Interview with Isabelle Gautier

Isabelle Gautier- LOVE YOUA BUNCH
Acrylic and polymers- 36 x 48

 1. Who are you and what do you do, and what is your background?

I was born and grew up in Normandy, France near the D-Day beaches. I moved to the States in 1999 and have been living in the Atlanta metro area since then. I have always been interested in color and design, attended the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, but am mostly a self-taught artist and painter.

2. What's integral to your art and or art career?

Right now painting provides the best support I need to create: the canvas. But as you know art is everywhere in life:  food, music, architecture, clothes … and even in the way we see things. I love everything about creating with my hands, working with large scale paintings, ceramics and woodwork… When I create I am always looking for particular balance in the composition, the color or the texture. I try to fix it on a canvas, but it is actually a projection of my inner need.  I might find that balance in an unbalanced composition. This artistic balance is something I am longing for in every aspect of my life and my art career. My art is a completely integrated part of my life and allows me to travel, meet interesting people and continue my self-development.

3. What themes do you pursue and what medium do you use?

I have always liked abstract art very much. I like it for its creative thinking powers but also for its dreaming powers. Expressionist abstract is my first love. But lately I find myself doing more Impressionist art. I am working on floral and landscape series. People need serenity and peace. Here again it is a question of balance. I navigate between expression and representation, revendication and inner peace. I love using new materials and new tools to paint.  I work mostly with acrylic on canvas and love to create very large paintings, but I also do tiny pieces on cardboard. I guess my never ending research leaves me no choice but trying out different styles and themes and subjects over the years. 

Isabelle Gautier "EMIGRANT HARBOR I"
 Acrylic and polymers, 48x48

4. What makes you angry, what makes you happy?

What makes me angry? The unnecessary stress and negative energy of people working against each other rather than with each other. 

What makes me happy?  Children playing, laughter, people who enjoy my art.  I am happy with friends and family, listening to music with a glass of wine.  I like to see other people be successful and grow in their own way at their own speed. Personal development is a big happiness factor for me.

5. Who and what inspire you in your work and or in your life in general?

I am inspired by strong, smart and successful women who can maintain their femininity without compromising their inner strength and integrity. Women who have contributed to something bigger than themselves and found a balance.

Art has the power of helping people in many ways and education, especially for young children is a big inspirational cause for me.

I am happy to be able to contribute even modestly to helping different charities by providing paintings at auction or to mark an occasion.

I also believe in the “healing power“ of art. Because many of my collectors emphasized that some of my paintings brings them serenity, smile

or happiness I came to realized that my art could contribute to helping people directly by creating positive feelings.

Finally I believe art can be an  important “social media”, and that is fascinating for me. It will always be a strong support for idea communication-exchange and debate. I love art as a social platform.

6. What superpower would you want?

A super power I would love to have is being able to allow people to work on themselves, objectively re-examine their beliefs and thoughts on a regular basis, to be able to step away from the moment and self to see things from another point of view.  To magically create more beauty and love and tolerance in a world too full of material greed.

7. What is your favorite artists and or other person?

Tough question. I love Cezanne for his compositions, Monet for his work with light and color, Pollack for his energy, tenor singer Philippe Jaroussky for his voice and so many others … the list go on and on ...

8. What advice would you give to other artists?

Never give up on your art, it will save you when you are down and raise you higher when you are up.  Get inspiration from other artists and teachers, but don't copy, be yourself, find your own unique style.

Contact details:

       http://www.isabellegautiersart.com

Isabelle Gautier  "STRAWBERRY BUNCH"
Acrylic and Polymers, 48x48

       www.facebook.com/IsabelleGautiersArt