Gabrielle Bellocq
Encyclopedia
Gabrielle Bellocq was an artist in pastels. Born in Saint-Hilaire-de-Talmont on 15 June 1920. Died in Saint-Malo
on 29 July 1999.
Gabrielle Bellocq was born in 1920 and has lived most of her life in the West of France, near the sea. Painting was her passion since childhood. Her many years of work and experimentation in pastel have resulted in a technique which is unique and still mystifies her fellow pastellists - virtually a new medium. Through this technique she could render impressionistic effects which even Van Gogh, Monet and Degas were unable to achieve with pastels.
The wide success of Gabrielle Bellocq's work can largely be attributed to her undoubted talent as a colourist: the incredible variety of colours, sometimes daringly bright, often incredibly subtle, full of fine nuances and with a pointillist touch produces an unusual perspective effect. Her landscapes and seascapes clearly remind us of the style of the great impressionists, and yet because she never painted from life but from her inspired inner vision, her paintings have a magical dreamlike quality.
Through her delightful figures from ancient times, she invites the viewer to join in her communion with nature. We go with them towards the light as through their eyes we are taken to places of marvelous beauty, tranquility and inner peace.
As a boarder at school from a very young age, she spent her Sundays between Sunday Mass, Vespers and walks in the Vendee countryside. Throughout this period she built up a library of images that she later reproduced in the form on neo-impressionist pastel paintings.
Around 1950, she came to live on the banks of the River Rance in a classic Malouinière (manor house) blessed with a pretty pond. We often find reproduced in her paintings this mansion house and pond, in a more or less idealised form.
She started painting again at the start of the 60s. Little by little she abandoned watercolours and guache to concentrate solely on using pastels, which she would dedicate herself to using during more than 30 years, for the entirety of every day. The only time she stopped was when her children and grand-children came to stay.
She has exhibited profusely around the world, including in Paris
, Windsor
, Henley-on-Thames
and Salisbury
, Osaka
(Japan), Chicago
(Illinois), Sedona (Arizona) and Ede
(Holland).
She died in the summer of 1999 and rests in the cemetery in Saint-Briac.
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
on 29 July 1999.
Summary
Gabrielle Bellocq has been acknowledged as a great artist by the most respected and authoritative of Europe's Artistic Institutions: Salon des Artistes Francais (the highest awards of gold, silver and bronze medals received), Salon d'Automne in Paris and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. A purchase by the French State for the National Collection in 1980 places Gabrielle Bellocq amongst France's greatest artists of the 20th century. Her numerous personal exhibitions in Europe, America and Japan have always attracted enthusiastic collectors.Gabrielle Bellocq was born in 1920 and has lived most of her life in the West of France, near the sea. Painting was her passion since childhood. Her many years of work and experimentation in pastel have resulted in a technique which is unique and still mystifies her fellow pastellists - virtually a new medium. Through this technique she could render impressionistic effects which even Van Gogh, Monet and Degas were unable to achieve with pastels.
The wide success of Gabrielle Bellocq's work can largely be attributed to her undoubted talent as a colourist: the incredible variety of colours, sometimes daringly bright, often incredibly subtle, full of fine nuances and with a pointillist touch produces an unusual perspective effect. Her landscapes and seascapes clearly remind us of the style of the great impressionists, and yet because she never painted from life but from her inspired inner vision, her paintings have a magical dreamlike quality.
Through her delightful figures from ancient times, she invites the viewer to join in her communion with nature. We go with them towards the light as through their eyes we are taken to places of marvelous beauty, tranquility and inner peace.
Her Life
Her mother, an artistic lady, taught her piano and singing and organised one-to-one painting lessons with nuns at the couvent de Saint-Sornin, who were not artists to the highest degree. She was taught to copy others' work. The only painting and drawing classes that she was given was by these nuns.As a boarder at school from a very young age, she spent her Sundays between Sunday Mass, Vespers and walks in the Vendee countryside. Throughout this period she built up a library of images that she later reproduced in the form on neo-impressionist pastel paintings.
Around 1950, she came to live on the banks of the River Rance in a classic Malouinière (manor house) blessed with a pretty pond. We often find reproduced in her paintings this mansion house and pond, in a more or less idealised form.
She started painting again at the start of the 60s. Little by little she abandoned watercolours and guache to concentrate solely on using pastels, which she would dedicate herself to using during more than 30 years, for the entirety of every day. The only time she stopped was when her children and grand-children came to stay.
She has exhibited profusely around the world, including in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
and Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
(Japan), Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(Illinois), Sedona (Arizona) and Ede
Ede
Ede may refer to:* Locations:** Ede, Netherlands** Ede, Nigeria* People and languages** the Ede people of Vietnam** Ede languages , languages related to Yoruba spoken by a million people in Benin* Given names...
(Holland).
She died in the summer of 1999 and rests in the cemetery in Saint-Briac.
Her Major Prizes
In 1978, the purchase by the French Ministry of Culture of her painting Ouverture sur l’océan (Opening onto the Ocean) for the National Collection confirmed the stature of this artist, and the prizes flowed. Some of the major ones are as follows:- 1977 : Honourable Mention at the Salon des Artistes Français (Equivalent of the Royal Academy in the UK),
- 1978 : Prix Blanche Roullier,
- 1979 : Prix Marie BashkirtseffMarie BashkirtseffMarie Bashkirtseff was a Ukrainian-born diarist, painter and sculptor....
, Prix Atrux-Beauclair de la Fondation Baron TaylorBaron TaylorBaron Taylor could refer to:*Baron Isidore Justin Séverin Taylor, , a royal commissioner of the Théâtre-Français*Bernard Taylor, Baron Taylor of Mansfield,...
, Prix Blanche Roullier, - 1980 : Médaille d’Argent du Salon des Artistes français, Prix Blanche Roullier,
- 1981 : Prix Raybaud,
- 1983 : Prix Blanche Roullier,
- 1984 : Médaille d’Or du Salon des Artistes français,
- 1987 : Grand Prix de la ville de DinardDinardDinard is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.Dinard is on the Côte d'Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a popular holiday destination, and this has resulted in the town having a variety of famous visitors and residents...
.
Links
- English website : http://www.gabriellebellocq.com