"Michelle Finnegan's writing ability and her artistic ability are readily apparent in her work-simply read what she writes and look at what she paints, and you know about those. But it is when you find out what she channels these talents into that you know the person she is. She is intelligent, talented, well-educated, charming, funny, and delightful, but she is also caring, compassionate, and committed. I spent 28 years in publishing, and during most of that time, I was a signer of authors. I know a good project when I see it, and a talented person when I meet one. My other career, college teaching (MIT's Sloan School and Harvard's JFK School of Government), is also one in which an ability to gauge talent is cultivated. "I can recommend Michelle or her work to you without reservation, in the sure knowledge that she will be an asset to any creative enterprise." Terence Heagney

I am blessed to be alive and to have friends help recover my websites after being hacked twice. All my websites are temporary and abbreviated to get back up asap since they came down about two months after "What Does Your Garden Grow," (my most recent book) was published in Gulfshore Life Magazine in September 2018. The book is in memory of my father, Joseph M. Finnegan, and other victims and survivors of the only Special Needs Shelter in Collier County because the generators failed and a woman died before two others were rushed to the ER, including my father.

In 1999, I founded EssentialArt.org to promote education through art after producing my first film, "Hung Jury" which I began writing as an undergrad to raise awareness to the lack of victim's rights. Through EssentialArt.org, I have produced Earth Day shows at the Conservancy of SWFL, art exhibits across the country including "Art in the Park" in Boston, "Red Ribbon Week" art programs, a community wide contest benefiting 10 Naples Charities in Naples (prior to the launch of the Winter Wine Festival), and my Prints Of Freedom portfolio that is comprised of paintings I created while traveling around the country after the US became a nation at war. I painted people's hands and printed them onto canvas then transformed the print into a work of art that was meant to embody who they are and what they do with their freedom. I created limited edition prints of the www.PrintsOfFreedom.com and donated 20% of each sale to a charitable cause that I matched to the series. Sales from he limited edition print, "Woolly Urby" established the "John Urban Legacy Scholarship" through Rampant Lions and "Remembering Roots" established a scholarship in my father's name donating 20% to BC High after I had already matched 20% of the same limited edition prints to the "Fr James Skehan Scientific Research Fund."  

I was asked to help launch Jame's Costa's documentary, "Lunch Hour" at the Palm Beach Film Festival which shows how vital and affordable it is to feed school children healthy food. As a Master Gardener, I helped launch the "Blue Zones Initiative in Collier County and established a teaching garden at a newly built Youth Center at the Marco Y both of which are aimed to teach people to make healthier food choices and engage in activities that are proven to prolong healthy lives.

I served as a docent at the Conservancy of SWFL in the early 1990's before moving back to Boston to re-awaken a long forgotten promise to revitalize a 10 miles stretch of parkland along the Neponset River Restoration. The entire revitalization process took almost 20 years with the first park being named after Pope John Paul and the last park being named after my Grandfather Sen Joseph Finnegan. Neither my father nor I could attend the ribbon cutting where the majority of the extended family gathered for photo ops with many of Massachusetts dignitaries who helped complete the mission including Gov Baker, the Mayor and many others. My father could not travel when the ribbon cutting ceremony was scheduled and I would not leave him for any reason.

Prior to my work within the US through my Prints of Freedom, I used to love traveling the globe, learning about other cultures and learning to blend more than expect foreign cultures to conform to me. I received a humanitarian award for work in other countries including South America, Africa and Europe. Most days you can now find me most days working in my garden or walking my dog.  

Education:

Undergrad major of Social Theory and Political Economics. Special interest in children's literature, Photography at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, Painting and Sculpting at the Von Liebig Art Institute, Master Gardener Training from UF, Graduate Level Certificate in Religious Studies and Education from Harvard 2017...lifelong learner...perpetual student

Awards & Nominations:

• Humanitarian Award from Amitie Sans Frontieres 1999
• Best in Show Naples Art Association 2016