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“My feeling and energy are leading in the moment.”
From Maastricht to the Canvas: A Journey of Artistic Evolution
Léonce Lemmens, born in 1955 in the culturally rich city of Maastricht, Netherlands, began her journey with a deep-seated passion for art. From her early aspirations of becoming a fashion designer to her studies at the Art Academy in Maastricht, art has always been a guiding force in Lemmens’ life. However, her path took a fascinating turn, leading her away from formal art education and into the world of publicity, healthcare, and international real estate finance. Despite these diverse professional endeavors, her love for painting remained a constant, occasionally resurfacing in her life.
This varied background, traversing different industries and organizational cultures, has profoundly influenced Lemmens’ artistic creations. Her experiences have reinforced her belief in the power of art to transform spaces. Lemmens perceives art as a unique language, capable of dictating the ambiance of a room and profoundly affecting the emotions and spirits of those within it. This understanding of art’s impact on spaces and people has deeply informed her work, allowing her to create art that is not only visually striking but also emotionally resonant.
The Reawakening in the Gobi and the Birth of ‘Art on Textiles’
Lemmens’ artistic career took a significant turn in 2012 following a transformative journey through the Mongolian side of the Gobi desert. This expedition rekindled her early passion for drawing and painting, leading her to resume painting with renewed vigor and perspective. The freedom and raw beauty of the desert landscape reawakened her artistic inclinations, compelling her to explore her creativity anew.
In 2014, Lemmens embarked on an innovative project named ‘Art on Textiles’, blending her love for fabrics with her artistic flair. This project involved creating digital prints of fragments from her paintings on luxury fabrics, resulting in a unique fusion of art and textile design. These fabrics were then transformed into limited-edition home decorations, such as pillows and lampshades, bringing her artistic vision into the realm of interior design. This venture was a natural extension of Lemmens’ artistic expression, allowing her to explore the interplay between art, fabric, and space. Since 2018, Lemmens has devoted herself entirely to painting, delving deeper into her artistic exploration and refining her abstract expressionist style. This period marks a full-circle return to her earliest artistic inclinations, showcasing her growth and evolution as an artist.
Capturing the Intangible: The Essence of Lemmens’ Abstract Expressionism
Léonce Lemmens’ artistic style, rooted in abstract expressionism, is a testament to her pursuit of capturing the ephemeral. Her approach to painting is guided by intuition, allowing her to channel her feelings and energy directly onto the canvas. This style grants her the freedom to transcend conventional artistic boundaries, creating works that are open to interpretation and rich in emotional depth. For Lemmens, the allure of abstract art lies in its inherent ambiguity – it invites viewers to project their personal interpretations and emotions onto the artwork, making each experience with her paintings uniquely personal.
The themes Lemmens explores in her work are as diverse as her experiences. Drawing inspiration from her travels, daily life occurrences, and the people she encounters, her art becomes a mosaic of her life’s journey. The contrasts she observes in nature and urban landscapes, architectural elements, and the fusion of different cultures, all find expression in her paintings. Each piece tells its own story, a narrative shaped by Lemmens’ experiences and the viewers’ perceptions. This dynamic interaction between the artist, the artwork, and the audience is central to the appeal of her abstract expressionist pieces. Lemmens’ art is not just a visual experience; it is a dialogue, an exchange of emotions and ideas between her inner world and the external reality.
The Sanctuary of Creation: Artistic Haven and Inspirational Musings of Léonce Lemmens
For Léonce Lemmens, her artistic process is as much about the environment in which she creates as it is about the act of painting itself. Her studio, a space characterized by good lighting and the presence of music, provides the perfect backdrop for her creative endeavors. This setting, coupled with her mood and inspiration, forms the core elements of her workspace. Lemmens values the importance of change and diversity in her surroundings, often seeking new environments to stimulate her senses and ignite fresh ideas. This need for varying atmospheres is a crucial aspect of her artistic process, allowing her to experience different perspectives and emotions, which in turn enrich her work.
Dealing with distractions is an inevitable part of Lemmens’ artistic journey. She recognizes that distractions are not just obstacles but also sources of inspiration. The daily experiences and unexpected occurrences that interrupt her work often fuel her creativity, presenting new challenges and perspectives. However, when translating these inspirations onto canvas becomes difficult, Lemmens either surrenders to the spontaneity of painting without overthinking or steps back to gain perspective. This balance between embracing inspiration and managing distractions is a delicate dance that Lemmens navigates skillfully, allowing her to maintain her artistic integrity while being open to the serendipities of life.
Lemmens finds inspiration in a variety of sources, with her travels, particularly to the Mediterranean, playing a significant role in feeding her creative spirit. The artists Rothko and Marina Abramovic also influence her work. Abramovic’s belief that art stems from life, not just the studio, resonates deeply with Lemmens, aligning with her own philosophy that art is an extension of one’s experiences and surroundings. This holistic approach to art, where life itself becomes a canvas for creativity, is a defining feature of Lemmens’ work, making her creations not just visually stunning but also richly imbued with the essence of her life experiences.
