Time to cook

This is one of my first pastel done in South affrica. I'm fascinated by the difference of culture between my country and this one. In France everybody is in a hurry, running up and down for work, here people take their time, things go slowly. I appreciate the fact that there is less stress.

On an artistic view this subject is very interesting for the colors, the natural attitude of the personnage and again the contrast dark-light.

Date: February 2006

Size: 67cm x 47cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Josie

First step: drawing

Date: February 2007

Size: 67cm x 47cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Josie

Next step

Josie

Portrait finished

Panda

This pastel was for a person from Port Elizabeth, it's his favourite animal.

Date: 2006

Size: 65cm x 45cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Saint Cado

Saint Cado is a little ireland in Brittany as I said before with the painting. This day the colors were completely different of the day for the painting, but it's the same place. That's why art is so incredible. you change the day or you move a little bit and the view can be totally different.

Date: April 2004

Size: 41cm x 31cm

Technique: Soft pastel

A fisherman in Brittany

This pastel is again a complete creation, the fisherman is from one place, the boats from other places, and the background is just pure invention. I lke the naivety of this subject, we makes it surely more real.

Date: April 2002

Size: 42cm x 32cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Old boat at Bono

Unfortunately,this picture does not entirely do justice to the pastel painting as it was framed when I took the picture. The reflection of the glass dulls the colours, the colours are in fact much brighter particularly between the yellow of the flowers,the blue boat and the background. In this area "Le Bono" close to lorient in Brittany, we can find lot of old boats like this. They "die" slowly, it's the cemetery of the boats.

Date: January 2002

Size: 45cm x 32cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Snow in Brittany

Snow is not always a definite prediction during winter in Brittany. The climate is far more humid, but this year it was so different,we had a snow fall during the night and in the morning with the sun reflecting on all of the environment I had an urge to capture this unusual event. The sun created strong constrasts between the dark and the light. I loved this day!

date: January 2002

Size: 45cm x 32cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Connemarra 2

Another pastel,from Ireland. I used blue as the dominant color. This landscape reminds me of a desert in a sense, the wild atmosphere presents a mysterious but yet a tranquil setting.

Date: September 2001

Size: 38cm x 26cm

Technique: Soft pastel

Connemarra 1

I started to work with this pastel technique in 2001.I felt that after so many years of dedicating time to oils, it was time for a new adventure.

Soft pastel is amazing, you don't use brushes, no tools only your fingers. Why Connemarra? I don't really know,all I know is that strong feelings evoke whenever I see an Irish landscape,I have never visited this country but it's one of my dreams for sure. Somewhere in the distant past,I must have some strong ties to this country with its breathtaking beauty!

Date: April 2001

Size: 50cm x 35cm (more or less)

Technique: Soft pastel

Isabella

Little Isabella is captured doing what all children like to do and should be able to be ..."play and be happy"

Date: June 2006

Size: 50cm x 38cm (more or less)

Technique: Oil

Megane and Blanche

My first commission in South Africa was a request to do Megane's portrait, however she ideally wanted a portrait with her mother, Blanche, so thats what I did! The painting became more than a portrait but a memory for mother and daughter. A small request became a challenge not only because of the size of the painting,but essentially the patience to capture the inner beauty and personalities of these special friends.

Date: July 2006

Size: 150cm x 90cm

Technique: Oil

Heritage

Annually there is a festival in Brittany where people share the secrets of the past for example how they made bread and butter. Traditional clothing is worn and one can enjoy the smell of good French cuisine all culminating in an ambience and tangible feelings of nostalgia that so many French persons relish, and most especially me! This painting is a vivid reminder of my heritage and my past.

date: December 1999

Size: 49cm x 32cm

technique: Oil

Ladies in Brittany

I particularly love this subject because those old ladies are probably the last in Brittany worn like that, we can still see some of them in small villages. again the contraste between dark and light was significant and gave the depth to the subject.

Date: June 1996

Size: 35cm x 27cm

Technique: Oil

Pinguins

Again with this painting, I used lot of blue, which is as you know one of my favourite color. The other interest of this subject is the wild side of the pinguins in the ice field.

Date: 2001

Size: 48cm x 29cm

Technique: Oil

Boats in Brittany

This is a common view you can admire in Bas Pouldu, near Lorient There are many small boats like those in the painting. Brittany is a fisherman's mecca as there are many species of fish to be caught

Date: April 2000

Size: 75cm x 42cm

Technique: Oil

Saint Cado in Breittany

Saint Cado is a little island near Lorient (more or less 30 kms) in Brittany. On the left side of the painting there is a bridge, this is the only access to the island. On the island there are about 10 houses and a quaint church.The tide was high when this painting was done.In the early hours of the morning many artists seat themselves at the same place and spend a few hours trying to capture the beauty of this island with their brush or pen!

Date: February 1997

Size: 52cm x 37cm

Technique: Oil

Cats and books

I have always admired everything which looks old or is an antique. The books evoke a feeling of inner peace and dare I say an ambience of romance.Throughout the centuries people took their time to write volumes of wisdom and for this I have the utmost respect.

Date: March 1997

Size: 52cm x 35cm

Technique: Oil

Fishermen coming home

This painting is an entire creation. The lady, the boats and the rocks were taken from different settings and painted as one picture. The painting was inspired by the lady looking intently at the sea, waiting in quiet anticipation.I assumed she was waiting for the return of her husband who was coming back home from fishing.

Date: May 1997

Size: 62cm x 41cm

Technique: Oil

Happy dolphins

I am passionate about animals, big or small and most especially those in the ocean.Dolphins are really remarkably clever and beautiful.Blue is one of the colours I particularly love to work with,even though many specialists say that blue is a cold color, for me it is a serene and heavenly colour!

Date: 2002

Size: 55cm x 33cm

Technique: Oil

Trevignon

This was a hot sunny day,but as you can see there is a storm brewing reflected in the left side of the painting. The contrast between the light and the dark as well as the exciting turbulence evident in the sea inspired this painting.

Date: November 2000

Size: 46cm x 38cm

Technique: Oil

A restful place

This is an award winning painting.This was an annual exhibition that was held at Larmor Plage near Lorient in Brittany.A total of 50 different artists all exhibiting different techniques (oil, pastel, watercolor, graphite, sculpture...)What a lucky cat!

Date: July 1998

Size: 56cm x 33cm

Technique: Oil

fisherman in Brittany

This painting was inspired from the heart as I gave it to my friend who was retiring. He has a trusty old friend with whom he spends many happy hours, now he will be able to enjoy a visual representation of the "good times".

Date: December 1998
Size: 41cm x 33cm
Technique: Oil