Isabelle Esteban

Born in 1972 in Paris, France

Lives and paints in Andresy, Ile-de-France

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I have been divided since childhood between drawing and writing. The study of fashion design at the Duperré school (Paris) allowed me to concretize my passion for the human body, either by dressing it or by capturing its nudity with ink and bambou. influence by Ego Schiele.

I expanded my knowledge through my studies of art history at the Sorbonne, before specializing in the art of German « New Objectivity ». I discovered the technique of oil painting in contact with my friend painter Jean-Max Toubeau.

My site presents my entire production: landscapes and genre scenes in oil and graphite pencil painting, live models in ink and acrylic and recent illustrations in mixed media. I work today oil paintings landscapes and free illustrations.

I spent my time, after my children and my job, on the creation I want to present to you today. Any comments or proposals of exhibition venues will be welcome.

Thank you

 

If you want to know more about me...

 

My first influences

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Certainly influenced by the advertising Guy Degrenne as many kids of my generation, I blacked out my notebooks and student’s tables of pencil drawings or black pen. To believe that the courses inspire me, especially French. In my bedroom, I illustrated my stories or my poems. I still remain today divided between drawing and writing. I wanted to be a journalist or teacher of French or drawing. My guidance counselor chose for me the drawing. I blamed her for a long time ...

 

My inspiration for drawing in ink and acrylic (live models and movie scenes)

 

I joined the plastic arts section of the french higher school Boulle and then fashion design at the french higher school Duperré. I remember this little notebook of primary school filled with drawings of shoes. As a child, I loved to disguise myself, put wigs, jewels, at Dupperré I was in my element, between fantasy, eccentricity and permanent spectacle. I loved live model classes. Inspired by Egon Schiele, I drew my best friend, Carine, and my sister, in Indian ink, adding touches of color, ink and acrylics definitely the March red, the copper, the bronze and the gold. I frequented the theaters with my friends and especially the French cinematheque and the library of cinema in Paris, Bunuel, Renoir, Truffaut, « la nouvelle vague » ... I reproduced photos of movie scenes using this chromatic palette. Several of these drawings as well as living models from this period left for 50 francs, on the occasion of exhibition in the bars of friends. They allowed me to pay my electricity bills.

 

When I left Dupperré, I was a young mother. Leaving school in 1992, I unfortunately did not find paid work in the field of fashion, internships, unpaid work yes. So I continued my studies through my position as supervisor at the college while being a living model at night or on weekends. I joined the Sorbonne in art history. My classes ranged from Mesoamerica to medieval art and contemporary art. I was still fascinated by the German painting of the interwar period, no longer expressionism but the New Objectivity, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Christian Shad ... this cold, cynical, disillusioned, violent painting ... I thus chose this artistic current as the memory of my french diploma « DEA », "the portrait", then "the object in the art of « New Objectivity »". But this medium did not offer me more outlet than that of fashion, so I turned 180 degrees to find job security. I supported my DEA, second baby girl days after the birth of my second daughter.

 

The discovery of color and oil painting

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Nevertheless, I continued to paint, helped by my friend painter Jean-Max Toubeau who taught me to draw by the shade and the light, to make my medium to paint with oil. I resumed the evening sessions of live models at the school of architecture where Jean-Max taught, not to draw them outlines but in volume. Like him, I painted landscapes, drawing for a while, and finally watercolor. From that moment I really saw the world in color. It was in America, in Connecticut, at my parents-in-law's, I started with small sizes painted in watercolor on the pattern and then taken home, in my studio-salon, from photos. I captured scenes from our lives, my children, my companions, my beautiful family ...

 

Today

 

Today I continue to paint in oil with a special emphasis on the skies; I also use acrylic, ink, chalk, mixed media of my youth to illustrate my obsessive thoughts in a universe between Gothic, psychedelic and science fiction. You will find these recent drawings in the "illustrations" section. I also try to go back to drawing for no particular purpose, for pleasure by publishing sketches on Instagram.

 

I preferred to spend the little time I had to create and I start today to show all this production. I am looking for all types of exhibition places. Good visit on my site. I can not wait to read your feedback via email, on my Facebook page or my Instagram site