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Michelle's
Reinvention Journey
Where curiosity, creativity, and new experiences become part of the journey.
Reinvention begins with curiosity.
For Michelle, creativity has always been more than making something beautiful. It is a way of exploring, learning, seeing things differently, and giving yourself permission to try something new.
Throughout her own journey, Michelle has intentionally sought out creative experiences that take her outside the familiar. She has learned from artists, explored traditional crafts, worked with new materials, and immersed herself in creative practices from different cultures.
The Art of Trying Something New
Michelle’s creative journey is made up of many moments of exploration. Some have been connected to travel, some to traditional art forms, and others simply to the joy of learning something with her hands.
Each experience has offered its own lesson about creativity and reinvention. For Michelle, the process is often just as meaningful as the finished piece. Being willing to step into something unfamiliar, learn from someone else, and become a beginner again creates space for discovery. You don’t always have to know where something will lead before you begin.
The Beauty of What Has Been Repaired
Kintsugi | Okinawa
Kintsugi is the Japanese practice of repairing broken pottery in a way that highlights, rather than hides, the places where it has been broken.
Michelle explored Kintsugi through a jewellery-making experience, creating her own pendant while learning about the philosophy behind the practice.
The experience stayed with her.
What if the places where life has changed us don’t have to be hidden? What if they can become part of the story of who we are becoming?
This perspective became part of the inspiration for incorporating Kintsugi into the Reinvent Your Life retreat, giving women an opportunity to explore their own stories of change, resilience, and renewal through a hands-on creative experience.
Creating with Resin
Okinawa | Resin Clock Making
In Okinawa, Michelle explored the art of resin through a hands-on clock-making class, working with paint, glass, and sand to create something both functional and personal.
The experience was a reminder that creativity can come from bringing unexpected elements together and seeing what emerges.
A Story Told Through Silk
Kyoto | Silk Painting
Another experience took Michelle into the world of silk painting, where she explored the use of gold leaf on silk.
The experience introduced her to traditional techniques and the craftsmanship behind beautiful silk works, including the use of materials such as gold and mother of pearl in Japanese artistic traditions.
For Michelle, it was another opportunity to step into something unfamiliar, learn from the process, and appreciate the patience and creativity behind the finished work.
Stories in Paper
Kyoto | Washi Paper
Michelle’s exploration continued with traditional Washi paper, incorporating dried flowers into handmade paper.
There is something beautiful about taking delicate pieces of nature and preserving them within something new. The process offered another reminder that the things we collect along our journey can become part of something entirely different.
Nature as Inspiration
Tokyo | Pottery with Leaf Imprints
In Tokyo, Michelle explored pottery and used leaves to create impressions in the clay.
The experience brought together two things that often appear throughout her creative journey: nature and making something by hand.
A simple leaf can become a pattern. A piece of clay can become something entirely new. The experience is a lovely reminder that inspiration can be found in the world around us when we slow down enough to notice it.
