Five questions to Isabelle Breitkopf

Isabelle Breitkopf (born 1990 in Clermont-Ferrand, France) lives and works in Mainz. There she studied cultural anthropology and business administration and at the same time discovered her passion for abstract painting. Her art captivates through abstract colour play in soft to cheerful compositions, with complex structures and a unique expressiveness.How did you get into art?

I got into art in my early childhood, but only as a hobby. Since then, painting has always been with me, sometimes more, sometimes less. At the beginning of the Corona period, I had a lot of time, painted a lot and started to present my pictures online on Instagram, without the thought of being able to sell them. Gradually, I started getting more and more enquiries about whether I could buy the pictures and so I started to build up a second mainstay alongside my job at the time. About a year and a half ago I took the step of becoming completely self-employed and I still don't regret it for a second.

How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?

Each of my works is a visual colour battle. Whether with rags, sponges, palette knives, paint rollers or other everyday objects, I use any means to bring the complex structures onto the canvas. I apply the acrylic paint in several layers on a canvas lying on the floor. I find inspiration for my paintings in my everyday surroundings. The same goes for the funny titles of my paintings, which are made up exclusively of quotes from pop and media culture and with which I want to create better access to art for everyone. The aim of my art is to make everyone happy. It should convey a zest for life to the viewer and offer a small island of happiness, especially in these difficult times. How do you go about developing your work?

Before I start painting, I usually just think about the colour concept and what I put on the canvas happens in the moment. The ideas for my paintings usually come spontaneously from some impulse in my everyday life, it's not easy to explain what's going on inside me. When I get started, I'm like in a tunnel and only stop when I think I would hang it in my living room. That's why it's so important for me to have my studio close by so that I can start straight away when I get an idea. Who or what influences you?

My everyday life, nature, media, experiences, people, everything influences me. That's why I also love travelling, afterwards I'm bursting with ideas. Other artists are also an inspiration, of course, but I would say it's more subconscious. I try to do my own thing as much as I can and detach myself from others.

Make us curious. What are you planning to do next?

There are still some cool things coming up this year. For example, a wine collection with my artwork will be launched in April and a limited edition print of the matching artwork will be available to purchase. I also have a few exhibitions coming up in the Mainz area and we'll see what else happens. A lot of things happen spontaneously and I like to be surprised by what the year has in store. Learn more about the artist:

Website

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