Chicago-based artist Michelle Hartney explores diverse themes in her work, including women's health, heroes, love, and the cosmos. Through various mediums like fiber, wood, found objects, performances, and the internet, she addresses social issues. Her passion for these causes developed during her time as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Apart from her art, Hartney coordinated Improving Birth's Labor Day rallies in Chicago and now serves as a running ambassador for Every Mother Counts, raising awareness for maternal healthcare through her extensive distance running experience. In 2016, she founded the Women's Health Collective, uniting artists, designers, writers, musicians, technologists, healthcare providers, and activists to creatively tackle women's health issues in the community.