Artist Statement

 

My artistic journey began in 1985. At that time, I worked primarily with watercolor. From the very beginning, this medium has allowed me to express spontaneity, vitality, as well as gentleness and tenderness.
 

Asian Influences: Sumi-e

My artistic path with Ms. Tomoko Kodama, from 1999 to 2010, had a profound impact on my artistic expression. An Asian influence gradually became deeply integrated into my way of painting. I learned to use black ink and to handle the traditional Eastern brush through breathing, rhythm, and body movement.
 

Over the years, I have participated in numerous exhibitions throughout the Outaouais region and Ottawa, including exhibitions at the Embassy of Japan and the Ottawa School of Art, where I taught from 2006 to 2008.
 

Since 2022, I have been invited to become a member of the International Chinese Calligraphy & Ink Painting Art Society as part of the French team.
 

In 2023, I was honored to participate in an international virtual exhibition of Chinese painting and sumi-e. This event was organized to support victims of the war in Ukraine.

Here is the link to the video: https://youtu.be/4dY6olnogaQ

The work I exhibited is titled “Passing Through the Clouds.” It appears at 16 minutes and 26 seconds in the video.
 

In April 2026, I had the pleasure of traveling to Japan—the birthplace of many of my artistic influences—for 30 days. I visited museums dedicated to calligraphy, sumi-e, ceramics, raku, and photography, as well as two open-air museums: Naoshima Island and The Hakone Open-Air Museum. I met artists and learned traditional papermaking, gilding techniques, and clay modeling. During this journey, I discovered a fascinating art form created by artist Koike Kunio: e-tegami, the art of the illustrated postcard.

• e = picture or drawing

• tegami = letter
   

About My Artwork

Sumi-e consists of using the fewest possible brushstrokes, in black or colored ink (sumi), to reveal the essence of a subject. The gesture is spontaneous, giving the artwork a dynamic and lively quality.

The media I use most often are ink and watercolor.

My intention is to express a vibrant image using only a few pictorial elements.

Nature is my primary source of inspiration, particularly birds and wide-open landscapes.