François Bonnel
Biography
"For me, art is about creating balance and joy—works that are simple yet evocative, capturing the elegance of nature and the pleasure of seeing something beautiful every day."
François Bonnel is an abstract artist currently living and working in Toulouse, France. After 25 years as an advertising executive, he devoted himself to art and photography in 2018. François Bonnel creates art in an improvisational way, exploring various techniques and media in the process, often using digital media, photography and collage techniques. The passionate joy of art is evident everywhere in his work, where the frankness and simplicity of line, shape, and color dissipate the message, freeing and purely unleashing his passion for art. His works are in the permanent collections of the Bellagio, Louis Vuitton (New York), L’Oréal, and Longchamp.
For François Bonnel, painting is pure pleasure, "I don’t paint to convey a message or a philosophy, it’s almost a selfish act". Inspired by his everyday environment and the music he listens to, musicality is often integrated into his work, forming a unique personal pictorial language that expresses his emotional memories through elements of form, colour, line and space. The empty geometric blocks in her work contrast with other brightly coloured blocks. The delicate lines and blocks of colour form a striking contrast, with soothing and positive emotions transformed by the interplay of colour and line.
Biography by Drew Aaron (Art collector).
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Artistic creation remains a quest, with every artist pursuing their own unique path. The journey is long—tumultuous for some, life-saving for others. Mine began in childhood, filled with pleasure and innocence, guided by a desire to savor every stage of the creative process: reflection, creation, and contemplation.
"My approach is deeply personal, centered around my own vision, and has always been driven by the desire to achieve an aesthetically pleasing result. Often, I find my emotions at their strongest when immersed in nature. I can spend hours observing the curves of pebbles on a beach, the shifting shapes of clouds, or the colors of flowers.
Shapes, colors, and materials—their combinations are endless, and this 'field of possibilities' is a fascinating playground. It’s exhilarating to create what Nature has not, all the more so because what appears simple and obvious is often incredibly difficult to achieve.
"This ambition paradoxically demands great humility. Minimalism requires both balance and rigor, and I enjoy finding elegance within it. This elegance is hard to define. Today’s computer-aided design tools allow me to sketch quickly, explore different color combinations, redefine framing, and experiment with new forms. Using the right tools at the right time is essential. Music also plays a crucial role, setting the mood for my work. Whether it's the energy of Rock, the elegance of Bossa Nova, the poetry of Folk, the precision of Electro, the freedom of Jazz, or the rhythm of Funk—each style influences the creative flow.
"Once a project is complete, I immerse myself in the canvas with pleasure. I trace my motifs and fill my shapes with paint, using brushes to rediscover the joy I felt as a child when my mother encouraged me to 'play with shapes and colors.'
Don’t forget anything..."
Written by François Bonnel
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