Corinne, where are you from?

I was born in France in Nevers (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). I spent my childhood between Normandy and Morocco at the mercy of my father's professional moves. 

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Where does your desire to paint come from?

I would rather say my desire to create. It goes back to my childhood. I always drew, colored or painted in gouache, created clothes for my dolls and for me; I later wrote plays and invented advertisements for improbable products ... I studied film techniques at the National Conservatory of French Cinema in Paris. All that to say that creating for me is like breathing, it's vital.

As for painting, after having a classic professional career in business, I seriously launched myself in 2014.

I had the chance to participate in a training organized by a painter and performer, Bernadette SANGOUARD-GUILLAUD, Béna for her students (https://www.bena.fr/) and it was a revelation. I was extremely uncomfortable with the idea of ​​being self-taught and "feeding myself" through experimentation without a solid academic foundation. However, Béna, with much kindness and concern, taught us techniques allowing to taste the joys of abstraction. Passionate, she shared with us her reference artists and guided us on our journey. A real pleasure... moreover, I continue to refer to what I discovered with Béna.

When I got home, I knew I was on the right path, that I was going to persevere, experiment and most of all, work, do and redo until something came out.

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What do you like about the creative process?

I attach a lot of importance to the preparation phase, which goes from the research of the idea, the choice of the support, the mediums and the tools, to the "intellectual maturation of the subject". I write down, sketch, stick, experiment... I tell myself a story.

The most exciting step in the creative process is the transition from idea to realization. The first brushstrokes on the white canvas cause an adrenaline rush and when everything goes well, a feeling of intense happiness because at this precise moment, I embody the subject. All the work of research, preparation, conceptualization, abstraction nourishes my brain until my hands take over. My gestures, the movement of my body become spontaneous. I no longer control anything, I let go. I am also quite surprised sometimes by the result which does not necessarily correspond to the visualization that I imagined at the start, even if it keeps its spirit. I like "accidents".

My realization process generally breaks down into three phases: construction, destruction and reconstruction. Deconstruction is an important and stimulating step for creativity because it allows the birth of accidents which are essential for the next stage of reconstruction.

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What are your favorite mediums?

The mediums used must serve the subject. This is what led me to combine different mediums together to alleviate the drawbacks they generate or to create specific renderings. I like the flexibility of acrylic but its lack of depth bothers me. I love the sensuality and depth of oil paint, but drying time is an issue. For my drawings, I most often use a base of ink and black gouache that I can combine with colored inks, chalk or oil pastels. I very rarely use watercolor, or if I do it's not in a classic way.

I also love working on paper or cardboard for their sensuality and their absorption capacity. On canvas, I prefer large formats and squares. As far as tools are concerned, any instrument can become a tool as long as it serves my purpose.

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What are your favorite themes?             

I am eclectic in my tastes and my approaches, but the scheme in which I try to evolve is based on four fundamentals: the line, the energy, the movement and no retouching.

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Who are your painting heroes?

I am a fan of Fabienne Verdier, Pierre Soulages, Hans Hartung and Zao Wou Ki. They have the four fundamentals mentioned in common, namely the power and essence of the line, the depth of the material, the sense of movement and rhythm, and harmony.

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