Voices of Experience - An Interview with Sophie AmaugerVoices of Experience French pastel artist, Sophie Amauger paints the landscape on location, with a sensitive command of color and light. Her background is in the graphic arts. Amauger studied at the Rennes School of Fine Arts in Brittany and the Brassart School of Graphic Arts in Tours. In 2000, she dedicated her work entirely to painting the landscape. Since then she has been named a Maître Pasteliste of the French Pastel Society. She exhibits her work in borth France and the Netherlands. As far as I can remember, I have always wanted to have an artistic job. At the age of 14, I had a painting course on Wednesdays. There, I discovered an unknown pleasure—the afternoon was always too short. At the age of 19, I went to the Rennes School of Fine Arts and completed my studies in a graphic arts school where I discovered many different mediums. That is where one of my teachers gave me the best advice I have ever received, "Draw everyday." After some years working in advertising, I discovered a box of pastels and I haven't stopped painting since. I paint en plein air and have never had another subject. I like painting the landscape because it constantly provides new challenges to solve.
Amauger lives in the southwest of France and finds inspiration both nearby and in her travels. Living close to a small village, my house and studio are surrounded by fields. I find a lot of my subject there. I also travel two or three times a year to find new inspiration. I went to the Isle of Noirmoutier (Atlantic coast) in September and to the Vallée du Lot last October. In April, I will be in Andalousie, south of Spain, to feel springtime.
I travel with a California Volkswagen. It allows me to be free to stop, to wait for a better light and to discover new subjects. I am not looking for a specific subject. Very often I don’t know exactly what I am waiting for, but I am open and ready. The light always triggers and inspires me. When I have found a place to paint, I spend a long time to feel it, to be a part of it. I am looking for the best point of view, and to try to find the answer to some questions (always the same):
We asked Amauger to tell us about her process and materials. I always start with the darkest value, going slowly to the light, on sanded paper (Pastelcard from Sennelier or UART paper). I have recently also started working on wood board prepared at the studio with marble powder in addition to working on paper.
We asked Sophie Amauger the names of artists who have inspired her and what inspiration or advice she would like to pass along to other artists.
To see more of Sophie Amauger's work, go to: http://www.sophieamauger.com/index.php/en All Artwork © Sophie Amauger |
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Member ContentFree ContentThe Artist's Road StoreNocturnes - A Primer on Night Painting Filled with inspirational examples by the masters of nightime painting, this little book is sure to fire up your creative energies. Never tried painting at night? We show you how it's done with a step-by-step-oil demo and a tale of night painting in the wilds of Rocky Mountain National Park. The Primer on Night Painting - Nocturnes is a 7 x 7" PDF download with 40 pages of text and images. It includes a gallery of paintings by masters of the nocturne, information to inspire and encourage you in your plein air nocturne painting, an illustrated step-by-step demo and tips for working in pastel and oil. Also available in a softcover edition. Check out the tools and other products that we use in our own art and travels in The Artist's Road Store. We only offer things for sale that we enthusiastically believe in.
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