“Only love and art make life bearable”. That’s what novelist William Sommerset Maugham thought. We can state in a simpler way that art is good for health: proven by neuroscience! Treating oneself with art or offering art is even better. Clear enough, art buying is a pleasure business, but… there is a supreme level of happiness: To treat yourself to art while supporting an inspiring program.

Good news for you guys, you can reach that by participating into the auction sales that takes place in Noirmoutier until August 17th, organized by the association La Chaloupe. My painting “l’échouage” (the beaching) won the contest for the poster of the 30th classic yachting regatta (Régates du Bois de la Chaise). I decided to donate the original painting to the association in order to support their program “boarding for children”. The auction benefits will fund the renovation of “La Fringante”, an old wooden ship that already helped thousands of kids to set sail for the first time. This boat requires some structural repair work.

Details of the auction are there (excuse my French…).I can help translate or participate if needed.

The original painting can be seen at “Le café Noir” on the old harbour of Noirmoutier

“Loved by all”. This is the Malagasy first name of the model. She leans by the pool on the terrace of a troglodyte house, just below Oia.

Nea Kameni is the volcano she is looking at. In the heart of the magnificent Santorini caldera.

I started the undercoat of this painting in red. I liked the effect. After many subsequent steps, the red was still there. And it might well become the common thread on this next painting season.

January 1st, 2019. Progressing on a new work. Happily lost in the greens. Focused on feet in the water at the end of a lovely Greek pier. I’m sharing the fun of my brush strokes through a live session on Instagram. A follower asks if this painting is already booked (!?). Actually not: this is not a commission work and I just got it started. Fine: his wife and he decide to buy it. Done. Like that.

Can’t believe it: they buy a work in progress. I have no idea myself how this will look like at the end. They have never seen any of my original painting in real life. Yes but… they have been following my work for quite a while, we already had some good mail conversations in the past, and they are just confident they will love this one.

Wow… that blew my mind. I’m fascinated by the idea of love at first sight with something unfinished. Fine, we know what art does on brain. We know it makes us healthier and can even make us feel like when we’re falling in love. So be it…

I finished the painting. They loved it. it is now hanging in the home of collectors who know what it means to make a new year’s resolution.

2019, let’s go! This is the first solo show of the year. The opportunity to celebrate the lengthening days and show my work of the last 12 months

Rockarchive Gallery   February 18th to 24th .  All details there.

Splendid spot with amazing view at the corner of two canals. Right in front of Anne Frank’s house.

Sneak peek at some of the pieces that will be presented 

The last piece of my Yellow series, inspired by Amorgos scenes, is called “yellow” in Greek. While painting it, I was intrigued by the interesting effect of red. That color sticked to the face until I eventually decided to bring it back to normal colours. Accident or announcing sign of a new exploration ? Future will tell.

Working on the underwater reflections at the surface was the best part of it. Those colorful contrasts that look random but actually create light and liquid… I love playing with this!

I did not have a title for that one. I made a call to creative support on Facebook. A collector friend from New-Zealand suggested “Bumblebee”. I asked why and found his answer delightful: “For me, Bumblebee conjures up a nostalgic feeling of innocence and unspeakable joy of being”. Of course. Why not… The subjective beauty of the feelings felt in front of a painting are often more interesting than the piece itself. I like that.

I’ve got enough pictures in stock to paint underwater yellow highlights for years. I still love to play with this ransom mirror: what is played under the surface is of infinite creativity.

And even if that part of the canvas is as demanding when it comes to drawing and colour, it leads to abstraction faster. I like it. It will probably take more space in my next compositions…