Michael Jell was born in Maidstone, England. He spent most of his childhood in Zimbabwe, Africa. In 1969 the family moved to Eastern Canada.

Michael was fortunate to have good teachers who encouraged his artistic talents. He attended Sheridan College of Art in Ontario. The  positive feedback and support from his art teachers gave him an excellent foundation  and he has continued to develop and learn on his own. He is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.

After a few business trips to the Okanagan he was so impressed with the ecological diversity of the area that he decided to move here. This was the place he wanted to develop his artistic expression of his love of nature.
 
Michael has worked in a number of different mediums but over time has found that oil and acrylic suit his style the best. He has entered several juried shows where he has won both Peoples Choice and Best of Show. Most recently at the Canadian Federation of Artists show in Kamloops, B.C. his painting of the Common Loon won Honourable Mention. A giclee print of the Red Tail Hawk is hanging in the House of Commons in Ottawa.

He has an interest in the ranch life of this area and has completed a number of paintings depicting the scenery and lifestyle of the local cowboys. Ranchers have commissioned Michael to create several paintings that reflect their lifestyle.

He has an appreciation of the natural world and spends much of his time exploring the Okanagan area. Over the past ten years the local scenery and wildlife have taken an important role in his art.  His ambition is to create art that expresses the delicate balance in nature and the preservation of the world around us.

This past year Michael has been painting in a more impressionistic style. “As an artist, you need to experiment in different techniques and styles that opens your mind and stimulates your creative juices.”