Michelle Sakhai is a contemporary artist who specializes in metal leaf oil paintings. Born in New York, Sakhai began painting at an early age. Her mixed heritage has shaped her as an artist. With both Persian and Japanese roots, her art derives influences from both cultures. Family trips to Japan initially exposed her to metal leaf and inspired her to become a pioneer in this medium. Sakhai’s paintings are exhibited in galleries around the world including Tokyo, Ibiza, Miami, and New York City. Her art remains in both private and public collections including the Montefiore Einstein Medical Center, The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, and Kamakura Park in Japan. Sakhai's work has been exhibited in Universities including Stamford, Michigan Medicine, The Academy of Art, Hofstra, and Mary Hardin-Baylor. She recently published her first book titled ‘Awakening’, a compilation of 200 of her paintings. Sakhai received her Bachelor’s in Art History and Fine Arts from Hofstra University, and currently serves on the advisory board for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She received her Masters in Fine Arts from the Academy of Art University, and has studied internationally including d’Arts Plastique I Disseny (LLOTJA) in Spain. Additionally, she has taught art at the University of California, Berkeley.