ValerianeLeblond

I am a French and Quebecker artist who has lived in Wales since 2007. I was brought up in Angers, France, and went to live in this beautiful country after graduating in literature in Nantes. I live in an old farmhouse near Aberystwyth with my three sons, several cats and too many chickens.

I have a little studio at home where I paint while listening to French radio and sipping posh tea. In winter the wood-burner is lit and I have a cat or two purring by my side. In summer I struggle to stay indoors and paint more during the evening.

My artworks often deal with the idea of belonging, how people inhabit the land, what makes the place they call home. Most of my works have details and sub-stories that you may notice if you look longer. I love reading novels and I wanted to be a writer when I was a child. There is a narrative aspect in my paintings, and I often have to write down what I have in mind before I start to paint it.

I also illustrate picture books, which is a great way of combining my two passions, books and painting.