Introduction letter

by Osman Atabek, physicist, Research Director at CNRS

As the celebrated French portraitist Mac'Avoy eloquently pointed out at the occasion of her first solo exhibition at 1969, Françoise Garret’s painting is but a subtle bridge between classicism and modernism, borrowing from the former  her rigor in the drawing and the construction, and, from the later, her dramatically rich firework of colours.

Her creativity is inspired from a wide variety of themes, ranging from portraits of live models, to the ones of large cities or big industrial firms; from sport activities and humans  or animals in motion, to the capture of the very concept of kinematics and dynamics itself; to end up into signs of life, signs of light, like algebraic symbols concentrating and summarizing in their aesthetic mystery, her deep intellectual and artistic quest. To further express this creativity, she refers altogether to traditional techniques (oil, water-colour, acrylic, charcoal on canvas or wood) but also to modern ones (multimedia systems, light boxes).

Numerous prestigious prizes and awards Othon Friesz Prize, Grand Prix de Peinture de la Seine, Coopération Prize, Tech-Image Prize, to cite a few) highlight the world wide recognition of her achievements. Yet another witness of this recognition is her recent nomination, by the American Biographical Institute, as one of the most outstanding women for the year 2006.

Quoting once more Mac Avoy, this very strong painting work nicely contrasts with the physical appearance of the artist: a slim, blonde lady…

English CV

Education and professional training

• Bachelor of Arts, University of Paris-Sorbonne (1967)
• Workshops with French professional painters: Charpentier and Jullian Academies (1962-64) with Claude Schurr as supervisor; Studio Mac'Avoy (1967-69).
• Advanced level training and improvement near celebrated artists: Bazaine, Brayer, Chapelain-Midy, Charlot, O. Debré, Lapicque, Limouse and Piaubert

Major artistic achievements

• Lectures on contemporary art, painting courses and art holidays
• Exhibition Commissary (Man Ray Cinéma at the American Film Festival, at Deauville, L’Art et la Lumière at Paris XII District town-hall…)
• Commissioned studio work on portraits and live models (F. Arthaud, G. d’Aboville, G. Brassens, César, Man Ray, J. Chirac, Mme Barre, Mme Stirn, E. Frédéric-Dupont). Landscapes, marine landscapes, sport, mural paintings, light boxes.
• Huge size portrait of King Louis XIV riding his horse, in front of Louis-le-Grand Lyceum, Paris (from 1995 to 1998), Commissioned by CBC Ile de France
• Solo and group exhibitions in various fairs on Contemporary Art in France and abroad.
• Work with big firms (Banks, EDF, La Poste) within the frame of Patronage and Communication.

Special projects

• Research on a synthesis between painting and architecture (Trio), science (La Ronde des Photons), economy (Temps Forts)
• Research work in advanced painting technologies and multimedia systems
• Portraits framed in light boxes
• Research on  a new concept: Portraits of Business Concerns
• Huge size mural paintings and monumental art and sculptures.

Prizes and distinctions

• 2006 - Nomination as "one of the most outstanding women for the year 2006"
    by the "American Biographical Institute U.S.A." (ABI)
• 2006 - Nomination by the "International Biographical Center" Cambridge-England (IBC)
• Othon Friesz Prize (1971), awarded by a jury with Maximilien Gauthier as chairman (Othon Friesz)
• Grand Prix de Peinture de la Seine (1967), oil on canvas purchased by Conflans-Ste Honorine Museum
• Various distinctions and prizes at several  Salons du Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées,
        among which the Coopération Prize  awarded by the International Society of Fine Arts (1973)
        and the Tech-Image Prize for new technologies (1990)
• President and founder member of Salon des Peintres et Sculpteurs of the 12th District of Paris (1971-2000)
• Silver Medal of the City of Paris (1980)
• Vermeil Medal of Société Arts, Sciences et Lettres (1996)
• Full member of Paris Fall Fair (since 1969) and of Grands Salons Parisiens.

Selected solo exhibitions

More than 50 exhibitions among which are:

• Galerie André Weil, Avenue Matignon at Paris (1969) first solo exhibition
• Jeunes à l’Orangerie du Luxembourg (1971) first selection of Salon d’Automne
• Le Signe et la Vie, at Orangerie du Sénat (1978), 60 paintings
• Portraits, at Paris 7th District town-hall (1980)
• Personimages, at Paris 7th District town-hall (1987)
• Au Triple Galop, Jacobins Museum at Toulouse (1988), 60 paintings, invited artist within the frame of  F.A.U.S.T
• Retrospective Espace Michel Simon, at Noisy-le-Grand (1993), 65 paintings
• Lumière et Créations, at the Ministry of Finance (1996)
• Racecourse of Paris-Vincennes (2007) "Le voyage de lumière" special exhibitions during : "Prix de Belgique", "Prix d'Amérique", "Prix de Paris", "Prix de France", "Prix de l'Union Européenne".

More than 30 exhibitions under the patronage of French big firms:

• - Banque La Bred (from 1985 to 1992, with two large scale oil on canvas purchased; La Méditation 3m x 2m and Au Triple Galop 162cm x 114cm)
• EDF-GDF (from 1988 to 1990, with two purchased portraits: Portrait de Paris and Portrait of Georges Brassens),
• La Poste (1990)
• Fiat France (1991, with a computer image La Vogalonga à Venise, purchased),
• Mairie de Paris (Paris Town-hall 1984-1999),

Selected group exhibitions

More than 60 participations among which are:

• Important Paris Fairs (Automne, Comparaisons, Nationale des Beaux-Arts, de la Marine),
• Palais de la Découverte (1972),
• Théâtre de l’Odéon (1973-76),
• Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (1978),
• Draguignan Museum (1985),
• Salon Art du Nu, at Espace Champerret, Paris (2005),  
• A Fleur de Peau, at Espace Art et Liberté, Charenton-le-Pont (2006);
• 2010 : Agora Gallery—Chelsea-- New-York (June)

Several exhibitions abroad

Japan, Canada, United States, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, South Korea,  Iran at the First International Art Fair,with a special personal presentation to the Shah, 1974.