[ perspectives ]
Patrice Brunet
W
ITH A PALETTE KNIFE and over-
whelming passion, Patrice
Brunet creates works of art that
both captivate and inspire.
“I hope my paintings bring
people pleasure and joy. When
I find someone who understands my
work, it’s a wonderful feeling,” explains the 44-year-old former art relocating to Birmingham from Pensacola in 2003. He’s been painting
and antiques dealer. “Painting is my freedom – not a job or a rou- full-time for more than two years, working in his studio every day.
tine. Some days I am compelled to create, and feel I can do it
non-stop, day and night.”
One of Birmingham’s
emerging artists
B Y C I N DY R I L E Y
P H OTO B Y K A R I M S H A M S I - BA S H A
Born in Normandy, France, Patrice moved to the U.S. in 1999,
“I don’t know how long it takes to complete a piece” says
Patrice, who studied under Belgian artist Mean Florin. “I just
paint depending on how I feel.
“I love experimenting with tex-
ture–making contrasts, shadows, and
playing with the material,” he says. “I’m
inspired by Impressionists Degas, Corot,
Monet and Renoir, as well as Gericault,
Delacroix, Rembrandt and Vermeer. I
don’t try to copy them. I do not paint to
be recognized as far as themes or styles.”
Patrice has won recognition, how-
ever, for the breathtaking Cathedral
Series that holds deep meaning for him.
“I never miss an occasion to visit a
church and pray when I’m back in my
country,” he says. “I love the ambience,
the atmosphere, and the spirit. When
you are in a cathedral you have an idea
what it is to be in God’s hands and be
close to Him. You surrender, as it’s so
“When you are an
artist, you understand
the difficulty—all the
work and pain behind
each one. To me, it’s
a way to work through
things. It’s creating
something that’s a
part of you.”
PATRICE BRUNET
MARCH 2008 • 65
 [ perspectives ]

peaceful and beautiful. Painting a church

is different from any other subject.”
Patrice’s oversized abstracts have attract-
ed patrons across the U.S. and Europe. For
him, each painting is personal.
“When you are an artist, you under-
stand the difficulty—all the work and
pain behind each one,” says Patrice, who
received his first set of paints on his
eighth birthday. “To me, it’s a way to work
through things. It’s creating something
that’s a part of you.”
He currently displays his oils at
Pepper Place and Jennifer Harwell
Gallery in Homewood’s SoHo Square.
“Patrice’s work really stops people in
their tracks when they’re browsing
through the space,” says Jennifer Harwell.
“They love his paintings, which range
from soft, gentle abstracts to ones of bril-
liant, energizing color. They are sleek
and polished, with the abstract being the
connecting factor.”
Jennifer continues, “He’s also very
charming and charismatic, yet approach-
able. And his style is maturing all the time.”
Patrice, who once worked as a tour
guide on a Seine riverboat, wants nothing
more than to please others with his talent.
And committed as he is to his own work,
he is drawn to all art – no matter the tech-
nique or medium.
“There are paintings that leave you
speechless,” Patrice says. “I tell everyone
to go to a museum or gallery, anywhere.
You never lose time when you look at art.
Our eyes need to see beauty.” o
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See more of Patrice’s work at
Jennifer Harwell Art, 2900 18th St S,
205.423.8699.