Born in 1978, France Sarkis is an emerging artist who grew up in Montreal.

From an early age she had a great passion for arts and exhibitions.

After studying arts and photography in college, she completed a bachelor degree in History of arts. It gave her the knowledge and basics that she needed to complement her career as an artist.

Leaving figuration behind, she began to build her style around the interaction between color and texture. It became clear to her that abstraction was her forte.

In 1997, she created a series of collage frames that questioned the need to frame art. Instead of focusing on the canvas, she asked herself: What if the frame was the work of art? Could we still hang it on a wall without a picture or a painting?

The exhibit was a success. Since then, she participated in various events, artistic and cultural, alone or in groups.

She is currently working on her next solo exhibition which will feature a new series of watercolor paintings.

STATEMENT

I started painting when I was 12. I remember seeing a documentary on Picasso and saying to myself ‘This is what I want to do’.

I loved his vision of things and his way of playing with colors and lines.

My first paintings were evidently very Picasso-inspired. Then, when I started art school, my teachers forced me out of it. While searching for my own style, it became more and more obvious that what attracted me the most was color and texture. I was never interested in the drawing part. Still today, I can honestly say that I don’t like to draw. Plus, I’m horrible at it.

I know the basics but I never put them to practice because it never appealed to me to represent reality. I figured if I wanted reality, I’ll just take a photograph.

I stopped using a brush a long time ago, when I discovered the spatula. And one day, I got tired of it and I threw all my tools away forcing myself to get out of the box and paint differently. So I used anything I could find: a fork, a nail, a sponge or even my hands. But the most fun I had was when I just painting out of the acrylic tube. It became a great way to outline forms and create incredible texture.

I love acrylic paint. It dries fast, which allows me to start all over again if I’m not happy with my work. Ironically, the more I start over, the better the texture. Once the multiple layers of paint are dry, I like to rub pastel gras on the surface or drop ink and watch it slide all over. Then when it dries, I hang my painting on a wall and let it sit for a while, like any good dough that has to sit trough the night before it can rise! If the painting stays on the wall for more than a day, my work is done.

I have great expectations when I start a painting. I rarely complete it in one day. I take my time. Sometimes, I can look at my piece for hours. It’s like I’m getting to know my own painting. I search for traces of figures that the ink left on the surface. I know that even if my style is so-called abstraction, I can still find something. It’s out there; I just have to look for it.

Picasso once said: Abstract art doesn’t exist. You always have to start from something.

That really describes my work. Except, I discover that "something" after I started a piece and not the way around. In the end, I find that it doesn’t really matter because nothing is ever black or white. I like the idea that there is no truth in art. When people see my work, I want them to have their own story. If I tell them what I see, I’ll take away their imagination and that’s just unfair.

I just love it when someone shares their perception about my work. There is always something new to see. And when that happens, it’s like falling in love all over again with the same painting.