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Amélie Fish
Amélie is a young woman from Finistère. She studied applied arts in Quimper and Rennes before travelling the world to try and understand it better. She is curious and intrepid and has been on long journeys sailing or by bus with just her backpack. She has travelled through Africa, Latin America, Asia and even Antarctica.
“Places, meetings, sounds and colours. Beautiful, rich meetings that have inspired my work.” That’s what she thinks of when asked about it. That’s her, that’s Amélie. She draws, she paints, she doesn’t always take herself seriously, an artist, a fighter, a colourist.
How and why do you start drawing?
I can’t say that I started drawing. It feels like as soon as I could hold a pencil, the desire to express myself in this way has never left me. I was also attracted to music from a very young age, it goes without saying. Artistic practices that have been an integral part of my life since childhood.
You have chosen the pseudonym Fish, what attracts you to fish?
Ah, the nickname Fish! It was given to me a while back. I have several themes in my work, and indeed the maritime world is anchored in my drawings. I’ve never been able to leave the sea very long. When I’m not in my studio, I’m in the water, under the water, on the water, with a surfboard or fishing.I started drawing fish during a transatlantic race, in the form of quick sketches. Watching them under the water always fascinates me. To paint fish and waves is to show the nature that surrounds us, to say that it is precious and essential to our world.
You studied fine arts, what did this training bring to your work and life in general?
The School of Fine Arts allowed me for the first time to benefit from a studio and a wide choice of techniques to experiment with: photo lab, screen printing, engraving, welding, etc. To be honest, if I had not done fine arts, I would have certainly have followed the same path, I think it was above all a logistical opportunity, and that’s not a bad start!
If you had to name three artists who inspired you, who would you choose?
Well, I could mention Niki de Saint Phalle, Tinguely or Hundertwasser, but unfortunately my work does not have much to do with theirs!
And if you had to situate yourself in relation to your work?
I would have a hard time telling which school I belong to, I leave that to the people who do that for a living! What I know is that I have always tried to be myself and this continues to be the case! Although I don’t deny my influences, I couldn’t begin to name them.
On the other hand, my work has often been described as naive, and it has never displeased me because in my activity as a visual arts teacher, I must admit that children don’t have the same filters as adults. Indeed, do they have any? That’s why Miles Davis said he was trying to capture his emotions as a 5 year old when he was composing the album “Kind Of Blue”.
You work on a variety of media, which is the most pleasant to work with?
In effect I customise! I love to overspill the canvas, draw on objects and give them a second life. I’ve recently been working on several customised surfboards. The shape is amazing and it really inspires me. You always need a good idea to fill it completely.
I like the idea that the object becomes personal in a world where everything is mass produced or disposable. Give a new life to a pair of shoes, a chair, a bike, simply with shapes and colours. I also like the idea that the designs travel and exhibit themselves, that they come out of the showrooms, and even into the water! It’s a form of street art or free art!
Which was the strangest and most unusual?
I have customised several double basses, including one for the bassist from the band Karpatt. In such a case, I go to Paris with a suitcase full of gear and I do the customisation on the spot, in pop-up workshop mode. The time restriction always gives me good working energy.
On the other hand, I don’t know if we can talk about unusual, what I find unusual is leaving blank surfaces! It is therefore with pleasure that I customise furniture, musical instruments, shoes, or at present my own washing machine!
What can someone expect when they commission a customisation from you?
In general, it’s carte blanche, and I must admit that it suits me fine! Otherwise it’s a given theme, and if I don’t feel comfortable with it, I make a few suggestions. We always find a suitable compromise.
How would you define your style?
I think we can talk about free figuration, art brut, even if these terms remain vague, and between you and me, the labels fascinate me as much as the press people!
To conclude, would you consider yourself an artist or a craftswoman?
Both, captain! It’s all about cycles, like on a boat: sometimes the wind blows to inflate the sails, and you use the opportunity to gain distance. Then you have to know how to be patient, to get there safely! So, I’m a craftswoman when all is calm, and an artist when the wind blows.