Denis Garnier's passion for painting began in his youth and has now blossomed into a remarkable artistic journey showcased through fifty of his works currently on display at the Micro-Folie in Saint-Pierre. Like many children, he painted everything and anything in his early years, surrounded by the creative energy that would later define his artistic career.
Garnier's formal artistic education started with classes his parents enrolled him in at the Fine Arts school in Bordeaux, where he studied under an advertising professional. During that era, advertisements were created by hand with brushes, and Garnier recalls painting letters until he grew sick of them. This commercial training eventually led him to explore what truly captivated him: surrealism and the works of masters like Dalí, Breton, and Magritte, focusing on "what exists around what we see."
As professional and union responsibilities consumed his time, Garnier set aside his brushes for years. "You can't paint and be distracted," he explains, acknowledging the focus that true artistic work demands. However, retirement rekindled his creative fire, and he returned to painting with renewed enthusiasm.
"Painting is amazing – it allows you to forget, to escape," Garnier explains, describing his art as both a personal sanctuary and a profound encounter with nature. He views his relationship with the natural world as nothing short of a marriage, deeply impressed by nature's raw power. The force of waves, wind effects, and the intensity of colors captivate him, serving as the foundation for his artistic renaissance.
Garnier draws inspiration primarily from the landscapes of Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon, where he has made his home and extensively photographed the scenery. He works from his own photographs as well as images captured by local photographers, using these as starting points for his artistic interpretations. His subjects have expanded to include portraits, and he consistently challenges himself with technical difficulties like materializing fabric folds and capturing water's transparency.
His artistic process involves working on canvas and wood using both acrylic and oil paints, applying them with knives and brushes. He supplements his practice by taking online courses and creating reproductions of famous works, always with the goal of continuous learning and improvement.
In just three years since his return to painting, Garnier has completed more than 150 canvases, exhibiting both online and throughout the archipelago. He views art as "a reflection on oneself, a dialogue between the viewer and the painter that allows for evolution." He embraces criticism as essential for growth while finding encouragement in positive feedback and social media likes.
Garnier will share his artistic journey during a guided tour on Saturday, November 22, at 3:00 PM, discussing three years of painting represented through fifty selected works. The exhibition "Three Years of Painting in 50 Paintings" runs until November 28 at the Micro-Folie in Saint-Pierre. The venue is open Tuesday through Friday from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM, and Saturdays from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with free admission for all visitors.
