Biography
For me, sculpting means expressing, through objects that can be touched, the desire to share joys and sorrows, deep emotions essential to the life of a being.
Sculpting means exchanging beyond words, in a sensory and three-dimensional dimension, a nearly spiritual search.
Sculpting means, for me, “touching” the material, “transforming” various materials, “playing” with edges and planes, with smooth and rough surfaces, with curves and angles, with shapes, depths, thicknesses, transparencies, voids, and solids…
I primarily work with clay, because it is a non-toxic material, malleable in different ways: you can sculpt a block by carving it, or you can build a piece with coils like pottery, or weld pieces together…
It is also a very interesting medium for teaching the “dare to create” in the workshops that I run.
I also use paper, which brings different results and has the advantage of its great lightness.
As a child, I drew. Around the age of 6, I started working with wood on my father’s furniture, and then I discovered claywork at around 20 years old.
The painter Chaminade, a professor at the École Alsacienne, which I attended between 1965 and 1967, introduced me to movement and rhythm.
Meeting Antonniucci Volti, my master, whom I studied under in 1969-70 at his studio in the 14th arrondissement, and later at the Arts Appliqués school on Rue Olivier de Serres in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, allowed me to understand light for the reading of a volume.
Since 1993, I have exhibited and sold bronzes, made from my clays or direct waxes. Bronze is a noble, solid material, which can be displayed both indoors and outdoors. Bronze continues to live and patinate with time. My foundries are DelVal, Clémenti, and TEP. I sell my works in galleries, fairs, or exhibitions.
My sculptures are playful; they often have multiple bases and invite people to touch them, change their positions, which gives them real movement and creates an exchange. I work with ‘the eye of the ant or the eagle’s eye,’ which easily allows for scaling them, from monumental works to neck jewelry.
Since 1997, I have worked as a decorator and costume designer for small theater companies. I have worked with plywood, wood, fabric, foam, latex, wire, piano wire, pulleys…light…and the monumental.
I work with steel, I weld, I install, and I motorize: thus, “L’ENVOL” (The Flight), a sculpture that has been with me for about ten years and is currently 3 meters tall, is an experience in steel, plexiglass, resin, light, and motorized movement… it invites one to dream and visit interstellar space…
My muse is always the woman, the couple, fusion, communication, and exchange with others.
But today, it is the HAND that fascinates me, as it holds the power of the creator.
“CHEMINS DE MAINS” (Paths of Hands), an installation of hands and a few feet of various sizes in clay or paper, begins with a “SOURCE OF INSPIRATION” and progresses toward the “RARE PEARL“, an open hand like an oyster revealing its treasure.
The hand is the ultimate extension of thought, expressing with a gesture both feelings, through caress or scratch, and commands, through the position of the fingers; the hand can build or… destroy… It knows how to play, transform… speak… It is at the center of my current work.
The HAND expresses itself at the boundary between the material and the spiritual, between the existing and the elusive… Between the tangible and the Great Void.
“…Fascinating hands, graceful arms,
You slice the air, you sculpt the space,
Bringing back to my body in surging waves
The strength of the sun, the magic of the stars,
And my moonlit dreams.”
Excerpt from my poem “Absence” born during the conception of my sculpture “The Lovers”
CV Sculptor
Professional Experience
1970 – External student at the Arts Appliqués, Rue Olivier de Serres, Paris 15th
1969 – Student with Antoniucci VOLTI, his studio, Paris 14th
1968 – Student at Penninghen’s school, Paris
Teaching Experience
Sculpture Classes
1996-2015 – My studio
1993-1994 – Les Couleurs de l’Evasion Workshop, Marvejols – Lozère
1970 – Children’s workshops: Puppets, painting, C.L.E.V. workshop, L’Etang-la-Ville
Art Therapy
2013-14-15 – Individual art therapy sessions at my studio, 45 Rue des Artistes
2001-2013 – Paper creation workshop, Villa Montsouris Clinic, Paris 13th
1998-2013 – Sculpture and modeling workshop, Villa Montsouris Clinic, Paris 13th
1998-2001 – Sculpture and painting workshop, Les Jasmins Clinic, Stains (93)
Awards
2000 – Theme Award: Salon A.R.G.R, Renault-Boulogne (92)
Public Prize: Salon du Vésinet (78)
1999 – Silver Medal: Arts-Sciences-Lettres, Paris
1996 – 1st Sculpture Prize: Salon Un Regardsurl’Art, H.E.C. Jouy-en-Josas (92)
1994 – 2nd Sculpture Prize, Salon d’Automne, Marvejols (48100)
Permanent Galleries
2012 – Galerie Caroline Poirier, 6 Rue du Paradis 14950 Beaumont-en-Auge
2007-15 – Hôtel Des Arts, Rémalard 61110
2001-2013 – Galerie M.C.G., 8 Rue Folco de Baroncelli, Avignon 84000
- Musée Gallery, 16 Rue du Parc Royal, Paris 3rd
2004-2008 – Pigallery, Mykonos and Athens, Greece
Combes Gallery, Dartmouth, England
2002-2003 – Galerie Claire de Villaret, 9 Rue Blainville 75005 Paris
2001 – Galerie Anne Asperteguy, Rue du Casino 14800 Deauville
2000 – Galerie Encadra, Place Adolphe Max 75018 Paris
Personal Exhibitions
2010 – Allianz Assurances, 37 Rue d’Alesia, 75014 Paris
2008 – Hôtel des Arts, 4 Rue du Pont 61110 Rémalard
2007 – Crédit Mutuel, 306 Rue de Vaugirard 75015 Paris
2004 – C.C.F. 75014 Paris
2002 – Creation of the sculpture “L’Ours” for the set of the film La Femme qui a vu l’Ours by Patrice Carr and Stéphane Cabal
1998 – Galerie Everarts, Rue d’Argenson, 75008 Paris
1999 – Economic and Social Council, with J. Podevin, invited by Jean Matteoli, Paris
1993 – Creation of the sculpture Désespoir for the set of the short film La Pisseuse by S. Legrand
Neuilly Hospital (92)
Collective Exhibitions
2014 – French and German artists exhibit at Cité Universitaire (Paris) then Munich (Germany) for the 100th anniversary of 1914
2012 – ORLEANS, 600 years of Jeanne d’Arc
2008, 2007, 1998, 1997, 1993 – Salon d’Automne, Paris
Heritage Day, Rémalard 61000 Orne, 2006
2006 – Salon d’Automne, Palais des Congrès Montreuil
Salon des Artistes Français, Grand Palais, Paris
Galerie Artitude, 75015 Paris
2004 – Salon Manganse Vaural (94)
2003 – Millsime 2003, St-Soulets (77)
2000 – Open Door Days at Ménilmontant 75020 Paris
Galerie Carr d’Or 75008 Paris
Galerie Yvart 75015 Paris
Galerie Artitude 75015, Atelier Pro-Art, Berlin
9th Salon A.R.G.R., Renault-Boulogne (92)
Salon du Vésinet (78)
1999 – Galerie de Tourgeville 14800 Deauville
Galerie Encadra 75009 Paris. Art and Sport event sponsored by David Douillet
Salon du Maroc, General Council of Seine Maritime, Rouen
1998 – Galerie de Ville d’Avray (92)
Salon H.E.C. Jouy-en-Josas (92)
Lions Club Château de Villiers, Draveil (91)
Salon des Arts, Espace Delacroix, St-Maurice (94)
Salon des Salons, Domaine de Madame Elizabeth, Versailles
1997 – Open Door Days, 75013 Paris
Salon de la Création, Gaïeté Montparnasse 75014
1997-96 – L’Art Auchan, Maurepas (78)
1994 – Bleaker Street, Forum des Halles
Salon International de la Sculpture Contemporaine, Paris and Noisy-le-Grand
Nus d’elles, Collectif Arthme, Florac (48)
1994-92 – Salon d’Automne, Marvejols (48)
1993 – Galerie Art Présent, 75001 Paris
Cultural Center of St Germain du Teil (48)
1989 – Rencontres de Mende (48)
Other Artistic Skills
Drawing with ballpoint pens, quills, inks, and washes, pencils
Painting (oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels)
Poems, writings
Since 1997 – Creation of sets and costumes for theater companies
Extras in films.
CV Décoratrice Peintre Sculpteur
December 2005: Set design for Elodine et le Pire Noël (Text and direction by Jean-Yves Brignon)
September 2005: Set design for Les Invisibles (Text by P. Alluin and D. Guilloneau, directed by Eric Henon), created at Mélo d’Amélie, Paris
May 2003: Set design for Le Syndrome du Champignon (Text by Jeremy Reynolds, directed by Suzanne Legrand), created at Théâtre du Nord-Ouest, Paris
September 2002: Set and costume design for Lucrèce Borgia by Victor Hugo, directed by Fabrice Merlo, Théâtre du Nord-Ouest
March 2002: Set design for Hamlet ou ce qu’il en reste, directed by Jean-Yves Brignon, created at Théâtre de l’Épouvantail, Paris. Reprised at the Avignon Festival Off in 2002 and 2004. Tours in 2005-06-07
November 1999: Set and costume design for L’agonie du sablier by Arezki Metreff, directed by Belkacem Tatem, created at Théâtre de la Passementerie, Paris
June 1999: Set and costume design for Priorité au basilic by Arezki Metreff, directed by Belkacem Tatem, played by Sid Ahmed Agoumi, created at Théâtre des Déchargeurs, Paris
April 1997-8-9: Assistant for set and costume design for Les Fourberies de Scapin, directed by Belkacem Tatem, Théâtre de la Porte Martin, Paris, for Ecla
March 1999: Costumes for 4 plays by Chekhov, directed by Jacques Mauclair, set and costume design by Roberto Rossello, Théâtre du Marais, Paris
October 1998: Set and costume design for L’Opéra dans tous ses états with Malika Bellaribi-Le Moal, mezzo-soprano, directed by Belkacem Tatem, Théâtre du Renard, Paris
September 1998: Set design for Le Petit Chaperon Rouge, directed by Pascal Esman, Théâtre du Bec Fin, Paris
December 1997: Set and costume design for La Petite Boutique des Horreurs, directed by Belkacem Tatem, Théâtre de la Retraite, Paris, I.A.C.P. production
March 1997: Assistant costume designer for Jacky-Jacko, directed by Jacques Mauclair, designer Jacques Noël, Théâtre du Marais, Paris
February 1997: Set design for Othello’s room in Répétition au Théâtre du Crime by Jacques Mauclair, directed by Belkacem Tatem, Théâtre du Marais, Paris
1995: Creation of sculptures for the set of the short film La Pisseuse by Suzanne Legrand
2001: Theater courses at Acte Neuf
Since 1999: Extras in films and (replacing Edwige in Le Syndrome du Champignon)
Chant
CHOEUR ALPHA
I have been part of an instrumental (violins, cello) and vocal (soloists and choir) ensemble since January 2011, created and directed by Catherine May Atlani, choreographer and musician.
Video excerpt on YOUTUBE: