1xRUN Thru Interview
Burning Memories by Edith Lebeau
1xRUN: When was the piece created and what materials where used?
Edith Lebeau: The piece was created using acrylics on wood in the beginning of the year for my solo show called “Neighborhood” at Trifecta gallery in Las Vegas. Every piece from “Neighborhood” is based on friends of mine. In every painting there is a story that is told based on their lives. Some of it is part truth, some is part fiction.
1xRUN: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Edith Lebeau: Every piece that was created for “Neighborhood” is part of a main storyline. As we grow up, we move out, living in different houses, neighborhoods, cities or countries, but the memories of the home we grew up in and the friends we made along the way stays with us. What was fun about creating the pieces for that show was that some of the pieces interact with each other. I like to tell stories, set a mood, leave clues to leave the interpretation to the viewers. As for “Burning Memories”, I feel it’s the most dramatic painting of the whole show. For me, that piece is about abandon, losing someone, a tough break up or losing everything you had left. That’s my version, but someone can see a party that ended up badly or just a guy with a dark past that has his house on fire.
1xRUN: How long did the piece take?
Edith Lebeau: It took a couple of weeks if I’m correct.
1xRUN: What is unique about this piece?
Edith Lebeau: I think there is a strong emotion on this particular piece of mine. It has sort of a dramatic movie stillness to it.
1xRUN: Why should people buy this print?
Edith Lebeau: Well, if they like the piece the quality of the print is pretty amazing and it’s very close to the original.
1xRUN: Describe this piece in one gut reaction word.
Edith Lebeau: Abandon.
1xRUN: When did you first start making art? What was your first piece?
Edith Lebeau: I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a little girl but been doing it professionally for about 6 years now. Oh wow, that I can’t remember at all. Well if you mean the first piece that I did after art school that would be my piece “Princesse Lucie” I guess, but I did a lot of painting before that at school and when I was a kid. The oldest drawing I remember was a colourful Cindy Lauper.
1xRUN: What artists inspired you early on? What artists inspire you now?
Edith Lebeau: I was a big fan of Salvator Dali, Egon Shiele and Gustav Klimt at school. But painters were not the only artists that inspired me. I’ve always been inspired by movies, fashion, comics, television shows and music video aesthetic. I was drawing a lot of vampires in High School, I was really into Joss Whedon’s Buffy the vampire slayer.
I find artists and/or directors like Andrew Wyeth, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Max Ernst, Alphonse Mucha, John William Waterhouse, Martin Wittfooth, Floria Sigismondi, Wes Anderdon, Christopher Nolan, Michel Gondry amongs other, very inspiring. Tim Burton’s movies like Sleepy Hollow and Beetlejuice will also always be classics for me.
1xRUN: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what?
Edith Lebeau: I’m listening to a lot of music and tv shows (old ones, new ones) and late shows (Conan, Jimmy Fallon, Colbert report). I don’t watch, I just listen, well I try too. I like movies scores. I think it’s very inspiring. I like Hans Zimmer who have done most of the Nolan’s movie soundtrack. I also like Danny Elfman. I listen to other stuff too, but lately this is pretty much what’s been on my playlist: Regina Spektor, Muse, Arcade Fire, Beirut, Jack White, Coeur de Pirate among others. As for the tv shows, pretty much anything that is funny and light and does not ask too much attention to the viewer. How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, Community, and probably others that I forget.
1xRUN: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artists?
Edith Lebeau: I did a couple of collaboration this year with artists Casey Weldon and Kelly McKernan for a collab show from the Prisma collective at Distinction gallery. It was pretty awesome. I had a lot of fun. I’m always nervous to collaborate with another artist because I put a lot of pressure on myself and always find the works of others are better than mine. In the end I think it turned out pretty great. Choosing one artist to collaborate with would be very hard because I like so many. It would be great to collaborate with a music video director. If I had to choose one I would go with Floria Sigismondi. Her work is always amazing. For the latter, I know it might be cliché but I would go with Andrew Wyeth. I would not need to do anything just watch him work on “Christina’s World” and see the landscape he is painting in person.
1xRUN: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?
Edith Lebeau: I think that the first piece I bought was a print from illustrator artist Paule T.B. who has since become a close friend. Yes I still have it it’s in my living room. If I’m not mistaken I think the last one I bought was an original custom machete from artist Tatiana Suarez which is also in my living room! This is a very beautiful piece, and I look at it everyday.
1xRUN: What have you been up to the last 2-3 months?
Edith Lebeau: Well I just came back from visiting England and Scotland. I’ve been traveling through the UK for 2 weeks. So much fun, but not enough time to visit such beautiful places. Other than that I’ve been working on lots of group shows. Some of them have already ended but some are coming soon. I’ll have a piece for a show called “Put A Bird On It” at Distinction Gallery in Escondido opening November 9th and another one for “Zodiac” a group show at August Clown Gallery in Australia.
1xRUN: Any other big plans coming up that you want to share?
Edith Lebeau: I’ll have other group shows here and there by the end of the year and beginning of 2014. In February will be the 2nd Annual Prisma Collective group show at WWA Gallery. Afterwards, I’ll be working on my own personal projects. I’ve wanted to work on a series of larger pieces for a while and I decided that if I don’t take time for it I never will. So this is happening next year. Since my solo show, I did not have the opportunity to work on my own stuff, I feel like I did lots of painting that did not necessarily get connected together, and I miss that.
1xRUN: Where else can people find you?
Edith Lebeau: Website – Facebook – Twitter + Instagram @edithlebeau
-1xRUN