I am Isabelle Richard.

The portrait imposed itself. That's what I've always been interested in. It has the advantage of being integrated into a landscape, surrounded by flowers or animals. Epochs and styles can be diversified. This allows me to vary the pleasures!

The process is often triggered by a crush, a kind of impulse. I just have to paint it. I have to fix this moment forever, immortalize it in a way.

It's probably a form of projection. In a way, we would all have liked to be a very "GLAMOUR" woman, live by the sea like "IBIZA" or be a great musician like in "SOLO".

My very realistic style, which requires several dozen hours of work per painting, makes the use of photos more practical and affordable than that of a model or painting on the motif. I find them on royalty-free photo sites. I pay the extended license, which makes any legal proceedings impossible. I am glad to always mentionned the photographer’s name in every painting description.

I name my paintings in one word, having the same meaning in French and English, our two official languages here in Canada.

Technically, I chose the oil because of its longer drying time (siccativation), its durability and the fact that it is still considered the technique of the artist painter par excellence, even if many artists also do prodigious work in acrylic and watercolor.

I think I have found a certain "comfort zone" while varying my approach according to the subject to be treated. My paintings are particularly durable. They will not crack or change colour for the following reasons:

• I respect the "Fat on lean" rule.
• My materials are always of the highest quality.
• I use permanent oil colours.

Every day I look forward to working on an oil portrait until it comes to life! Reproducing every details, to the point of transmitting the emotion, to reveal the very essence of this privileged moment. I think that brings the photo-reference to another level.

With almost 90K subscribers and 8M views, my YOUTUBE channel is a good way to open the doors of my studio to realistic art lovers. If you watch one of my videos, you will see that at one point or another, something happens. Some kind of alchemy operates.
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My paintings are perfect to add a touch of beauty, harmony, glamour, sophistication, elegance and chic to any home, cottage, restaurant, hotel, inn, spa, entrance hall, waiting room... For availability & prices of original artworks, my online ETSY shop is open 24/7.
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