Cloutier, Martine

The composition of my paintings is primeval and varied.  I favor oblique composition with low angles and close ups.

I describe myself as a contemplative artist, silent and suffused. It is passion and a certain ardor which are represented by the movement in my works.

Here are the forces which characterize me:

DRAWING

Drawing has been my first love forever and remains so today. It is the origin of all my art and therefore of all my paintings. My sketches are a work in themselves and are created mostly forming a pattern so that my compositions are not overused nor repetitive. This is the most inspiring part for me because I am in direct contact with nature. This is how I work.

I need to be connected to my subject and through my eyes, my sketches are very expressive and personal.

COMPOSITION

The composition of my paintings is primeval and varied. I favor oblique composition with low angles and close ups. For me, a painting must have good structure. Using all the knowledge which I have acquired over the years,  I am able to master the organization of space and harmony in my paintings. My challenge as a painter is to recompose nature through my artistic eyes in my own world. Nature becomes my excuse to create a painting. The composition is the beginning and the matter used, the lines and the contrasts all become a creation.

NATURE

Nature is my favorite theme and the resource which inspires me. What I prefer the most is to paint subjects which are simple and real without ever reproducing them in their entirety. This is where the meaning of the word “creation” comes into play because I interpret what I see in a personal and authentic way. When I am in nature, I can create a painting in my head without putting it on canvas. This type of contact is primeval and connects me to my art making it alive.