Michelle Payne took up life casting in 2004, following a lifelong interest in the human form. An award winning artist with the Open College of the Arts (OCA), she is a member of The Association of Life Casters International and a successful gallery owner in Suffolk. As shown by her work in The Boudica Tour: Woman Reconstructed, her lifelike and very human casts uniquely capture a woman's spirit and personality in form, while her choice of paint finishes and embellishments to finalise the piece as a work of art.

Michelle became involved initially with the book The Boudica Within in 2007 when a patient of Elaine Sassoon who had had reconstruction commissioned her own body cast. That patient was so empowered by the experience she introduced the surgeon to the artist. From that auspicious meeting the seed for this Tour was sown.

Working on this project has been life changing for Michelle herself – inspirational, challenging and often emotional.