Michelle René Cobb

Michelle René Cobb is an award-winning African American painter, designer, and educator. Her career began as a designer for Time-Life Books and later she became the first African American Art Director for Sports Illustrated magazine. She co-founded New York City design firm, Spellman, Bostic & Williams, and later served as the Communications Director for an independent school. She has also served ten years as a College Board AP Studio Art Reader and Table Leader.

Michelle René studied oil painting with the late master painter, Edward Loper, Sr. for over fifteen years. She has been invited as a guest artist to several prestigious art residencies around the world, including in France, Spain, Canada, Italy, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Martha’s Vineyard. She has taught traditional and digital art in Europe and the US for over 25 years at the University of Maryland, the University of Delaware, Montgomery College of Visual Art and Design, Delaware College of Art & Design, Lincoln University, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Michelle René is currently the Chair of the Studio Art Department at a Washington, DC school.

Michelle René earned an MFA from George Washington University and a BS in Art Education from Skidmore College. She completed additional studies at Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, Corcoran College of Art and Design, and United Digital Artists.