I’ve never even used other media like
oil, acrylic or watercolor. Similarly,
I’ve never tried other subjects like
landscapes, portraits or animals.
Q: Your subjects and style are very
recognizable. Has it always been
this way, or has your style evolved
over time?
A: With my first box of pastels—
(Conté squares)—I began the
mannequin series. At the time, I was
taken by an exhibition of Georges de
La Tour at the Grand Palais in Paris,
“The spotlight
orcandle(for
softerlight)are
myonlytwo
sourcesoflight
fora painting.I sit
inthedarkand
makenouseof
naturaldaylight.”
FROM LEFT
Apple Juice (18½x12)
How Long?
(15½x111⁄₅)in 1997. Influenced by chiaroscuro,
I was equally affected by the 2017
Vermeer exhibition at the Louvre.
What incredible light. I went there
twice. My paintings have evolved a lot
since that initial mannequin period,
but even then I was very focused. In
fact, I find that a painting says a lot
about the artist, so I paint according
to my nature. I’m a perfectionist—
calm, patient, meticulous—and
I suspect that the viewer can detect
that in my paintings.Q: How do you go about the setup
for your still life subjects? How does
it play into the formation of your
initial concept?
A: I converted one of the rooms in
my apartment into a studio. For each
painting, whether for Pinocchio—a
puppet that my father gave to me
when I was a child—or a still life, I
always start with a very precise place-
ment of the subject and keep the still
life setup throughout the execution
of the painting. I never work from
photos. I use a spotlight or a candle
for lighting. I choose the format
according to the mount which serves
as a window for framing the piece.
Once the staging, light, shadows,
framing and format of the painting
have been established, I begin the
drawing on graph paper with a 0.5
mm fine graphite pencil. The small
squares provide benchmarks for
more precision in the proportions
and relationships.Q: Your work is very precise. Does it
require a particularly fine support?
A: Once the drawing is finished,
I transfer the outlines with tracing
paper onto the final paper. I invariably
use Pastelmat. The work advances
slowly, section by section, from left
to right and from top to bottom.
I rarely come back to a finished
section. I finish with the little bead
of water that’s present and charac-
teristic of all my paintings. In a way,
painting that small dot of light marks
the end point.Q: Your work would suggest that
you use hard pastels. Which brands
do you prefer?
A: For the sticks, I use Girault mainly
for the backgrounds and Rembrandts
that I refine to a point with a small
knife. I use Stabilo CarbOthello
pencils to blend colors between the
Rembrandts, a little like a stump,
when the subject is too small and I
can’t use my little finger. I also cut the
pencils very sharp, but with a scalpel
sharpened with sandpaper. I do
find that, in general, pastel pencils
lack the luminosity of pastel sticks.
The spotlight or candle—for softer
light— are my only two sources of
light for a painting. I sit in the dark
and make no use of natural daylight.Q: Are your setups derived from
classical paintings?
A: I prefer that there are only a few
objects, that the setup is “purified,”
if you will, and with not too many
colors either. I choose them with great
care. I’m searching for harmony.Q: Which artists or paintings have
had the greatest influence on you?
A: In the apartment, I have some
books that I’ve consulted a lot,
especially on still life and trompe
l’oeil. There’s no doubt that they’veArtistsNetwork.com 41