About Me
About Michelle Taranto
Hi, I'm Michelle!
I’m an emerging artist based in Yeppoon, Queensland, and I began my creative journey in 2021. Working from my coastal home studio under my business name Arco Iris Interiors, I create colourful, original artworks inspired by my love for bold, eclectic, and maximalist design.
My work is deeply influenced by the things I love most—my dogs (especially my Chihuahuas and my beloved Black Labrador, Tobi), my tropical plant and cacti collection, the eclectic interiors I surround myself with, and the coastal beauty of Yeppoon. Drawing on these inspirations and my self-taught skills, I create vibrant pieces that range from abstract botanicals to whimsical landscapes, playful roomscapes, and lively animal portraits—often blending them into unexpected compositions. As a proud colourist, I often return to the bright Arco Iris (Spanish: rainbow) palette, a love I discovered while travelling through South America in my twenties.
In October 2023, I held my first solo exhibition, Happy At Home, at Fig Tree Galleries, which was warmly embraced by the Yeppoon community. That same year, my self-portrait Modern Mother won First Prize in the Easel Works Section of the Martin Hanson Art Awards, a milestone that cemented my place as a rising artist in the Australian art scene.
Through my art, I aim to bring joy, colour, and connection to those who encounter it—and I’m excited to keep expanding my creative vision into fashion and interior design.
About Arco Iris Interiors
Arco Iris Interiors began in 2021 with a simple idea: to bring more colour into my life and my space. Picking up my paintbrush again, I set out to reconnect with myself as an artist—and quickly discovered that colour was at the heart of everything I wanted to create.
In 2020, I was captivated by the growing movement of eclectic interiors I saw online—spaces filled with bold paint, patterned wallpapers, quirky accents, abstract art, and thriving indoor jungles. I loved how these homes celebrated individuality, joy, and the beauty of self-expression.
With the encouragement of my partner, Grant, who has always believed in my creative vision, I began shaping those ideas into something tangible. I remember the exact moment I found the words that captured it perfectly: Rainbow Eclectic Maximalism. When I excitedly shared it with my best friend Dee, she immediately said, “Yes—that’s you.”
After years of dreaming and creating, Arco Iris Interiors is finally here; in 2023, I went all in, had my debut solo exhibition and went full-time as an artist. It’s a joyful blend of my own original paintings, hand-crafted fashion accessories, and unique home décor pieces—each designed to bring the same colour, warmth, and vibrancy that fills my own home.
