ABOUT ISABELLE GAUTIER

I’m always amazed to see how art can be so personal and cultural, yet universal.

Born in France, I moved to the United States in 1999. I put aside sketching and watercolor to use a stronger medium, acrylic paints, which opened for me a new range of possibilities. Since then, my art has been influenced but my European culture and my American adopted culture.

Each blank canvas is an opportunity to experiment with colors, textures and tools; but also settings, music, movements and emotions. Bright colors, often enhanced with iridescent gold or copper, are what most clearly define my paintings. I do not hesitate to mix them with gel, paste or gloss medium to allow the color to fully reveal itself.

I like to use all sorts of “treasures” to best express my feelings. I often make use of old “gift/credit cards” (more flexible than artist knives), strings or the simple painter roll; but I also use glass beads, metallic plates and more. I like to experiment with multiple coats of paint to create depth.

For the whimsical ‘’Metro Man” series, I employ puffy strings that allow metallic squares to reflect light and to “dance” with the music of the room. With the same approach, “Hers” represents ribbons suggesting movement. Throughout my work you will often notice the theme of rectangles. Seeing out of the box, beyond “the Windows’’ is primordial for me. “The Window” series symbolizes the open mind, research beyond limits.

Some events in my life have impacted my paintings more than others. “Broken Heart” is the sad story of my sister-in-law fighting breast cancer. I use a collage of a score unable to repair the damaged hearts left behind.

Prior to 2000 I did not like to use the color red, but my first commissioned work required it. Red is the color of passion, desire and love as well as energy, danger, strength and power. Associated with paste and glossy varnish I like to create contrasts. “Red Clay Flower” is part of a series of four paintings entitled the “Red Clay Series”. “The Red Tulip” belongs to “The Tulips Series” where I play with reds and other strong colors like yellow and purple to express happiness and elegance.

I sometimes meet people who see a totally different interpretation of my art than I do. Not only it is all right with me, but I’m delighted when it happens. I believe there is not only one way of interpreting art, but many ways. When I used my knife to create movement in “Dancing Pansies”, I wanted to represent dancers viewed from above. Half of the viewing public sees this as flowers and the other half sees it as dancers.

I would like to believe, where there is freedom there is beauty.