Gratitude: Stories of the Heart Artist Spotlight

What does gratitude look like?

For artist Michele Morrissey, the answer arrived in the form of whales and dolphins, playful, mysterious, and full of wonder.

Michele was on Big Island of Hawaii, where she spends part of many winters, when she first heard about Gratitude: Stories of the Heart. She had brought felting materials with her and decided to challenge herself to create a piece for the exhibition. As she reflected on the question at the heart of the project, one image rose immediately to the surface.

“When I asked myself, ‘What does gratitude look like?’ the first images that came to me were of whales and dolphins, the joy and wonder of seeing them, their playfulness and mystery. My heart fills whenever I see them. A feeling similar to gratitude.”

That sense of wonder runs through Michele’s creative life and her daily practice of noticing what is good, beautiful, and sustaining.

Most mornings begin quietly. Before her feet even touch the floor, Michele takes a few moments upon waking to listen, breathe, and reflect on what she is grateful for. It might be the cool breeze coming through the window, the snuggles of her cat, or the comfort and safety of home. These small acknowledgments shape the rest of her day.

“This sets a positive tone for my day,” she says.

For Michele, gratitude is not only a feeling, it is something that moves outward. It changes how we show up for one another, how we offer kindness, and how we connect with others.

"I think we need more loving connections in our world. Gratitude has an exponential quality—it blossoms out into the world, spreading goodwill.”

That openness to beauty and meaning is deeply connected to Michele’s life on Lummi Island, where she has lived for 27 years. The island’s changing seasons, familiar plants, and natural rhythms have become an ongoing source of inspiration for her art.

“Being surrounded by beauty is such a gift,” she says. “I have my favorite wild plants, and am so happy to see them when they arrive into their fullness each year.”

She draws from the colors, shapes, and textures of the natural world, but she also brings curiosity and contemplation into her process. Michele was especially moved when she learned about the “doctrine of signatures”, the idea that certain medicinal plants reveal something about their healing qualities through their appearance or texture. That concept has stayed with her and now informs the way she thinks about making art.

“I think about this when I’m creating,” she says, “about the messages that my work might carry intentionally or by serendipity.”

The piece Michele created for Gratitude: Stories of the Heart carries that quiet sense of meaning. Dreamlike, subtle, soft, and soothing, it offers viewers a moment of pause.

“To me this piece is dreamlike and subtle, soft and soothing,” she shares. “I hope it brings comfort and joy to viewers.”

That hope feels especially fitting for Michele, whose reflections on community are grounded in both honesty and affection. Over nearly three decades on Lummi Island, she has experienced many versions of herself, and she has come to appreciate the gift of growing in a place where others have witnessed that evolution too.

“It’s really a great gift to have landed in a community where I feel like I am seen and can be myself,” she says. “We all change and grow, and it’s really a special part of staying in one place for a long time, to witness the growth and change of friends and acquaintances.”

And what brings her joy here, in this season of life?

“Music, dancing, shared laughter, good food, and good hugs.”

We invite you to experience Michele Morrissey’s work as part of Gratitude: Stories of the Heart, on display over the summer at the LIH&W Resource Center. The exhibition is open Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–Noon. Stop by to enjoy Michele’s artwork and the many heartfelt stories shared by local Lummi Island artists in this special community exhibition.