Meet The Artist: Adele Renault
Adele Renault is an artist with a deft touch for that which most might find commonplace. From pigeons to people, she focuses her artistry on realistic depictions of ordinary city residents, on canvas as well as massive murals. We met with Adele to discuss her creative routine and learn more about her painting techniques.
Image courtesy of the artist
You reflect on your environment in your work. How do your surroundings affect and inspire your work?
All my works stems from things I see daily. Pigeons and people. Whoever lives in an urban environment sees both every day.
What materials do you use and why?
On all my indoor studio work I use oils, preferably on linen but occasionally on canvas or paper.
Outdoor I always use spray paint.
Why oils? I used to think painting with brush was dirty and messy and thought I would never go there. I was all about markers, ball pen and spray paint for a while. Straight and clean lines. Then I went to finish high school in the UK and realised I could take art classes in a real studio with high ceilings and easels and wet paint, instead of going to maths and history classes?! I was sold, there I had a teacher who pushed me to try oils after experimenting a bit with acrylics. Once you make the transition from acrylic to slow drying oils that can blend in endless ways (and make gradients similar to spray paint actually) you never want to go back. That was probably one of my life changing transitions. I was 17.
Tell us about a day in your studio. Do you have a creative routine?
I love having a routine. I have many routines. Routines might be for a week and then change up.
But generally speaking I like to wake up and start painting early. On a ideal day: I work out either at 6am before starting painting, or I paint from 6 (morning hours are the best for my concentration) and then go out for a run or bike ride in the afternoon. I eat a warm lunch and take a 20min power nap afterwards. Then I start the second half of the day painting. Those are my ideal days but there are often other obligations getting in the way.
Gutter Paradise #4 Image courtesy of the artist
Limited Edition Print
Edition of 100
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Are there any particular things you need around you to work effectively?
MUSIC. Or lately I discovered that audio books help me stay focus for longer periods while painting, but I need one or the other.
You work on a variety of scales. How did you find working on a postcard scale to create work?
I can work on any scale. For me its all the same; I put the same amount of details and time and energy in any scale proportionally. When it comes to canvases it’s just whatever is convenient. I like large scale canvases but anything that won’t fit in a Park Avenue elevator is hard to sell… but occasionally I will do a very large scale canvas, or very small one like a postcard. My biggest canvas was 9 by 5 meters!
Do you have any exciting projects/ exhibitions coming up?
I just did an exciting project/exhibition in my studio in Los Angeles. (Read more about it here)
I have an exciting project at the end of the year but can’t say anything about it yet. And I am planning some project that might take me in new directions for early 2020 - but nothing I can say at this point. In the meantime a couple of commissioned walls here and there!
Gutter Paradise #8 Image courtesy of the artist
Limited Edition Print
Edition of 100