ABSTRACT PAINTING WITH ZOÉ BOIVIN
Abstract painter Zoé Boivin is sweetly devoted to authenticity, serenity and nature. Her sublime values run deep and come alive in her gentle demeanour and exquisite paintings.
I first discovered Zoé’s artwork several years ago when I walked into a pretty boutique in a trendy Montréal neighbourhood. Zoé’s delicate brushstrokes and enchanting pastel-coloured abstracts illuminated the boutique’s entrance and interior walls. Soft pink hues and aqua blues beautified the already gorgeous space while adding touches of freshness and levity to the shopping experience.
That was one of Zoé’s first exhibitions. When I asked her about her choice of venue, she explained that artists can show their work just about anywhere. “So long as you’re drawn to a space and your style resonates with the business,” continues Zoé, “and the business owner’s style resonates with yours, and you’re able to easily agree on prices and commission then you should follow that inclination and see where it takes you.” Her art has since been exhibited in many galleries, and she is often called on to create custom paintings for a variety of clients.
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Work by Zoé Boivin Maxyne (30 x 30 inches) Decor photo by Colour Creation via Pexels
Zoé has always painted. Sometime in her teens, though, she stopped. At 24, needing to feel anchored again, she returned to the canvas and stayed. As she reconnected with herself and her art, Zoé began to blossom into the wonderful artist and woman she is today.
“It’s so hard for me to describe the way painting makes me feel. The feeling is just too immense and powerful to put into words. I feel connected to my higher self, to nature and to the world around me. I put on music and set off on an interior voyage. I then create something that is completely distinct from me,” Zoé says. The deeper she searches within herself, the wider her perspective becomes.
“You need to be true to yourself in everything you do, including art.”
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Work by Zoé Boivin Lov (30 x 30 inches) Decor photo by Hutomo Abrianto via Unsplash
Zoé uses a mixed media of acrylics, pastels, markers, watercolours, oil sticks and charcoal, letting her inspiration guide her. She never knows what a painting will look like until it’s finished. “I just let myself go and translate my feelings into images that I then paint onto canvas or other materials.” To keep her inspiration flowing, Zoé works on more than one painting at a time. “I paint in layers. While I let one layer dry, I start to work on another piece,” Zoé explains of her method.
Zoé believes anyone can become a painter. No formal training is necessary. Zoé herself studied graphic design and communications. “All you need is passion, love and time,” she says. Perhaps nothing epitomizes her love of painting more than her desire to pass it on to others. Zoé adores transmitting her art, especially the personal growth and wellness it fosters. In her free time (she has very little of it right now!), Zoé organizes intuitive creation workshops in which people of all ages and experience come together to find their own style and artistic expression.
“You need to be true to yourself in everything you do, including art,” Zoé says. That’s the real key.
For more on Zoé, visit her website www.zoeboivin.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Photo credit: Isabelle Brunet. Work in the forefront Maude (30 x 30 inches)
TEXT BY FATIMA RIZZO