Michelle Dennis standing in front of a row of three large, abstract line art paintings of humanoid donkey figures with animal features in her Bronx art studio.

My work is an expression of big feelings, raw, honest, vulnerable, and bold. It speaks to the experience of motherhood, the loss of self, the fear of death, and the delicate balance between being human and animal. These emotions and experiences manifest in the figures I draw.

My large-scale paintings immerse the viewer in this perspective, reversing the roles of object and observer. Standing before them, you are no longer just looking at an image, you are standing in front of something larger than yourself, much like a child beside a towering animal. In this case, the presence is a mother: powerful, untamed.

An artistic sketch of a nude anthropomorphic donkey reclining on a chair with its back arched and hair flowing down, blending realistic and abstract styles.

The Artist’s Chair - The Artist   78” X 60” Charcoal and Gouache on Paper 2010

anthropomorphic donkey sitting in a chair cross legged

Artist’s Chair, 48”x60”, Charcoal on Canvas, 2025

A black and white drawing of a person sitting on the floor, partially obscured by a yellow chair in front of them, with a dark background behind the stool/chair.

Artist’s Chair, 60”x 72, Charcoal and Pastel on Paper, 2010-2025

A black and white line drawing of a anthropomorphic donkey with long hair, with her arms raised above her head.

Mothers and Daughters, 48”x60” Charcoal on Canvas, 2025

A surreal black and white drawing of two horses fused together with exaggerated features, standing on a white background.

Tied Together,  60” X 84” Charcoal and gesso on paper 2010

A sketch of four donkeys, with one sitting cross-legged with their face replaced by a donkey's head, and the other three standing behind them with donkey heads and ears.

Outsider 60” X 84”, Charcoal on paper, 2010