Caroline Vis is a Dutch artist who creates large, abstract, expressionist paintings. After an abrupt change in career, she devotes herself to the création of powerful and energetic compositions in her atelier in Brittany.
Related articles: The rise of the Pop Art Movement - Paper positions Group Exhibition in Munich - The young artistic scene in Italy offers a vibrant and varied body of work
In the stunning coast of Brittany, there is the lovely town of Ploubazlanec, the place that Caroline Vis chose for her gallery and atelier. The Dutch autodidact painter was the owner of two restaurants, when nearly ten years ago she decided to dedicate herself exclusively to her art. After years of painting at night, she moved to Brittany to be closer to the pureness of the coastal nature and sea. Along with music, the sea is in fact the main inspiration for her paintings.
For Caroline, art is “like breathing, I can’t live without art in my life”. Over the years, she used the act of painting as a transformative force that allowed her to reach calm and happiness, painting away the pain. This subconscious way of painting her emotions is still observable in her work, while it is possible to appreciate how her technique has been refined throughout the years. Remaining loyal to her own and instinctive way of painting, Caroline followed the advices and lessons of the many artists and masters that she encountered in her path of growth as an artist, incorporating them in her artworks.
Now, Caroline Vis has developed her own distinctive style. She uses the dripping and pouring technique, known as action painting. The technique was famously used by Jackson Pollock, Caroline’s greatest inspiration. She starts her process by mixing different paints and colours to reach the right pigmentation and thickness. Then, the artist lets every colour drip/run on the canvas, using only the force of gravity and no other tools such as brushes or knives. During the process, she makes sure that the juxtaposition of colours is clear and that the colours maintain their brightness. “XL Dripping Art Blue”, 2021, is a perfect example of the result of this process. The large canvas is full of colours and movement. A base of dark and light blue is interrupted by an explosion of colours in the middle: red, orange, yellow and a fluorescent-like green, as well as golden pigments. Each colour, each drop is defined and bright. Lines of white, black and light blue add movement to the work. The result is a powerful and energetic composition.
The works of Caroline Vis are able to convey this burning passion for art and painting. “Art makes me feel alive! It gives me the feeling that I can live my life to the fullest”.