Biography
&
Exhibitions
The artist at work
2023
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Garance MONFORT grew up in France in a family of artists. Her grandfather, Georges de Leon, a painter and printmaker was the original influence that sparked her creativity and the start of an artistic education.
She studied a wide range of art techniques such as drawing and painting in the artist’s atelier in Normandy, and later studied at Ecole des Beaux-arts of Cherbourg and Rouen for 5 years, before she graduated of a master in Art. She pursued her artistic carrier and studied a post diploma in history of art at the Sorbonne in Paris, as well as training to become an art teacher.
Life, travels and discovering the world, from Ireland, England, Australia to switzerland, always drawing, writing and playing music, Garance settled in 2013 in Cambridge UK, where she worked as a french teacher.
She’s also a singer-songwriter and has been performing live, solo and with different bands singing Jazz, blues and rock. Garance’s artwork has been shown in galleries internationally, in Australia, Ireland, England, France and Switzerland.
She currently lives in Basel Switzerland where she paints in her studio and plays music.
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What inspired you to become an artist?
“I come from a family of artist, like my brother and father. My grandfather was the one who inspired me the most. He was a landscape artist who used colors in a way that amazed me, creating light and an impression of reality and sincerity that touched me. I studied with him from a young age. He taught me a lot about drawing and observing the world. At 16 I turned my bedroom into an art studio, and started to draw with charcoal and paint with oil and watercolor, which I still use mostly today.
Is it something you have always done, or came to later in life?
“As far as I can remember, I have always drawn. When i was little, I would spend hours observing my brother drawing, we’d ask each other to draw things like monsters and animals. I’ve always been obsessed with drawing and writing what I see, I keep journals and sketchbooks since I was about 17.”
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What are your inspiration?
“I find inspiration in many things, from music, stories, poetry, art to personal experiences and travels. I illustrate my songs and poems. I write everyday, when I’m at home and when I travel. I sketch people and places. I use these to create collages or paint with oil on canvas. Poets such as Sylvia Plath, Leonard Cohen, Arthur Rimbaud, Jacques Prevert have inspired me a lot. Surrealist and symbolist painters such as Odilon Redon, and Magritte in my early work. Cezanne, Turner and Monet for my landscape paintings. Pre-Raphaelite painters and illustrators: Arthur Rackham, John Waterhouse, Dulac, John Tenniel. Seascapes painter Ivan Aïvazovski". Contemporary landscape artits Marc Bohne and Ken Bushes are great inspiration in oil technic.
Education
1998 – 2001 University of Cherbourg, Bachelor of Fine Art, DNAP
2001 – 2003 University of Rouen, Master of Fine Art received with distinction, DNSEP
2003 – 2004 University of Paris - Sorbonne, History of Art
2004 – 2005 University of Paris, IUFM Art Teaching Course
Awards
2003 DNSEP Diplôme National Supérieur d'Expression Plastique, Rouen, Fr
2001 DNAP Diplôme National Art Plastique, Cherbourg, Fr
2002 1st Prize in Oil painting Competition, Havre des peintres, Portbail, Fr
Solo Exhibitions
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2023 Galerie Ecume Quantique, Portbail-sur mer, France
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2023 Galerie Espace Vide, Thun, Switzerland
2020 La Ferme de Renouville, Vicq sur mer, France
2018 Alliance Francaise Cambridge, UK
2017 Black Cat Cafe, Cambridge, UK
2016 Cafe du Theatre, Cherbourg, France
2014 Six Bells, Cambridge, UK
2013 Alliance Française, Canberra, Australia
2013 Australia National University Art Centre, Canberra, Australia
2012 Makers Gallery, Cambridge, UK
2011 Primavera Art Gallery, Cambridge, UK
2010 CB2 Bistro, Cambridge, UK
2009 Tour de l'horloge, Tourlaville, France
2007 Irish & British Film Festival, bibliothèque Jacques Prévert, Cherbourg, France
2007 Church Notre-Dame de Portbail, France
2005 Yaralt Gallery, Rouen, France
2004 Portraits, l'Americano, Cherbourg, France
2003 Estampes, Art's Cafe, Cherbourg, France
Group Exhibitions
2019 Prisma Art Gallery, Cherbourg, France
2017 Creative Reaction, Pint of Science Festival, Cambridge Brew House, UK
2016 Creative Reaction, Pint of Science Festival, St Barnabas Church, Cambridge, UK
2015 Creative Reaction, Pint of Science Festival, St Paul Church, Cambridge, UK
2014 Creative Reaction, Pint of Science Festival, The MayPole, Cambridge, UK
2013 Estivale des Ravalets, Chateau des Ravalets, Tourlaville, France
2012 Salon d'Automne, Galerie des Halles, Cherbourg, France
2012 Chateau des Ravalets avec Boudiou Design, Tourlaville, France
2012 Narrative, Williams Art Gallery, Cambridge, UK
2012 Normandie Bulle, Comic Book Festival, Darnetal, France
2010 Artist's Choice, Blue Leaf Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2010 Mini-Prints, St Barnabas Press Gallery, Cambridge, UK
2009 Collages & Aquarelles, Tour de l'horloge, Tourlaville, France
2008 Comic Book Festival with Playcat, Cherbourg, France
2007 Hors les murs with Pep'art, Gallery des Halles, Cherbourg, France
2006 Normandie Bulle, Comic Book Festival, Darnetal, France
2005 Jeunes artistes, Normandie Bulle, Comic Book Festival, Darnetal, France
2004 Collective exhibition with Pep'art, Maison des arts, La Glacerie, France
2004 Collective exhibition with Pep'art, Salon des Ravalets, Tourlaville, France
2003 Graduates Exhibition Show, Gallery des Beaux Arts, Rouen, France
2003 Transplantation, Botanical Garden, Sotteville-les-rouens, France
2003 Reel et imaginaire, Art Gallery Du Bellay, Mont-st-Aignan, France
2001 Reflets d'Odalisques, Maison des Arts, La Glacerie, France
Exhibitions
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