Group Show
2024 Dallas Art Fair, Michele Cortez Gonzales, Rush Baker IV and Kate Barbee
2023 Dang Good Group, Fort Works Art, Fort Worth, TX
2023 Fronteriza: Aquí y Allá, Presa House Gallery, San Antonio, TX
2022 La Cosecha Que Nos Dejó La Diáspora, El Refugio, Fort Worth, TX
2022 Mujeres on the Move, Artes de la Rosa Gallery, Fort Worth, TX
2021 Alexa, Take me Home!, Anya Tish Gallery, Houston, TX
2020 Family Reunion: Ladies Night, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX
2019 Threads. Artes de la Rosa Gallery, Fort Worth, TX
2019 Migratory. Bath House Cultural Center, Dallas, TX
2019 Art+Chef Mixer, The Table, Fort Worth, TX
JURIED EXHIBITIONS
2023 Texas Vignette Art Fair, Dallas Market Hall, Dallas, TX
2022 Texas Vignette Art Fair, Dallas Market Hall, Dallas, TX
2020 Expo 2020, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX
Jurors: Sedrick and Letitia Huckaby; Awarded Juror Prize
2019 Mayjoring in Art: Higher Learning, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX
Juror: Sara-Jayne Parsons; Awarded “Best of Show”
2019 College Expo 2019, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX
Juror: Giovanni Valderas; Awarded Juror Prize
2016 Texas Artist Coalition Juried Exhibition, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, TX
Juror: Clint Willour
2016 Texas & Neighbors Juried Exhibition, Irving Arts Center, Irving, TX.
Juror: Soon Y. Warren
2015 ExhibitionistsFW, Selected Works, Artspace 111 Gallery, Fort Worth, TX
PUBLIC ART
2022 Anchor Points: A Collective Material Memory Project, temporary installation, South Main Micro Park, Fort Worth, TX
2018 Homemaker, 3 x 5’ public art mural, Art South, Mag & May Living, Fort Worth, TX
2018 Convivió: Mural of Community and Inclusion mural, Northside, Fort Worth, TX
Assisted artist Arnoldo Hurtado with painting mural
LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS
2021 Guest Artist, Boxed Lunch Interview Series, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, May 17
2021 Guest Speaker, Northwestern Community College, Powell, WY, February 9
2021 Keynote speaker, Hospitality Annual Meeting, Visit Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX, Feb 5
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
2021 Teaching Artist, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, TX
2019/20 Instructor/Director, Summer Art Academy, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
2018/19 Graduate Assistant, Painting I, Intermediate, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
2014/17 Teacher/Department Head, Drawing I, II, Advanced Placement Studio Art, Polytechnic High School, Fort Worth, TX