Interview With The Artist Welcomes

J-C Saint-Pô

When did you first become interested in art?

I am paralyzed from my neck down to my toes. (spinal cord injury c4 – c5, or quadriplegic) After a vacation accident in 1989.

As part of the revalidation to learn to control my neck-muscles, my therapist taught me to paint with the paintbrush in my mouth, behind a heightened table. I liked doing it, and the results pleased me, so I kept doing it!

Before I was more interested in sport then in art!

What style of art do you use most?

Lately I mostly do watercolor-paintings! But I like changing now and then from technique!

I paint mostly realistic scenes!

Has your style changed from when you first began as an artist?

I have more control over my brush and the mediums I use, so my style evolved! But I have not the impression that my style changed a lot!

What medium do you use?

Mostly watercolor, but I like changing now and then!

What made you choose that medium?

I chose watercolor because it gave me the most independence! It is the technique for which I need the least help of others!

I like also the challenge! No way to correct it, only to adapt it!

Do your ideas come from life or imagination?

A bit bit of both! But mostly based on photos I found!

How do you choose your images and colours?

The subject must give me an emotion! It must appeal to me! The colors are mostly as close as possible to what I see! But I don’t make a fuss of it when it is not 100% correct! It’s a painting! No photo!

Who is your favourite artist?

I don’t know anything about Art!

What is your favourite piece of work by yourself?

The tiger!

How much time (on average) does it take to complete a work?

Depends a lot on the precision or difficulty! Sometimes it takes 5 minutes, other take days!

How well do you take criticism?

No problem with criticism! As long as it is constructive! I am always happy to be able to learn!

What do you do to overcome a ‘block’?

After a good rest, it mostly gets better! Sometimes I can be several days without painting or drawing! I do it for fun! I don’t put myself under pressure!

How do you know something is ‘finished’? Is it easy to walk away?

It’s finished when I feel I can’t add something, or when I feel that I reached my limits! After such a decision it’s easy to walk away!

Have you had exhibits in galleries? 2 times!

- From saturday 5 till sunday 27 july 2003 – An Artistique exposition. Art by handicaped people

In the European year 2003 of people with an handicap, the local cultural center of Temse i.c.w the Local museum organizes an exposition of work by handicaped.

Place: Gemeentemuseum, Kasteelstraat 16, Temse

- From 7 Décember 2006 until 31 January 2007 in “Galerie D’art Evian”

Have you any exhibits in galleries planned for the future?

Does an exposition at the end of the school-year count? I follow painting courses at http://www.st-lucas-kapellen.be/

What are your plans for the future?

Having fun painting and drawing!

What advice would you give new artists?

Have fun doing it!
It’s a painting/drawing! So don’t bother when it isn’t 100% the same of what you see!

Thank you so much for the interview! Your paintings are beautiful and full of life and movement. I love your Tiger too..

You can view more of J-C Saint-Pô’s work at http://home.scarlet.be/jcsaintpo