Creating images of animals in circus costumes, Michele Mikesell forms visual metaphors for the human condition. Richly developed surfaces combined with beautifully composed images create a subtle balance of social commentary and humorous nostalgia. The depiction of anthropomorphic beings in art can be traced back to the most ancient of artistic traditions in which people are depicted as animal/human hybrids in the act of ceremonial transformation and ritual. Mikesell’s paintings draw on this tradition, placing focus on the transformation of human connection and performance in the technological age we live in.