Artist Manon Germain shares an amazing portfolio of hyper-realistic still life oil paintings. See more of her work by visiting her website.
My art is a means of expression. I want people to find my paintings amusing, to make them hungry, and to remind them of memories—food, candy, snacks, memories. I am self-taught and started painting 14 years ago. When I began, I never thought I would come this far.
In my childhood, my mother painted, and I watched her with admiration. I was eight years old when I tried to paint. For me, it was a disaster, but like any good mother, she thought it was beautiful.
In my adolescence, my parents had a pottery workshop. During weekends and holidays, I worked with them. That’s when I decided to go back to school to get a diploma. After I got my diploma, a recession hit. I had to reinvent myself and work in another field to survive.
I retired quite young because my partner was retiring, and we had plans together. That’s when I decided to start painting. I paint hyperrealism; meticulous attention to detail defines me. There is a need for freedom, happiness, and self-expression.
I started painting my V8 for fun, and I realized that I liked it and that it was fun. That’s where it all began. I seek the transparency of glass, the shape of the object. I want to achieve depth.
My technique is that of the Renaissance—vivid colors. Oil painting gives me the freedom to create greater subtlety in execution. The glaze I use allows me to achieve effects of distance and brilliance.
I seek realism, and want to see people’s reactions when they look at my paintings and say, “It looks real, but it’s not.” I want to create a visual mystery effect through painting. My goal is not to reproduce the photo but to create an illusion of perspective, of a precise moment that cannot be found in photography.
I create my own photographic montages for my paintings, playing with the mirror effect. My colors and the composition are chosen to create an illusion of presence and depth. I want to express my amazement at the chosen subject. Many of my chosen objects have a relationship with light, reflection, and transparency.
Manon Germain invites you to follow on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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