As a figurative sculptor, I am fascinated by the ubiquitous display of figurative sculpture in France and Italy. I have wondered what it is like to be a sculptor where sculpture plays a larger role in the life of the culture. Recently, while planning a brief visit in Paris with my wife, Donna, who is fluent in French, she suggested that I meet with some local Parisian artists whose works I had said inspired me. Because Donna is a Francophile and we have been there numerous times before, it seemed like a great way to get a glimpse into the art scene there and also to hobnob with “real people”, rather than only those that cater to tourists, such as those that you meet during the course of going to restaurants, staying in hotels and the like.
Donna translated my email requests to rendezvous with two different French sculptors whose websites I had stumbled on some time ago and with whom I had made contact through Facebook. To our surprise, they both graciously agreed to meet with us!
Brigitte Teman
The first sculptor was Brigitte Teman, who was trained originally as a dentist in Paris, but who was forced to quit dentistry due to nerve impingement in her neck caused by craning her head while performing dental procedures on her patients. Her physician told her she had to quit and recommended that, to regain feeling in her right hand, she take a ball of clay and squeeze it repeatedly throughout the day. While doing so, she discovered that she enjoyed sculpting and her new career took off from there. Today, she is a successful figurative sculptor whose bronze works are primarily seen in Galerie Mickael Marciano located in the prestigious Place des Vosges in Paris. Lingering over lunch with Brigitte, as my wife and I listened to her, we were struck by the connection we felt with Brigitte while she shared her experiences as she has risen to recognition in the Parisian art world.
David with Yves Pires
The following day, we visited Yves Pires in his studio, just outside of Paris. His studio knocked my socks off! He has done literally hundreds of very impressive figurative sculptures over the course of his career–quite inspiring (and humbling), to say the least. Currently, he casts his sculptures in either bronze or in resin. He says that he likes the slick appearance of the glossy finished resin, feeling that it appears more “moderne”. Yves was very generous and welcoming. After seeing his studio and discussing his process, he invited Donna and I to join him in his home for a meal. He and his partner, Estelle, laid out a sumptuous lunch before us–complete with a bottle of French wine. Later that day, I visited the upscale ArtClub Gallery that represents him. It’s right across from the Louvre!
Visit their websites at:
http://www.brigitteteman.com/Bienvenue.html
The experience alone of meeting both artists made the trip to Europe worthwhile! It underscored the fact that, as artists, we not only learn a lot from each other, but we can connect on a fundamental level that touches our essence because we mirror each other’s passion to create.