ELIORA BOUSQUET'S ARTIST STATEMENT

I have been painting since the age of seven. After practicing figurative painting (portraits, landscapes, etc.), I explored various techniques before specializing in symbolic, expressionist, lyrical, and atmospheric abstract painting, primarily using acrylics and colored inks.

I paint not only because it makes me happy, but also to offer people a glimpse of dreams, poetry, and hope through my colors, words, and "romantic" universe, much like the poets who inspire me. My world lies somewhere between the elements of "air" and "water"…

My art is a constant homage to the light that guides my path in an endless spiritual quest. Through my creations, I strive to show that the human soul can be freed from the constraints of this world, its limitations, imposed patterns, and standards that stifle the true expression of our inner being.

Each painting I create embodies this search for FREEDOM as though it longs for wings to soar. It reflects an unyielding desire to break the chains separating us from our deep essence. Each collection, every work, invites us to rise toward a higher ideal, to a realm that transcends the visible boundaries of our daily lives.

"Above the ponds, above the valleys,
Mountains, woods, clouds, seas,
Beyond the sun, beyond the heavens,
Beyond the confines of the starry spheres,
My spirit, you move with agility..."

Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal

I believe in a perfect plan, crafted by our Creator, whose infinite and harmonious work resonates in every star, every cloud, every particle of matter. My work is an homage to this Creator - the greatest Artist of all time - Author of the most beautiful masterpiece in the world.

As a completely self-taught painter, my quest has always been to capture the beauty of His creation and translate it through forms and colors capable of evoking profound emotions, to pay tribute and express gratitude for the incredible gift of creativity bestowed upon me at birth.

For me, painting is a way of expressing gratitude for the beauty of our world and of paying homage to its Creator. Inspired by this sensitivity, my work also seeks to encourage viewers to become more ecologically aware.

Indeed, my approach is ethical and environmentally conscious, with minimal use of chemical products (thinners, solvents, mediums, varnishes…) and a preference for natural materials, such as water-based paints (acrylic, watercolor).

Through painting, I aim to remind others that contemplating nature is both an infinite source of inspiration and a shared responsibility to protect it.

"What a painting is, I do not know. It is what I seek. Each of my paintings poses the question. I can only say that, in my view, a painting, when observed deeply, is not a window to the outside but a door that opens inward."
Jean-Michel Sanejouand

Passionate about reading and writing, I enjoy painting as much as I enjoy "depicting."

My paintings function like visual riddles. I always paint them as if writing a mystery novel: each has a story whose key the audience must discover and carries a specific message. Some paintings are even connected to each other; they must be viewed as if reading a trilogy to grasp their full meaning.

In most cases, the riddles are contained in the paintings’ titles. My approach invites the viewer into an active dialogue with the work, making each painting a gateway to deeper reflection.

For instance:

1 - "Far From Eden" > 2 - "My Quest" > 3 - "A Dreamlike Odyssey" which symbolizes the concept that is dearest to me as an artist: FREEDOM. This Freedom passes through the INSPIRATION that I find while TRAVELING in my WAKING DREAMS (Oniris) and the search for PARADISE (Eden)...

As André Gide once advised, I would say this to those who share my vision: "Let the importance lie in your gaze, not in the thing you are looking at."

• Colors: For me, colors are not merely pigments but a universal, timeless, and powerful language, capable of communicating ideas and emotions beyond words. They are the heart of my work, a way to express what the human eye cannot see but the heart can feel.
• Poetry, especially Romantic poetry of the 19th century, inspires my creative approach. It guides me to capture the ineffable, transforming raw emotion into visual language. Just as a poem immortalizes a fleeting moment, my paintings aim to preserve the essence of a moment, transcending the limits of space and perception.
• Classical and jazz music, two timeless languages, deeply inspire me. One finds harmony in structure and rigor; the other thrives on freedom and improvisation. My paintings echo both, born from an inner symphony in search of perfection.
• The wind, a creator that "blows where it wills," inspires all my collections. It symbolizes movement, transformation, and the continuity between humanity and its environment. It connects the tangible to the intangible and serves as a reminder of the vital force animating the universe.
• And above all... The sky, both seen and unseen, nourishes my imagination. For me, it is a mystical realm, a passage to the beyond, where galaxies, constellations, and nebulae reside. It’s a sacred place, a gateway to an ideal reality located somewhere in Orion's constellation. 

My art is a journey into the invisible, the infinite, and the sublime. It’s an invitation to connect with this celestial world and the light that illuminates and guides all of our lives.

My ambition as an artist is simple. Through my paintings, I seek to build bridges between imagination and reality, to unveil invisible worlds, and to offer moments of contemplation.

Each painting is an invitation to slow down, to dream, and to rediscover the magic that surrounds us in everyday life.

I invite you to explore my collections and immerse yourself in this universe where colors, forms, and emotions meet in a harmonious visual symphony.

I've painted more than 2,700 artworks divided into 12 main thematic collections:

• 'Aeolian Moments'
• 'Aqualchemy'
• 'Celestial Visions' 
• 'Chromatic Fantasiae'
• 'Cosmosis'
• 'Evanescence'
• 'Luminescence'
• 'Naturessences'
• 'Poetic Fictions'
• 'Renaissance'
• 'Sea-Mulations'
• 'Serendipity'

Through my collections, I weave a blue-green thread connecting sky to water, water to earth, the divine to the human. My abstract works pay tribute to the eternal beauty that surrounds us all.

Art, in my view, is a shared quest, a search for light and truth, a way to reconnect with what is essential, timeless, and eternal.

These two words of Horace are my guiding motto: "Carpe Diem! Seize the flowers of life and savor the present day."

Elisabeth Eliora Bousquet