Flower Paintings
"My Seeds series depicts imaginary seeds that will blossom.
They speak of the fruitfulness of life. This series is my signature work " - Flo
Bubbles or Seeds?
In her series "Seeds," Flo de Bretagne depicts decorated bubbles which represent imaginary flowers. They are beautiful gardens filled with fruitful plants that will never cease to grow and blossom.
"This very series is my signature work, speaking about the fruitfulness of life. I am a strong believer that there is a silver lining in most situations. There can almost always be some fruits" - Flo
"I am obsessed with circles. The rounded shape looks soft, tender and reassuring to me. It lacks the aggressiveness of the sharp angles of a square, a rectangle or a triangle. Instead the circle is harmonious and reminds me of the sun, the moon, or soapy bubbles of happiness. The sun immediately brings me images of life and blossom, spring and summer. A full moon suggests a romantic night with a magical light in the dark, a special time with someone I love." - Flo
"My bubble paintings are filled with hundreds of patterns or seeds, each one of them bringing new life. Each painting has its own title and story. I give a lot of attention to the choice of the title as I believe this is one more layer of reading. Some of the titles are "Time Travel", "A Romantic Song", "The Dandelion", "My Grandmother's Garden", and so on. "Time Travel" for instance represents a trip throughout my thoughts. The past still exists, it affords more depth and more beauty to the present." - Flo
The Artistic Process
"I don't make any sketches and don't have a defined idea of the finished painting or the composition. I start with a plain background color. I paint a few colorful circles and add patterns into the circles. Then I add several more layers of circles and patterns. Some partially cover the previous circles, allowing me to play with transparencies. I sometimes change the background color in some areas. I keep adding, modifying, decorating, both the circles and patterns, a few stems here and there to show that these bubbles are actually plants. I use various brushes to paint the patterns. Some of my torn and old brushes make interesting patterns while other newer and smaller brushes allow for defined, tiny patterns. Sometimes I hide a few secret smiles for the viewer to discover. Only when I have created a balanced composition do I consider it complete. I would like to think that the viewer can be mesmerized by the bounty and richness of these gardens and their mind and spirit will be uplifted." - Flo