Michelle Sawyer is a visual artist from Tampa, FL. She earned her degree in Fine Arts from the University of South Florida and became a multifaceted artist. Sawyer has worked as a painter, muralist, curator and educator. Her large-scale works, which range from commercial to historical to community-centered projects, can be seen throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Examples of such projects include the Tampa Heights mural at Cafe Hey created to raise awareness of interstate expansion in a historic neighborhood, the West Tampa Community Mural at Salcines Park, the For the Love of THIS City mural at The Portico, the Riverwalk Memories mural at Anchor Riverwalk, the Tampa Height Mural at Shuffle, and the TPA Mural at Westshore City Center, among many others. While the aforementioned projects were co-designed and co-painted as a duo, as of 2022 Sawyer re-emerged as a solo-artist. The 1937 Antifascist Women’s March in Ybor City as well as displays for the Skatepark of Tampa’s 30th anniversary showcase Sawyer’s vision as an independent artist who blends community and history through public art. Here latest public art piece was created as part of Valspar’s 2025 “Be Bright” campaign and is located on the Feeding Tampa Bay building just outside of Ybor City. Sawyer’s experience as a gallery co-founder has allowed her to assist local businesses in integrating art into their establishments. Most recently, Sawyer was the Art Events Coordinator at The Bricks in Ybor City and organized the Ybor Arts Tour in spring of 2024.
Michelle Sawyer
