An Inspired Chat with Clarisse Bertiaux

Clarisse Bertiaux shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Clarisse, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I can’t start my day without a hug to my cat, breakfast and a huge cup of tea (while I watch art studio vlogs on Youtube). So that’s how my day begins, and after getting ready, I can start working. First, I check my to-do list for the day, then I start with everything that isn’t purely artistic creation: reading my emails, replying to them, putting together applications for exhibitions, or, for example, this morning, answering this interview.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a visual artist specializing in pointillism, initially on paper and canvas, and now on many other media, such as metal lamps and porcelain. I am 31 years old and live in Lille, a city in northern France, right next to Belgium.
My technique is not very common but quite old (late 19th century). It consists of painting and drawing using only dots, with Posca markers for example. I started using this technique during my studies in Italy, and I have been doing nothing else for 10 years now. I work almost exclusively in black and white, although I sometimes use color, particularly for custom orders. I really like the graphic effect that black and white, and especially white on black, gives to my subjects.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I think my earliest memory of feeling powerful is when I became self-employed and started my own business. I was 24 years old. Before that, I had always worked for others, whether in my job as an employee, or during my studies or at school when I was trying to get the best results possible to make my parents proud. When I started my own business, I felt very grown up and strong, and finally felt like myself. I was working for myself, and I could finally develop all the projects I had dreamed of and wanted to do. Taking control of your life in this way is a big challenge, but it also gives you a great sense of freedom.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
When I was a child, I sometimes felt sad and afraid because I grew up in a neighborhood where I didn’t really feel like I belonged. What helped me a lot at the time were books. I read a lot, and stories allowed me to escape to other worlds, to be someone else for the duration of a book. And often to be myself. Today, I still read books, but not to fill a void of fear, but to continue to cultivate a taste for stories and adventure. These adventures sometimes turn into real adventures today, through travel. For example, this year I explored California, Nevada, and Arizona. Landscapes even more beautiful than those described in books !

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
If I had answered this question five or six years ago, I would have said no. I was still paralyzed by the idea of being around people, having to speak in public, meeting new people. Since I’ve overcome these anxieties, and especially since I’ve passed the age of 30, I have much more confidence in myself and I finally allow myself to be myself in public.
Especially during art exhibitions that I participate in or simply visit. I laugh, talk to people, meet new artists, discuss our artistic work and projects. That’s how many artistic collaborations with other artists came about, and I’m happy to have been able to work with them. I have never been as fulfilled in my personal and professional life as I have been since I started being myself in public, without any filters.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
When I draw and when I plan new projects ! Pointillism is a very meditative technique. In my case, it’s almost like self-art therapy. When I draw, when I paint, when I bring to life the projects that spring from my imagination, that’s when I feel most at peace, because it’s precisely then and there that I know I’m where I belong. What a joy it is to see all these ideas take shape and share them with others (ideas that sometimes keep me awake at night because I’m so eager to bring them to life, like a child the night before going to Disneyland the next day haha).

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