lundi 28 mars 2011

Cakes and Dogs

Ornamentation is fun. I think I have never seen any type of authentic ornamentation that was serious or dull .It always an expression of fantasy, enjoyment, poetry . It can also be a little weird.
Of course,when you work on commission somtimes you cannot let your imagination loosen up in your ornamental compositions...and make them fun .
When I create the collections I exhibit at Maison et Objet I am free to loosen up or even go crazy...
Here is what it looks loke when I have fun.

I picked up an old design, changed it , added stripes, pink flakes upon pink stripes and pasted in images of a recent historical movie...

"Cake" 89x146cm Oil and Casein on canvas



A mix of ornament by Berain and images of "Marie-Antoinette" by S.Coppola.

lundi 21 mars 2011

Before/After . Le Salon Bleu

Here is another before/after series of pictures of a room of my book "Demeures peintes".
This room, as the Old library, is in the XVIIth century castle located near Lyon. At floor level , two nice living rooms open their doors on the terrace and the garden. The light is beautiful during the winter but the photographer and I  were too busy to find time to go on site and shoot the pictures.
We finally made them in July, the light is beautiful too but it does not go very into the rooms.
The Salon Bleu was originally covered with different wall papers.




Most of them were dating back to the end of the XIXth century and were of littel interest. Only the vases over the doors, probably dating back to the early 1800's were protected. The beams on the ceiling and different parts of the walls have been painted in various shades of blue.



All these colors have been weathered by the light and I imagined to try and find some kind of average blue for my paintings.





After some researches and hesitations I decided to create a neo-classical ornament that I thought was consistent with the style of the vases.
It is , technically, one of the most simple rooms presented in the book but certainly one of the most charming.
It was a pleasure for Yves and I to take the pictures. We only had two hours of ideal lighting to do so but everything was well prepared and went smooth.



Here is finally one of the pictures I took in December when the work was just completed ...freezing cold outside ( and inside ) , three inches of snow and a gorgeous light.

dimanche 20 mars 2011

One of a kind

Everything you paint by hand is unique. Some pieces are more unique than others though.
Here are pictures of a painting I could not duplicate even if I tried hard.
My family and I spent holidays in Greenport ( Long Island/NY) a few years ago.
At the time , I was exhibiting a series of  paintings in a friend's art gallery and I was there to teach a short workshop.
I was taking photographs on the beach when I found an old , worn and weathered red board. I picked it up and brought it back to the gallery.
I really liked its colors and texture. It reminded me of these swedish red barns my wife and I love.
A few days later I used it as a support for a small painting of a local seascape.
It has been bought by a person who lives nearby...




Acrylic on board ( approx. 23x100cm)

mercredi 16 mars 2011

Please have a look.III

Please check out the last post on Belgian Pearls. If ever you do not know about this blog I am sure you will  love it as much as I do!!
I am very proud to see one of my paintings in this blog and in the  marvellous setting of "Une Ame en plus".
Here are pictures of this grisaille.


I also created a second view and made  a diptych for another client.


Each panel measures approximately 125x190cm. Inspired by landscapes of Pierre Patel ( casein on paper glued up on canvas).

vendredi 11 mars 2011

Thank you AD.

I have sent several copies of my book, Demeures peintes, to different french magazines in January . The people of Architectural Digest have been the first to show their interest.
Their photographer has come to my booth at Maison et Objet and made a series of pictures, As the theme of their article ( three other artists featture in it) was "Interior Landscapes" they wanted to have me sit in front of one of the two landscapes I was exhibiting.
I was smiling, the gemtle photographer told me not to smile. Then I understood that he probably wanted me to look like a real artist. I tried my best. I am not sure I made it though...Anyway, I think that my ego was liking it a little.



So, here it is, my first time in a top shelf decoration magazine.

mardi 8 mars 2011

Gold Fever. Part III.

My friend Malek, the gilder, took a few pictures of the showroom of Atelier Louis XIV before the different pieces of furniture were brought in...here they are.








We had seen the ceiling project and were wondering how it would work with the walls and the rest of the room and honestly it does work. It might look a little over the top , but this is exactly what my client wanted and it definitely adds a lot to this small room.
Next time I can swnig by the showroom I will take pictures with all the interior decoration ...I am really looking forward seeing it complete.

dimanche 6 mars 2011

Classes. 2011 Program

My teaching schedule is set for this year, here is the program :

I have the pleasure, for the first time, to announce a class in Antwerp, organised by my friends Chantal and Jan of Ideefiks. ( June 2/3/4)  SOLD OUT
I will teach a decorative panel that I had developped for a class at the Mural School three years ago and taught again last year at Nadai Studios.


It is a very "dense" panel for three days but so far most of the students I have had in this class have made it.


In July, I am also invited ,for the first time ,to teach a class at the renowned IDAL convention taking place this year in Hampton,Virginia.(July 20/24)
This is a a two day class during which we will paint a charming landscape inspired from pictures I took in the beautiful village of Menerbes ( Luberon).  SOLD OUT



I will  then, for the 14th time ( my God!!!!)  teach at my friends, Lotta and Mats,  Palm Fine Arts's beautiful studio in Norkopping (Sweden) in August.
We will paint a landscape study during the first day. It will be based on this painting I did a few years ago. This is another Provence village called Bonnieux. I do have a passion for these places and I love painting them again and again...teaching them again and again.


This 
 other view will keep us busy for the rest of the week.



I will then teach in another incredible place in California : Big Oak Arts, owned and run by my friend Sheri Hoeger . Please visit her website and have a look at all the things she and her husband Hugh do. The program will very soon be defined.

Finally Sean Crosby and I plan to teach a class in Florida , at the very end of November . (program and schedule defined soon also). 



mercredi 2 mars 2011

Please have a look.II

Artisphere/IDAL people have been kind enough to post an excerpt of "Demeures Peintes". It is about the living room of the house I decorated in Fontainebleau . You will see a few more pictures and this will give you an idea of what the texts in this book sound like.