ARTIST STATEMENT:

Jean-Paul Courchia

 

Art is, for me, a breath of life. With a paintbrush in my hands for the past fifty years, I have been able to live off my work for the past twenty-five. Painting has allowed me to travel the globe, from my French home to the distant land of China. 

I am a figurative painter who enjoys the quiet sceneries of Provence, French interiors and still lifes. In my early works, color was my main subject. With a colorful palette, I not only enjoyed contrasts but especially the patterns of colors found in every shadows. Growing up in the land of Paul Cézanne, I have always been in agreement with his idea that “shadow is a color”. I believe that this principle is on full display in each of my work. Interestingly, the silhouettes and characters, originally absent from my early works, gradually found their way into my recent paintings. Introducing human life to my work required a confidence that ended up being instrumental in my exploration of new inspirations, such as the traditional circus. Now sixty-three years old, and following in the footsteps of Cézanne, I find myself drawn to more abstract subjects. The hard work of abstract paintings has forced me to boil down landscapes and scenes to their essence, an exercise in discipline that has found tremendous success among people following my work.

Having inspired the likes of Henri Matisse and Paul Cézanne, the south of France has this inexplicable power of fascination. Having spent my entire life in Provence, I am the continued example of this relationship between an authentic place and its people.