In Depth With the Artist: Samantha French


Poppytalk Handmade participant and NYC-based artist Samantha French is having a solo exhibition coming up this spring with paintings from the pool at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club. The paintings will be up in a solo exhibition at the Left Bank Gallery in Essex, Connecticut from May 5 to June 14. Check out her beautiful work here and here.

Samantha French graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2005. Her paintings show a strong connection to her Minnesota lifestyle and memories. She currently resides and keeps a studio in New York City. 
"My current body of work is focused on swimmers underwater and above. Using vague yet consuming memories from my childhood summers spent immersed in the tepid lakes of northern Minnesota, I attempt to recreate the quiet tranquility of water and nature; of days spent sinking and floating, still and peaceful. These paintings are a link to my home and continual search for the feeling of the sun on my face and warm summer days at the lake. At the same time, I am drawn to an idealistic time before my own, where swim caps and wool swimsuits were commonplace. This combination of memory, observation and photography (old and new) has allowed me to preserve the transitory qualities of water and remembrance."

Jan Halvarson

5 comments:

meenal @ maison marigold said...

these painting as amazing..they look like photographs...its surreal...thanks for sharing...xx meenal

Hisforhouse said...

I adore these - love the themes and those colours are SO lush!

Marina Goldshteyn said...

LOVE her work! Thanks for showcasing!

The Art of the Lovely. said...

mann! these are so beautiful!

verucaassault said...

The first painting is probably one of the best paintings I've ever seen. Ever.