ARTIST STATEMENT

​

I draw inspiration from nature, poetry and artists ranging from Cecily Brown to Christine Ay Tjoe.

 

My artwork is a tribute to the natural world, the multiplicity of all things and the spiritual world.

My creative process comprises a range of imagery or collections. At times, the artwork reflects my fascination with suspended states, whilst at others, my need to express the energy and emotions I feel.

 

Discovered only recently, Mary Oliver’s poetry has had a profound impact on my creative process. It has taken me back to childhood, a time when I took my cues from the natural world. As a result, a new form of energy has flooded into my art process , and has given birth to the Sentient Collection. Using leftover paints and brush water, each painting informs the next. Fallen tree branches, symbol of peaceful surrender by natives, mark and scar the pure linen or cotton canvas and celebrate imperfection. The artwork becomes an integral part of the natural world.

 

My Jolies Choses Collection aims at expressing emotions of joy the natural world triggers in me and sense of wonder as form and space collide. Strong brushstrokes of vibrant colors are juxtaposed to saturated backgrounds. This tension creates depth and draws the viewer’s attention to what lies behind form, an emotional intelligence or space, a vertical dimension of spaciousness.

BIOGRAPHY

​

Chantal Leblanc was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. Showcased on Artsy and galleries in Montreal, Quebec, Toronto and Newfoundland, her art can be found in private collections in Canada, the USA and in Europe. Her art has won several awards in juried contests, has been commissioned by a children’s hospital and exhibited at internationally juried art fairs and in online and on site shows in the USA and Europe.

 

Chantal’s fascination with art began as a small child and for most of her childhood and teenage years, she practiced, drawing, music and classical ballet until she settled for a career in finance. Although she wasn’t actively making work during her career, she studied landscapes and people while she was posted in Europe and Asia for many years. She photographed continuously developing her eye for negative space and colors and met people from across the world of all social backgrounds. Her journey opened her heart to the spiritual connections between all beings and their codependency with mother earth.

 

While Chantal continued to create art in various forms during those formative years, it wasn’t until seven years ago, that she returned to her first passion, art through painting on a full-time basis.

 

In addition to being mentored and having received training from accomplished artists she has attended a month long artist residency sponsored by the Pouch Cove Foundation.

 

Currently, Chantal lives and works from her studio in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.