Isabelle de Kervalec's biography

BIOGRAPHY

Mystical painter

              An aesthete……. A Poet… Isabelle de Kervalec paints the invisible transmuted into fantastic characters of animals.
Selftaught… she claims her art is suggested by mysterious forces from heaven. Her delirious imagination and the sumptuousness of her colours animate her pictures with an intense vividness and an original and particular richness.
Her difficult childhood, her extreme sensitivity make her into a "woman out of the ordinary" surrounded by an an "aura", coming from elsewhere. This elsewhere is the source of her inspiration.
Her criteria :   "mens sana in corpore sano"
                        "to be or no to be"
                        "between being and having she prefers being."
Freedom and rigour have ruled her life. Fleeing away from photographers and the Parisian society-life, Isabelle de Kervalec was devoting her time to what for her represented her "secret art" when painful family circumstances brought about a radical change. She then accepts "to expose publicly her anguish" as she puts it.
                    In 1970, Général Billotte gives her the opportunity to accomplish this feat and it is the occasion for her first exhibit. While she had been so afraid of this confrontation, she meets with unexpected success.. She receives the warmth and complicity of the attending crowd as a present from heaven! This is a great step forward which opens the door to a new horizons. Exceptional people come to her, reassure her, and fill her need to be loved intelligently.

So, here I am propelled again in front of the footlights. It is my destiny, I cannot help it. Art oblige!

1971 : After this success, Henri Dumont (public relation place Vendôme) organizes for me a very Parisian exhibit. Numerous personalities participate as Sergio Gobbi (Italian cineast), comte of LaFayette, Pierre Mazeau (soon minister) and so on.. as many stars of the movies, theatre, T.V. and litterature whose names are impossible to enumerate all ; I am dumfounded by this new feat and deeply moved by the ardent welcome given to me !
1972 : I participate in numerous exhibits.
1973 : Galerie Harriet Katz in le Marais. Private exhibit. T.V. makes a film rather important presented by Micheline Sandrel.
1974 : Galerie Claude Keslassy in Beaubourg. Private exhibit.
1975 : Galerie Braün, avenue de l'Opéra. Exhibit organized by Xavier Moreski, International President of CORSICA in Paris. Numerous personalities, stars, T.V., Medias, etc...
1976 : Various "salons" Léonard de Vinci organized by Princesse Yasmine d'Ouezzan in Rue du Faubourg St Honoré and others..
I work in litography in the same "atelier" as Gérard di Maccio and we expose together several times. He remains one of my favorite painters.
Always the same year I receive the "Great humanitary Price of France" with "diplome" and silver medal.
I meet Hervé Sérane (galerie Râ) who wants to expose my paintings. He likes my pictures, I like his galery, but we do not get to an agreement. He exposes Gerard di Maccio and makes him famous.

1977 : Exhibit and "vernissage" gorgeous in l'Hôtel des Beaux Arts of Guy Louis Duboucheron.
Great collective exhibit in Centre International de Sèvres of Marylise de Vilmorin. Two thousands magical guests.
1978 : Very smart "vernissage" " rue Montpensier". A great number of actors from "Comédie Française" as Robert Hirsh, Jacques Toja and so on..
1979 : First reward in a competition of paintings made in public in "club Le Privé."
1980-81 : Various T.V. shows, (Michel Lancelot, Micheline Sandrel, Alain Bougraing-Dubourg etc..). Exhibits in museums, castles, antiquarys, private properties, theatrical and cultural happenings, in Paris, Cote d'Azur etc..
Louvre des Antiquaires.
1982 : Enormous particulary exhibit, fabulous "vernissage" in "C.I.S.P. Porte de Vincennes". Sixty paintings exposed. I build "le temple du messie" with four meters high columns, candles, candelabrums, etc.. I named this exhibit "The Marionnettes de Sylphidias", (title of a novel I should write about the story of my life).
On the invitations it was written :// Night gown requisited.// I wanted that night to be a fire-work gorgeous : I was granted ! I like my "vernissages" to be more than the hanging of pictures, my guests to "play the game" and participate completely in the show ! In that evening I was honored to welcome personalities of the Town of Paris, political people, writers, stars, journalists etc.. A picture was made which is keeped in the archives of Val de Marne in Créteil.

1984 : Art déco, Louvre Museum, important cultural happening under the patronage of "Ministre de la Culture" which keeps the 20th anniversary of "Nouvel Observateur." Public painting sitting, collective exhibit 2.000 personalities, 5 ministers. It brought to me 3 T.V. canals, flowers, cables, it was unforgettable.
1985 : Participation to exhibits in famous Parisian Hotels like "Georges V, Niko, Warwick" etc...
1986 : Exhibit in "Cercle des créateurs, quai de la Tournelle". Thema : the cats.
1987 : Another exhibit in "Cercle des Créateurs". Thema : houses and gardens.
Particulary exhibit in "Club des Poètes".
1988 : Gallery "Arts Tournelle" collective exhibit. Thema : the woman.
1989-90 : Various "salons", museums, : "St Germain-en-Laye, St Cloud, La
Varenne, Bry sur Marne, Sucy en Brie, Créteil, Val d'Oise."
I sculpt "les statuettes de Sylphidias". At that time, I start a new painting period ; deciding to get out of my intellectual turmoil, I paint only beauty ; which leads to exposition 2 of the site "sublimated woman."
2000 : For the time being, I am taking a break. I don't know where life will be taking me. This time will internet allow me to pursue my career alone on my rock while at the same time connected with you, the world ? Ideal, isn't it !
2001 : virtual exhibitions : France (Aspect), Australia, Canada, Brasil, USA, Italia.
I receive the awards : "World Web Award of Excellence."(CANADA)
"World Web Award of Excellence."(BRASIL)
"International Artist Award."(USA)
2002 : "World Web Award of Excellence."(CANADA)
2004 : "World Web Award of Excellence."(CANADA).
2005-06 : "Imageries Fantastiques"

              SOME PRESS SAMPLES :

//Self taught painter inspired by psycho tragical subjectivity with dantesc symbolism, Isabelle de Kervalec retired in a novelistic world, paints expressionnist pictures for their shape and subjectivity. She likes to conceive works which evoke medieval Mystic and characters who reflect the inside psycological storm.//
                                                                                Vallobra.
                                                                                         Apollo 1976.

//Painting of our nowaday's world, every one feels differently these pictures which sometimes evoke Surnatural ! Isabelle de Kervalec exposes actually in the "Centre International de Sèvres." Her youth was not particulary dark : à 18 years old, she was a star model !..
"May be it is a contraste with this atmosphere of lights that my first picture was a black man's face !"
"Though a woman very courted and photographied, I needed loneliness to create. I did not go to a painting school because everybody told me not to, so that my personality may not be influenced. I do not miss it because painting's technic can be adquired by touchs. Today people live only for money and I hardly get used to this realistic way of life"//
                                                                                Patrick Forestier.
                                                                                               Nostra 1977.

//This woman out of the ordinary, mystical painter in love with Wagner, became a producer for the love of her son Stéphane Bonneau, a very talentuous guitarist, she allows to record... forsaking her personal carreer for a while..//
Lionel Rotcage.
Libération 1982.