Inspired by revisiting a box of memorabilia after her mother’s death, in Ordinary Prayers in Words and Whispers,  MICHELLE BELTO recalls her formative years in the convent, where she learned to listen to the Silence to experience the Sacred. Time and memory are often themes in her work, which she explores by building up complex surfaces that speak to remembered experiences viewed as relics, remnants of original thought.

Her medium of choice is wax, which has the physical properties of layering and unearthing. When asked, she explains, “I like that the process of applying and removing paint is reminiscent of the meditative tradition, Ora et labora, a Latin phrase used to describe the contemplative practice of praying while working. When the mind is free, the unconscious has a voice. It is that voice I wait for in my work.”

Belto has exhibited in numerous national and international venues, including multiple solo shows. Her innovative community arts work includes founding The Gaslight Theater in Shiner, Texas, in 1976 and Rebarn, Center for Spirituality of Art in San Antonio in 1989. With Lyn Belisle, she co-created and directs The Enso Circle, a virtual artist residency. Belto was awarded the Creative Capital/SA 2008 Grant, IEA La Vendéene Award, SA Arts Foundation Grant Finalist, and multiple honors for her work. She authored a book in 2021 on her signature art process through Northlight Press (now Random House). Before stepping back to focus on her visual art practice, Belto held a thirteen-year position as adjunct faculty at Southwest School of Art, creating a full national and international teaching schedule. Today, she works and teaches from her studio in San Antonio, Texas.

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