Prints of Freedom Click image for more info The Immokalee Friendship House Click image for more info

The mission of Essential Art is to provide education through the arts.  My name is Michelle Finnegan and I am the founder of Essential Art.  Please  click on my photo to learn more about me, the artist, my experience and philosophy and how Essential Art came to exist, as well as current events. All of the images you see are original works of art created by me.

Essential Art relies upon the sale of art and cards to donate funds and programs to organizations that promote education and community including artistic organizations, environmental organizations and children's organizations.

Since the beginning of time, humans have struggled to understand the Universe and our own place in it. We've scratched on caves or painted on canvas as attempts to communicate and record our thoughts.  Although technology has provided us many new techniques and options, our concerns and questions, as reflected in our works of art, remain the same regardless of the centuries or cultures that separate us.

View & Order Original Artwork
Cards by Essential Art -
click here.

Essential Art is as much a part of the fabric of life itself as the air we breathe, the water we drink and the dreams we dream.  Essential Art should be a presence in every day life and it is meant to be shared.

Visit our socially responsible partner organizations
and find out how you can lend a helping hand - click here.

I encourage you to send a card to your friends and share your
thoughts or just remind them how special they are before it is too late.

The black and white card at the bottom left was a photograph in my portfolio from when I studied at the School for the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. It was entitled "Hearts of Gold."  Later, it was digitally transformed, creating an invitation to an Earth Day art show at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in April 2003.  This card is entitled "Remember the Ripple Effect."  Clicking on this card will bring you to the Conservancy's website.

The "Stars and Stripes on the Horizon" card on the bottom middle is a link to The Ally Foundation. This original painting was donated to the Flip Flop Regatta held in August 2003 in honor of my friend, Alexandra, the namesake of the organization. The image was meant to hearken back to the early days of Americana when voter ballots were actually written much like note cards today. The sailboat is made of an envelope and gently affixed to the background to provide a more fluid feeling of motion and interactivity.
The envelope means to reinforce the concept of the sailboat as a vessel as well as a vehicle of transportation. We must remember that long before any legislation is ever written into law, we, as a community, bear the responsibility of communicating with one another and setting the standards we must continually strive to meet with integrity of purpose.

The card on the bottom right was also an original painting that had text added to create "Caring Cards from America." Please click on it to order any of the cards shown on this page, or to learn about the Adopt-A-Soldier program and Cody Anderson who walked from Naples, Florida to Ft. Myers, Florida carrying the American flag to raise support for our troops.

Essential Art Original Artwork Cards
One for every month of the year!

The Conservancy
of Southwest Florida

The Ally Foundation

Caring Cards from America

Product

Individual card

Pack of 5 cards

Bulk cards
(lots of 100)

Price

$2.50

$10.00

$1.00 per card plus shipping

contact: EssentialArtBooks@gmail.com