Gracious Print

Armel Evrard has a passion for Art and Health; seeing himself as a citizen of the world. He spent his childhood in the Loiret region in France where he attended Saint Francois de Sales School, in Gien. As a boarder at the school, he developed a real passion for Art in all of its forms. In his early years at Saint Francois de Sales, he discovered his interest in painting and learnt to hone his skills further by taking drawing and painting classes. He believes in taking risks to express himself through art and poetry. He is particularly interested in using bold colours and shapes. This is shown in much of his work, which is an attempt to transform reality into abstraction. He has always had a vivid appreciation for pop art, surrealism and cubism. He is inspired by Dali, Ernst, Kandinsky, Lichtenstein and Pollock, more especially by Andy Warhol and JM Basquiat. Both artists sealed and confirmed his love for painting. Armel once said that he felt the fire of passion when painting. This fire brings the most inert senses to life: “My artwork reflects my cultural and traditional backgrounds. As an artist I tend to be captivated and driven by images, music, movements, stories and emotions. My creative, and artistic works are a blend of African and European cultures”. Armel Evrard uses Art to ease his pain and brighten the days of his life. It is through the medium of intense feeling that he creates original paintings. He believes that art can bring people in such ecstasy that it has the power to wipe out any misery. As such he has allowed the Arts to transform his life. Art helps him to understand who he is, where he comes from and where he might be heading to. He adds: "My paintings tell stories. Pain, Frustration, Humiliation and Determination have influenced the emotional content of my art. Borrowing scenes from my daily life, I tend to make bold statements and use sharp colours. I would like to be remembered as a vehicle of hope. My art is representative of Moi. I want my paintings to give viewers an unforgettable experience. For me a painting is a window; and showing my work is inviting people to look at a piece of my soul." Armel is concerned by the idea of keeping the imagery accessible in order to grab the eyes and minds of viewers and get them both to enjoy themselves and to engage with the artwork.