“My works are invitations to look for signs, to propose interpretations: to reconnect with our imagination in order to find meaning.”
Embracing the Artistic Call
Anne-Gaëlle Elie’s artistic journey began in Strasbourg, a city that shares its borders with Germany, where she was born in 1975. Since then, she has resided in Nancy, a French city renowned for its Art Nouveau heritage and the iconic Place Stanislas. Her life has always been steeped in art, influenced profoundly by various forms of performance art, including theatre, music, and dance. From the age of seven, Elie was playing the piano, and by her teenage years, she was already immersed in the world of theatre, both as an actress and, later, as a director. Her education in literature further enriched her artistic perspective, leading her to a decade-long career as a literature teacher, before she ventured into arts and cultural management.
It was during this time that Anne-Gaëlle Elie discovered her passion for creating with her hands, leading her to learn sewing and eventually design clothes and accessories. However, her true calling emerged when she transitioned fully into painting and drawing. Today, Elie’s work is a blend of her literary background and her love for performance arts. She creates intricate stories through her unique calligraphy, inviting viewers to decipher her imaginary language. This process transforms the canvas into a stage: the lines and curves create the silhouettes of the characters, while the colours, through the full range of their expressive nuances, interpret the dialogues, sometimes lyrical, sometimes satirical.
Left: The artist in her studio (with “The Rooster’s Soliloquies stun Mummy’s little Doggy”, Ink and markers on paper / 21 cm * 30 cm )
Right: “The Chicken or the Egg” (Ink and markers on paper / 21 cm * 30 cm )
Anne-Gaëlle Elie: A Path to Professional Artistry
Anne-Gaëlle Elie’s journey to becoming a professional artist was one of gradual discovery and persistent pursuit of her dreams. Although she initially dreamed of a career in acting, the thought of making a living through art seemed unattainable. Despite her admiration for great writers and painters, she didn’t consider visual arts her forte, having not engaged in drawing or painting since childhood. Her initial foray into the arts included photography and collage, but it wasn’t until she was on the verge of leaving her teaching career that she began to draw again. What started as doodles in the margins of her notes and during meetings soon evolved into a profound form of expression, blending abstract calligraphy and expressionism.
After nearly a decade of private practice, Elie felt a growing urge to share her work with the public, especially following the challenges of the pandemic. Encouraged by those around her, she began showcasing her art, starting with an Instagram page that quickly caught the attention of a New York gallery. In September 2021, she participated in the “From Earth to Sky” exhibition at the Van Der Plas Gallery, marking the official start of her professional career. This milestone underscored her commitment to drawing attention to the world’s inherent beauty and reawakening the power of wonder in her audience. Her path exemplifies a dedicated pursuit of artistic dreams, culminating in a successful transition from private practice to public acclaim.
“Dancing with colors. Tribute to Loïe Fuller” – (Ink and markers on paper / 21 cm * 30 cm )
Unveiling an Eclectic Style
Anne-Gaëlle Elie’s artistic style is a unique fusion of various influences, ranging from calligraphy and surrealism to stained glass and street art. Her work sits at the intersection of abstraction and figuration, combining the spontaneity of an intuitive gesture with the refinement of precise lines. This creative process often begins with matrices, or primary forms that emerge unconsciously on paper. Elie then translates these spontaneous shapes into a coherent visual language, akin to the birth of a living being. Her approach is akin to that of a parent nurturing their child, carefully selecting colors and perfecting lines to bring out the full potential of each creation.
Nature serves as a predominant theme in Elie’s work, with frequent depictions of flowers, gardens, and aquatic scenes. Her fascination with the ingenuity of nature, particularly the unexplored territories of the oceans, is evident in pieces like “Excursion à bord du Nautilus,” inspired by Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.” Animals also play a significant role in her art, reminiscent of the satirical characters in Jean de La Fontaine’s fables. Additionally, Elie explores themes of movement and freedom through dynamic representations of horses, motorcycles, and small cars. Her art pays homage to the liberating power of creativity, celebrating how art can clarify and enrich life.
Left: “Excursion aboard the Nautilus”- (Ink and markers on paper / 21 cm * 29.7 cm )
Right: “Fantasy for Mozart” (Ink and marker on paper / 21 cm * 30 cm )
Anne-Gaëlle Elie: The Meditative Workspace
For Anne-Gaëlle Elie, the workspace is a sacred haven that facilitates her creative flow. She finds inspiration in diverse environments, whether sitting cross-legged with a sketchbook or working at a solid desk in her studio. Music and radio are constant companions in her studio, creating a meditative atmosphere that enhances her focus. This immersion allows Elie to delve deeply into her work, often uncovering new insights about herself and her artistic process. The necessity of distractions for sparking new ideas contrasts with her intense concentration when creating, likening her focus to that of a yogi.
Elie’s creative process also embraces pareidolia, the ability to see familiar shapes in random patterns, a technique encouraged by Leonardo da Vinci. By observing forms in the abstract shapes and stains, she invites viewers on a personal journey of discovery. This method is evident in her piece “Fantaisie pour Mozart,” a black-and-white work with a single splash of blue. This piece marks a significant point in her career, emphasizing line and calligraphy. It is a tribute to Mozart, reflecting the musical composition’s mood swings and dynamic movements, mirroring the spontaneity and freedom of her lines. Through such works, Elie challenges viewers to engage with her art on a deeper level, exploring the hidden narratives within her abstract forms.
