Southern Home (SH): Who first nurtured your creativity?
Michelle Nussbaumer (MN): Absolutely my mother, who is an amazing artist. She put the first paintbrush in my hand. When I was young, I went with her to Spain for several months while she studied Sorolla’s paintings, and at home in Texas, I’d go paint with her in the studio. There were always models and fellow artists in our house, and everyone in my family was creative—my father was a poet, my aunt was a decorator, and my grandmother, a potter. I still love to paint today, and I frequently reference works by greats like Ingres, Sargent, and Alma-Tadema for the color palettes in my rooms.
You majored in theater at SMU, and we definitely see that flair for the dramatic in your interiors. When did you realize you wanted to switch roles from acting
