A series of paintings initiated in Shanghai in 2013

As I was living in Shanghai, a huge urban metropolis of 24 million people, I realised how much I was missing Nature, and especially trees. I became suddenly conscious of my love for trees and of the energy and well-being that they had been offering me since I was born. This is why I decided to honor them through Energy of Spring, a series of coloured paintings, swinging between idealism and abstraction. My intention was to reintroduce into our interiors the energy and the well-being provided by trees, that I was unable to find outside, in the huge urban and mineral landscape of Shanghai.

Modern Chinese painting

On the technical side, all my paintings are inspired by traditional Chinese ink painting, which is based on painter's breathing, on his gesture and the variations of his brush stroke. However I wanted also to add a personal touch and energise these traditional techniques with coloured backgrounds and abstracts patterns. Taking inspiration from the vivid colours of Chinese traditional crafts (ceramics, ethnic minorities' embroideries, Chinese emperors' clothing) as well as from the flashy irreverence of Western Pop Art, I have tried somehow to modernise Chinese ink painting, making it more cheerful, shining and  pulsating with energy.  

A new impetus in 2021

In 2021, while the health crisis had prevented us from travelling for more than one year, I experienced once again the well-being that trees provide me every day. Whether in my garden or on the surrounding hills, I have had the opportunity to watch them losing leaves, falling asleep then waking up with renewed strength. I suddenly perceived Spring as a sign, a message coming from Nature to support us. I decided to return to the series that I had initiated in Shanghai and to develop it with a new perspective, enriched by eight more years of life, experience and artistic exploration.

For this new project, I wanted to capture the energy of trees that I met in places that touch me very deeply : my own garden, of course, but also the Monts d’Or area, in the north-western outskirts of Lyon in France. I undertook also a tour to take inspiration from the gardens of writers, artists and philosophers, which I feel a special connection to : Pierre-Auguste Renoir at Cagnes-sur-Mer, George Sand at Nohant, Claude Monet at Giverny, Voltaire at Ferney-Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau at Chambéry and Charlie Chaplin at Vevey. The relationship of these creators with Nature as well as the trees, the branches and the colors that I have collected at the places where they lived have been a strong source of inspiration for this new series Enery of Trees.

A semi-abstract and more contemporary style

With Energy of Trees, I wanted to go a step further in abstraction. Flowers have become fizzing bubbles, more independent from the branches. Through their color gradations, their arrangement in space and the balance of full and void, I wanted to express lightness, light and energy, while keeping the poetic dimenson and the invitation to dream which characterize me. I have also introduced alternative sizes and new color combinations, so that my paintings can fit perfectly into contemporary interiors. I also use a new eco-friendly Art paper made of bamboo and cotton.