I am excited to introduce you to a Canadian contemporary artist I discovered on or recent summer visit to summer Quebec City. I was immediately drawn to her colorful geometric architectural inspired works. 

As it turns out, this talent has gallery representation at 2 galleries in the states too.  What do you know… she is in Charlotte at Sozo Gallery.

Enjoy getting to know

Annie Labbé

Quebec City, Quebec

What is your training? 

I have a bachelor degree of Université Laval in visual arts new media’s option.

What inspires you and your designs?                                      

I look at a lot of magazines of all kinds: architecture, industrial design, interior design. Modern and contemporary Japanese architecture fascinates me enormously, or architects such as Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), but some Quebec architects like Pierre Thibault, La Shed Architecture or Mu Architecture have a creative process that inspires me. However, everything around me inspires me; it may be as simple as the color scheme of my daughter’s clothes, the colors of nature with the colors of a building or the play of light on a wall. I have just returned from a holiday and a friend asked me how I am in relax mode (because I am of the type several projects at the same time): well, I observe. Some artists draw, read and write down ideas. No nothing. I look around me. I analyze, construct mentally and contemplate. Everything I see will be useful to me in my daily work after. We combine the adventures and the different visual experiences. All in the idea to bring all these new stuff in the studio. On the day to day, we look at life a lot through a screen, it allows us to step back on its own existence, but there is always a lag effect that is created.

What is your favorite piece?

” Mémoire ” and

” Consonance ” are two pieces that I adore right now.

They have in it the perfect balance of geometry / spontaneous gesture, opening / closing and a relationship form / form that I adore. 

 

How has the your area influenced your work?

My workshop is all white (chair, table, wall) and the floor dark gray. I need a place as distracting as possible. A window of a good size that has a view of the sky and that’s all. Otherwise I easily fall into contemplative mode. My studio allows me to work several works at once and when a work is finished, it does not stay there. I store it in another room so as not to see it again. I want to be fully present for each of the works in the making in the workshop. When a work is finished, it already interests me less. For varnishes, I have a third piece to apply them. I particularly like this place at night. My creative process to modulate the space that I use by segmenting it according to the stages of creation.

What is your favorite restaurant in Québec city?

With the family, picnic is privileged in different places (St-Lawrence river shores), with friends, a big dinner in one or the other. However, I like the restaurants in the St-Roch neighborhood (the Deux22, Nina Pizza Napolitaine,).

What is your favorite cocktail?

It’s not long since I discovered my drink, but the French 75 made by Monsieur Cocktail with champagne instead of a sparkling dry, made me really seduced! And if it is made with Romeo Gin (Canadian gin), the evening will be excellent!

How do you balance personal life and work?

Having the studio at home, having fixed hours of work in the workshop is absolutely necessary. Subsequently, I modulate according to my creative energy. If I’m on fire, I work evening and night. I however block the start and end times for kids and my life partner. The rest belongs to me for creation or to go running with my dog, my English Springer Spaniel name Pollock.

Dream trip?

There are so many places … Costa Rica, Brazil, Japan, South Africa … but the whole planet is to see, so no matter where, if I’m with my clan, the adventure will be memorable .

Dream commission?

A mural!! Really, this is my artistic dream at the moment.

Your favorite host/hostess gift to give?

Local products (cheese, bread) or something that I have cooked (chocolate pizza or strawberry mascarpone tart are my best runner!)

What is your most treasured possession?

They are my treasured, but I don’t possesses them; my kids! Otherwise, my studio’s chair: my white Vitra Pantone chair.

What are your favorite blogs/ publications?

The Socialite Family (French /English ), Prélart Webzine (French), The Jealous Curator (English), Champagne et Brunelle (French), Le Cahier (French) and English Room of course!

 

See the artist at work and her stunning portfolio:

 

 

To help the devastation in Texas and the Gulf Coast, I encourage you to text “HARVEY” to 90999 to donate $10 directly to the American Red Cross for relief efforts. 

 

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