"My works allow me to be ever more committed to the mission I have set for myself, by donating a portion of the royalties from my work to an association for the protection of turtles and the oceans"
CÉCILE COLONNA
CÉCILE COLONNA
painter, Bordeaux (33)
Cécile shares, with the perspective of maturity, her return to her first love: art and decoration
Tell us your story, how did you find your calling?
I have always been passionate about art. After middle school, I was accepted into the École Boulle in Paris, but fear and my young age led me to choose a different path; today, with more maturity, I am returning to my first love: art and decoration.
How would you describe your style and your artistic approach in a few words?
I spent a long time searching for my style; I experimented, often copied, and in my opinion, that is how one learns. But it is only very recently that I found my contemporary style and decorative art.
I love sober, elegant, and minimalist lines.
What themes or subjects inspire you the most in your work?
The theme of my work is undoubtedly the tortoiseshell pattern, which is the common thread throughout my paintings.
It is a motif I adore; I find it chic, timeless, and adaptable in many ways.
My inspiration obviously comes from my spirit animal: the turtle, and it is a way for me to pay tribute to this truly majestic creature.
How do you work?
I work from home, it's the place where I feel most at ease, even if my equipment and canvases are taking up more and more space. I experiment a lot, I scribble my ideas in a sketchbook, and I create mood boards for each collection.
Do you have a particular technique or specific expertise? Without revealing all your secrets, have you developed your own methods and techniques?
I work with bio-based resin in thin overlapping layers, which allows for depth, light, and transparency, giving the tortoiseshell pattern a more contemporary style.
I most often use warm colors like brown, ochre, and orange. But there will be new variations soon.
So far, I have never seen techniques like mine, and that is often the first feedback I get from the public.
Tell us about your daily life, your constraints, your joys, your successes…
Like 80% of artists, I have a job alongside my work as a painter. I try to find the right balance between my medical job, painting, and my family life. It’s not always easy to find time to paint, not to mention all the side tasks that come with being a professional artist: doing my own marketing, social media, paperwork... But I am already proud of the work I have accomplished; I created everything myself—my brand, my logo, my website, etc.
My dream, of course, would be to be able to live entirely from my passion one day.
A message to convey, anything else you would like to share?
Art, in any form, allows artists to convey messages, ideas, and demands that are unique to each individual.
For my part, my works allow me to be ever more committed to the mission I have set for myself by donating a portion of the royalties from my work to a turtle and ocean conservation association that is close to my heart.
