Michele Rolstone graduated from Michaelis School for Fine Art, UCT in 2010. After a brief foray in the illustration and film industries, she opened the first African branch of Dr Sketchy’s Anti Art School (under international license). Joining as a student at Intaglio Studio in 2013, she was working as a printmaker from the studio by 2015.
In 2019 Rolstone moved to Johannesburg to join the artist community at August House in the Johannesburg CBD, establishing her own printmaking studio there 2021-22. From here she worked collaboratively with artists to publish fine art prints for a number of artists, including a portfolio project headed by Meta Foundation titled ‘The Problem with Contemporary African Art Is…?’
For her personal practice, Rolstone was selected for the Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) Talent Unlocked programme, 2021, with work produced for this programme now in the First Rand Collection following a successful auction at Strauss & Co. She was awarded a certificate of artistic achievement by the Luxembourg Art Prize December 2022 and Dec 2023.
Expanding to more curatorial and administrative roles, Rolstone has worked collaboratively in the production of a number of group exhibitions; most recently as part of the production crew (and participating artist) for Into Creating at Taiteen Talo, Turku, Finland.
In the period between Sept 2022 and Jan 2024 Rolstone attended a number of residencies at Arteles Creative Center, Finland, both as a resident and as an alumni assistant. Recently stepping into the role of community project manager at the centre, Rolstone is currently based in Finland where she continues her personal creative practice.
Solo Sections:
2020 - As Above So Below - Mini Solo Exhibition in the home of the Swiss Consul General, Cape Town.
2019 - As Above So Below - Association of Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, 35 Church Street, Cape Town.
2018 - Subliminal Sublime | Subliminaal Subliem – Exhibited as part of the Visual Arts Program at the University of Stellenbosch Woordfees (Literary festival), US Museum, Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch.
Residencies:
2023/24 - Arteles Creative Centre, Alumni Programme, May - Jul & Nov ’23 - Jan ‘24 - Finland.
2022 - Arteles Creative Centre, - Back to Basics Programme extended residency Sept/Oct - Finland.
Biennales and Print Exchanges:
2018 - Green Door Printmaking Studios - 10th International Print Exchange; http://www.internationalprintexchange.org/
2017 - Selected for the Printmaker’s Showcase second International Print exchange; http://www.getimprinted.org/
2016 - 16th International Biennale of Small Graphics and Exlibris accompanied by printed catalogue – Muzeum Miasta Ostrowa Wielkopolskiego; Ostrów Weilkopolski, Poland
2015 - Selection of Works from the 4th International Footprint Biennale Exhibited in the JVS Project Space, Harlem, New York.
2014 - 4th International Footprint Biennale – Centre For Contemporary Printmaking, CT, USA
2013 - 9th International Miniature Print Biennale – Centre for Contemporary Printmaking, CT, USA
Collections
First Rand Collection, Johannesburg, South Africa
Muzeum Miasta Ostrowa Wielkopolskiego; Poland
Awards and Certificates
2023 - Luxembourg Art Prize, Certificate of Artistic Achievement.
2022 - Luxembourg Art Prize, Certificate of Artistic Achievement.
Selected Art Fairs:
2020 - Investec Cape Town Art Fair – AVA Gallery, CTICC, Cape Town.
2017 - Turbine Art Fair – Carol Lee Fine Art, Turbine Hall, Johannesburg.
2014 - Johannesburg Art Fair – SA Print Gallery, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.
Curatorial/Administrative Projects
2024 - Into Creating - Production crew for group exhibition curated by Teemu Räsänen, Taiteen Talo, Turku, Finland.
2021 - a short philosophy on medium - Group Exhibition co-curated with Henrietta Scholtz at AVA Gallery, Cape Town.
2020 - Incognito Arthouse - Artist run, experimental curatorial initiative co-founded by Fleur de Bondt and Johan Stegmann; featured on Latitudes Online.
Publishing (Printmaking)
2021 - The Problem with South African Contemporary art is…? - Portfolio of etchings and linocuts by nine artists as part of a broader project under the same title, Organised by Meta Foundation, Funded by the National Arts Council.
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2024
Into Creating - Curated by Teemu Räsänen, Taiteen Talo, Turku, Finland.
2023
Liewe Land! III - Curated by Dineke Orton, University of Johannesburg Gallery, Johannesburg.
2022
Too Many Dinner Parties - A relational conversation about presence - Curated by Sara Hallatt as part of the Open Studios Joburg programme, Doornfontein, Johannesburg.
Liewe Land! II - Curated by Dineke Van der Walt as part of the Klein Karoo Nationale Kunste Fees visual arts programme, Oudshoorn.
2021
Sempiternal - Lizamore and Associates, Fairland, Johannesburg
Liewe Land! - Curated by Dineke Van Der Walt, Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria.
RMB Talent Unlocked - Curated by Londi Modiko, Circa Gallery, Everard Read, Jellicoe Ave, Rosebank, Johannesburg.
The cultural life of spaces - Curated by Carlyn Strydom in association with Meta Foundation as part of the Cape Town Collab between August House and various galleries in Cape Town, AVA Gallery, Church Street, Cape Town.
2020
Don’t Look Away - August House Studios Online Exhibition in response to Covid19.
The Studio is a Sacred Space - August House Studios Online Exhibition in response to Covid19 Lockdown.
2019
Botanica II - curated by Adele Van Heerden, art.b gallery, The Arts Association of Bellville, Carl Van Aswegen Street, Bellville, Cape Town
Void - First Rand Pop-Up Exhibition, curated by Togo Ntokozo Langa of MM Art House, 4 Merchant Place, Sandton, Johannesburg.
Bibliotheca – Culmination of the Artist’s Career Bootcamp Programme facilitated by Art Source South Africa, hosted by The Bag Factory Artist Studios and funded by the National Arts Council. Curated by Bridget Modema, Sharon Moses and Bruce Bowale, Fordsburg, Johannesburg.
The Printer’s Painting – The Artist’s Proof Studio, Castle Street, Cape Town.
Crumbling Contours – The Artist’s Proof Studio at Craft and Graft, Gordon Street, Cape Town.
2018
Universal Coherance - The Opening of Art on Avenues Gallery, Corner Drama and Caledon Street, Somerset West
#Paper - Curated by Ilse Nieman and Hugo De Villiers, ArtB Gallery, The Arts Association of Bellville, Carl Van Aswagen Street, Cape Town
Botanica - Curated by Adele van Heerden, art.b gallery, The Arts Association of Bellville, Carl Van Aswegen Street, Bellville, Cape Town
The Grand Exhibition - Rust en Vrede Gallery, Wellington Street, Durbanville, Cape Town
2017
Dawn Breathes Gold – ClemenGold Charity Auction, Upstairs @ Bamboo, Melville, Johannesburg
Art on Paper, Kalk Bay Modern, Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town.
Collaborations
2018 - Judy Woodborne, "The Fabric of the World" - collaborative glass cloche sculptures included in Woodborne's solo exhibition at Lizamore & Associates, Parkwood, Johannesburg.
2018 – Contributed to a section on linocut under Intaglio Studio for an educational video accompaniment to the exhibition Ink on Paper, hosted by La Motte Wine Estate, produced by Leon Van Rooyen and La Motte Wine Estate.