Visual Language Magazine Contemporary Fine Art March 2014 Vol 3 No 3

VL Gallery Visit
JEANNE ILLENYE
Why I Paint
At first, my thought for this studio visit and interview was to share my Biography with you,
which is exactly that, an overview about how I began painting in oils by my mother’s side at
the wee age of four, my utter delight at discovering Nature by intimately studying every flower
petal, rock, dewdrop and bumblebee I could touch, to a developing maturity with regular museum
visits in New York which inspired my large, classical still lifes reminiscent of the Dutch
masters, and through my 25 year series of Little Gems later sold online. However, since
you can read all the details about my artistic growth on my website, I thought it might be a
little more insightful and fun to chat with you about a trend that is currently underway on my
easels...my new direction, far from the dark, classical old world style oil paintings on which
my reputation is based. These new paintings truly reveal reflections from my heart...the very
reason why I paint as expressed in my Artist Statement:
“Capturing Nature’s Transient Beauty: It is the common things that are most often taken for
granted -- the fruit and flowers of our daily sustenance -- nourishment for body and soul, respectively.
These are delicate and fleeting gifts. Through my work, I elicit a greater appreciation
for their beauty by elevating them to the forefront of the observer’s attention. While my
paintings isolate a particular moment in time, it is through the details -- a browning, torn leaf,
the curling of a dried petal, a broken stem, bruised fruit, dewdrops -- that I evoke a sense of
transience in Nature’s beauty. I take the observer through many phases of growth from bud
to blossom, ripening fruit to withering vine -- life and death and ultimately, rebirth of spirit, for
within this beauty we find comfort and peace.”
With that in mind, I’ve chosen to discuss several paintings featured herein, which aspire
toward this exciting new direction revealing a lighter, fresher palette with subjects from my
gardens and antique collections presented in varying compositional formats from classical
still lifes to cropped, zoom in perspectives which are created purely by emotion and intuition
rather than with conscious thinking or planning.
Treading Softly
If I wasn’t a still life artist and had more exposure to vast and dramatically scenic areas, I’d
no doubt be a landscape artist or perhaps I might have chosen wildlife art. However, since
growing up in the suburbs of New York City my focus was directed more toward the earth
beneath my feet. I believe that is where the seed was planted and my passion for still lifes
began whereby mimicking my childhood curiosity about Nature…when small and close to
the ground one can pluck a buttercup or clover, ladybug or feather and examine it with great
fascination. To me still life painting is really doing just that but on a more mature level, yet the
wonder and enthusiasm is still there. It’s my gift to be able to “see” and to paint is my way of
sharing the glory…to feel a kinship with all living things.
www.jeanneillenye.com
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