Description

Self taught, Stéphanie Ledroit learned the palette knife technique on her own. Used since the Italian Renaissance, this technique was particularly elevated by Gustave Courbet, notably in his snowy landscapes. Stéphanie Ledroit has made it the central signature of her work, instantly recognizable. Through this distinctive approach, she has received numerous awards, including the Salon des Artistes Français, the Société des Amis des Artistes Français and the 1st ADAC Prize. Her works are part of major private collections worldwide.

Her work is essentially focused on solitude. Not the negative solitude we sometimes experience through neglect, abandonment or excessive individualism.

But rather the intrinsic solitude of the human being, essential to personal growth. This solitude takes many forms, three of which are explored in her painting.

First, creative solitude: a state of introspection that allows her to feel what she is doing, moving beyond mere execution. The use of the palette knife plays an important role in reinforcing this perception.

Then, the solitude of her subjects, mainly children, who possess the ability to ignore the surrounding world and create their own inner bubble. This very natural capacity leads them to adopt naive, spontaneous poses that she seeks to capture.

They assert themselves as unique presences on the canvas, rendered in monochrome, with understated backgrounds that reduce superfluous information in order to focus on attitude and expression.

Finally, the solitude of the viewer, who allows themselves to be drawn in by a figure turned away, leading them toward a personal elsewhere.

Extract from Stéphanie Ledroit autobiography. Read More