Art By Gisele

Gisele Mednick, a French artist, is interviewed by Marily A. Reyes, Executive Director of The Cove Rincon, an international non-profit Art & Cultural Organization, registered with UNESCO. www.thecoverincon.og

The Cove/Rincon–Marily Reyes:
So Gisele, you come from France. Did you exercise your art in your country?

Gisèle Mednick:
Not really, I was a journalist editor and artistic director for publications. But I was painting to keep away from stress and I always had a special love for nature and flowers.

Marily:
So how did this “revelation” for you art come about?

Gisèle:
When I arrived in Florida, I discovered amazing landscapes and tropical flowers that we hadn’t seen, yet, like in Europe… wonderful species of orchids, ginger, banana, birds of paradise, protea, etc…
As cut flowers don’t stand in Florida weather, I found and enjoyed a new generation of “eternal” flowers that look so natural. Then I also discovered real preserved flowers that always keep their fresh look. So I felt very inspired to create floral sculptures. As I walked in nature, I picked up vegetal material from coconut or palm trees for example, and mixed them with flowers. The result was so great!
When discovering my creations, most of my clients don’t believe that they are everlasting because of its so natural look!

Marily:
Do you have a special style, Gisele ?

Gisèle
Of course, I have my own style, completely different from any other arrangements. According to the style I want to obtain, I paint the vegetal pieces in different colors, or black. But I like to play with all kinds of styles: classic, casual, refined, modern, or really funny. Depending on my inspiration and my clients need. I like to organize in a non conventional way geometry and colors in space. I don’t like symmetric arrangements, I find that very boring. I want to surprise… I have a lot of fun when my clients say “Wow !!”

Marily:
You also created a completely new concept of 3D painting?

Gisèle:
Yes. Since I love painting, I imagined that I could paint by associating real flowers or vegetal material. So I tried a collection of different styles of paintings and waited for reactions. Public, galleries or interior designers were amazed and would say things like: “how did you have this idea, it’s really wonderful and so creative.” “We never saw that before”…
I first, painted for beauty and harmony between my painting and nature. Then, I started to paint with a theme. So flowers can be part of something else: near a violin, white & black roses become musical notes, iris are parts of a rainbow, philodendron leaf associated with calla lily give birth together to a tropical fish, or modern city sky scrapers have to leave a space for nature…

Marily:
Tell me more about your style?

Gisèle:
Like for floral sculptures, I realize all styles of paintings that can integrate any home or office. But I am especially attracted by very contemporary or funny styles where I can fully enjoy my inspiration with no other limits than esthetic ones.
So my workshop looks like a giant mess where I keep any vegetal or object that, one day or another, will find a very unexpected second life in my creations… I had a lot of fun when, one day, a guest in my house was helping me in my kitchen and, about to throw in the garbage an empty box of tomatoes, looked suddenly worried and asked me : “don’t you need this box for your work, as I see that you use stuff that nobody would think of… ?!”

Marily:
Do you mean then, that each one of your painting in 3D is unique?

Gisèle:
Absolutely. I have one original. Then I have a limited serial of 26 printed giclees (reproductions of the painting) where I will create another 3D stuff looking like the original but always different as it is my own work. Then I have another limited serial of 150 numbered printings on canevas without the 3D material. No more reproductions for one original painting.