François Bonnel is a French abstract painter born in the Alps and living in Toulouse influences by Minimalist American post war painters. In 2019 he decided to devote his life to painting, for pleasure. Today he exhibits in New-York, Boston, Brussels, Shanghai, London, Art Miami etc.
Since when do you paint and what are your favorite motives?
Since I was very young, I've had a very creative upbringing. My mother was an art teacher at school and my grandfather also painted.
Then, when I went to school, I took a different path and just painted at weekends... that lasted 25 years. Then creative passion took over and in 2019 I decided to paint full time... A radical lifestyle choice that has proved to be a success.
When you create a new work, how do you proceed? What comes first?
I create my compositions on a graphic tablet to visualize shapes, color coherence and framing... I look for balance. Then I move on to creating on canvas, leaving myself a certain amount of improvisation... a certain amount of freedom.
What comes first? A desire that might be similar to a sweet tooth...
From what do you get your motivation?
From pleasure!
It's deeply selfish. I paint for pleasure and often without taking into account the opinions of others. I'm simply looking to enjoy the moment I apply the paint to the canvas and then look at the result hanging on my wall. Then, very quickly, I want to do something else.
Your life without art would be...
... painful. But I think a life without Art is impossible ... Art is imagination and creation ... so it doesn't take much to surround yourself with Art.
What's the best art venue in your city right now?
The Musée des Abattoirs in Toulouse. A magnificent museum of modern and contemporary art.
Its director, Annabelle Ténèze, has put on some very fine exhibitions there over the past 7 years, notably about Niki de Saint Phalle. I'm sure that Lauriane Gricourt, the new director, will continue to propose wonderful projects...Toulouse, my city, deserves it.
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