Floriande Cherel

Paper artist

Building worlds using paper

Floriande makes paper cut-out art and paints using water colours
Her pieces are inspired by nature, architecture and books
In 1999, she was the first woman to win the Grand Prix d'Architecture de l'Académie des beaux-arts

Before choosing to turn to visual arts in 2006, Floriande Cherel studied architecture and art, and was an art history teacher. Her work is influenced by her academic background, her sensitivity to landscapes, and her appreciation for both natural and constructed geometries. "I love the fragility, solidity and flexibility of paper, which allows for imaginary worlds. Folding, piercing and cutting this material allows me to express transparency and volume. I love to immerse myself in an environment and extract patterns of escapism from it," Floriande says. She is always open to innovative experiences, from collaborating with a jazz artist to creating fresco decorations in a church or scenography for a theatre. In her next project, Floriande transports viewers into a paper art universe created from the image of a hotel.

Interview

What motivated you to transition from architecture to art?: I was led by my love for drawing. I felt the need to develop my own personal language. I was motivated by the public's reception of my first exhibitions and winning the Grand Prix d'Architecture in 1999. Teaching art history also played a big role in my decision.
What materials do you enjoy working with?: My medium is paper, in all its forms, materials, colours and graininess. I am inspired by the transparency and density of ink and watercolour, as well as the precision of pencils.
What are your main sources of inspiration?: I am inspired by nature – birds, light, the wind in the branches, the ripples on the water and the geometries of trees. I am also influenced by architecture and the links we build with the environment surrounding us.
What has been your biggest artistic challenge to date?: I once created a fresco measuring more than 40 square metres in the choir of a church in a small Corsican village perched in the mountains.

Floriande Cherel is a master artisan: she began her career in 1995 and she started teaching in 1995