12th September 2024
Interview with Amylee Paris
We love working with artists and collaborating with them on products and how-to's. Many of our SimplyCreate projects have been a collaboration with artist, Amylee Paris. Find out more about Amylee's art journey:
Amylee Paris, a French painter, is mainly inspired by nature and floral motifs. Her colourful paintings, characterised by a rich acrylic palette and elegant patterns, often evoke the artwork of Gustav Klimt, particularly in their decorative details and bold use of gold and textures. Amylee enjoys painting portraits, as well as more abstract pieces where flowers and landscapes take on an almost dreamlike quality. In each of her paintings, natural forms blend with abstraction to create a universe that is both poetic and modern. The patterns seem to merge with the flat areas and the depicted subjects, blurring the line between reality and imagination.
What inspired you to pick up a brush and start painting?
From a young age, I already had a love for drawing. With a brush or pencil, I could create the world where I wanted to be and that made me feel good.
When did your love of art start? Did you always want to be an artist?
I started painting at the age of 11. My parents quickly realised that my extracurricular activities were more focused on art than sports. Every Wednesday and Saturday, I spent my time drawing, painting, and sculpting, while others went to dance or the swimming pool. Early on, I joined private art studios, which I continued attending until university.
What would be your advice for new artists just starting up?
Learning every day and practising drawing and painting like an athlete. Personal practice allows for huge progress in the artistic field.
What is the best tip you were told early in your career?
Don’t focus only on the subject itself, such as an apple, a character, or a pretty flower; also pay attention to the negative spaces, the gaps between elements, and consider their shapes as well.
How has social media helped your career?
Social media has allowed me to bring my paintings and drawings out of my studio, share my art beyond my own circle, and create opportunities that have been significant progress in my artistic path.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
What stimulates me initially is a combination of colours: a blend of hues in a sunset, on a piece of clothing, or in a picture. Then, I draw my inspiration from the human form, floral elements, and nature, as these are ever-evolving subjects. Nothing is static; everything changes, just like inspiration.
What is your favourite Daler-Rowney product and why?
I prefer System3 Acrylics for their creamy texture, excellent coverage, and beautiful colours. For Aquafine, I appreciate its fluid consistency, fine pigments, and the transparency it offers.
What is a technique that you haven't tried yet that you would love to try & why?
At the moment, I'm exploring screen printing and cyanotype because I love new printing techniques that allow me to create new colourful patterns and great effects.
Why do you say that you feel more like an artrepreneur than an artist?
Although I attended art schools, my true training has been self-taught, driven by a constant thirst for learning. Unlike artists from previous generations who waited for opportunities to come to them, I chose to take matters into my own hands. Thanks to the values and passions I want to develop in my work, I have better visibility over my choices and the opportunities I wish to create. By being artrepreneur, I energize and strengthen my practice, which has allowed me to make some wonderful artistic connections. So here’s today’s mojo that I’d like to share: love and create, learn and master, and dare to become the inspiring artist you would have liked to meet.
Explore Amylee's work further here.
