About the Artist
One of my deepest fascinations as an artist lies in experimenting with color harmony, textures, and materials to capture a very specific atmosphere that I perceive in the outer world through the filter of a particular mood in my inner-world.
Because each response is a bridge between these fluctuating internal and external movements - at a specific moment in time - I am not inclined to use the same technique over and over again. As a result, my work keeps changing in spiraling cycles, and remains exploratory over time.
Since I am a big-time daydreamer & nature-lover, my work is almost always about exploring that fine line between fantasy & daily-reality in nature related subjects. As I seek to extract the essence of scenes and things, they inevitably start to escape my control to live a life of their own.
The magic happens when I allow this process to unfold organically.
Ever since I was a child, I've always been deeply drawn to colors and painting. And my whole life, I have always spent a lot of time in Nature: hiking, swimming, or sitting still in a state of contemplation - sometimes in deep self-introspection. But it's only later in life, after various scientific and business studies, then earning a Masters in Architecture at UC Berkeley at 37 years old, that I finally allowed myself to be fully dedicated to painting. However, my passion for learning about the elements & principles of painting has been entirely self-taught.
Raised in Provence by the Mediterranean, I moved to Northern California when I was 25. By now, I have lived an equal amount of time in both places, and both have been a marvelous source of inspiration that influence my art in many magical ways.
When I make art, I like & try to "follow my body's internal response" before anything else. Atmosphere and color harmony are my main focus. As a nature lover, my favorite subject matters often include water, trees, flowers. The day-dreamer in me thoroughly enjoys exploring that thin edge between imagination and realism using some form of expressionism, abstraction and impressionism.
My aim is to trigger enough emotion in the viewer for them to feel their own story in their own body: something that goes beyond the subject matter itself. Our stories don't have to coincide because I am not looking to convey any single message or impression.
This experimental and experiential way of working keeps me inspired and energized, and takes me along different paths simultaneously. I don't show all of its results, but this continuous process of discovery stretches me beyond my comfort zone and is a huge part of my evolution as an artist. This soul-nourishing approach has produced a body of work that has remained rich with layers of experiences.
My favorite way to work is a combination from LIFE/plein-air and IMAGINATION. I also use my own photographs as points of departure. In this process, I mostly focus on the sensual pleasure of painting every step along the way, and I view so called "painting accidents" as opportunities to surprise myself and learn new ways of doing things.
The muse comes to me when I am able to follow my flow in the moment and I believe this "intense aliveness of the now" is what transpires most in my paintings.
