Views of Pont-Aven

Emergence

I was born in Pont-Aven (a famous little village to the North- West in France).

When I was little, I saw painters put their easels in front of the old wel, in the courtyard where I played. They were silent people solitary. I stood behind them and watched fascinated each stage of creation : charcoal, colour painted canvas… it was, each time, like an apparition !

They taught me the importance of these breton village in 19th century , in the history of painting. First American painters set around 1830, followed by the part of century by a community of painters around Gauguin. Hotel Julia was international !

Pont-Aven is light. It’s the upsteam river, foliage, hills and shadows. It’s the harbour and the turning of the tide, sails against the current.

There are still painters Pont-Aven ( which we love or not, it doesn’t matter !). It’s the murmuring of colours in exhibition and galleries that gives certain rythm to life.

How could I be immersed in all this ?

As a teenager, I learned with Hervé Kervellat, painter and Art School teacher in Lorient. Introduction to plumb-line to catch the shadows on plaster busts… We went out « on the motif » along the rive, then in masters footsteps : Gauguin, Sérusier, Bernard, looked down on us kindly. Kervellat taught me to observe : «  Don’t imitate… don’t copy landscapes » ! It had to follow links between different elements of the subject.

Let this be a lesson to us, but what a lot of doubts and hopes during this year of awakening !

Then, in the 80’s, freedom of movement and learning alone was the beliefs of Jean-Marc in his studio in Lorient. No theories… Dare movement… another way of learning !

Nantes – here Nantes !

At last, I treat myself to evening class in Art School.

Accompany the water, make it my ally, and try to catch model’s curves. Meeting (or not ) with these bodies ! Slender and vigour of movement, shadow and light in the contours, high concentration, a sharpened eye guiding the tip of my charcoal.

Then I want to go deeper into water colour techniques with Jean-Claude CHAILLOUX, along the river Seine. The « water-way ». Generous and strict teaching. This master teaching us by painting. Impregnation…

But I became more demanding, and I met Evelyn Winocq-Debeire, for weekly proficiency courses. Left watercolours to learn oil secrets.

Learning about « the Masters », copying their works to learn their techniques.

Daringly, I dave into the light of the gardens. I climbed on the Loire riverside with my paint brushes. Richess of Learning

Presence in Present

Now, alone in nature and in my studio, I open books : Mitchell, Twombly, De Stael…lights… skies…everything invites me to work.

Colour like an obviousness, but behind black structure… and white because no light is without shadow, this one reveals it. In painting and drawing, don’t we re-create light ?

Always the shimmering borns from a bright glitter. Work around to try to catch the light. Race against time, time and out of time : painting is a time of interiorisation and exteriorisation. Painters live in the synchronisation of feeling perception, analysis and action.

Daily pratice of yoga invites me to paint with my whole body, because there is no movement separated from the eye. I follow the invitation ! But still this necessity to stay where I am, otherwise things go astray. The discontinuity damages creation.

Dare…

Be audacious …

Stand on my own two feet !

Different famous painters of Pont-Aven…