FYG: How has your work developed and changed over time? Tell me about how you came to be an artist.
AF: Art came back in my life very suddenly. I was a 28 years old designer working for luxury brands in beauty industry at that time but suddenly I couldn’t stop thinking about my father every day. He was an artist and died at 37 in a plane crash. I grew up with this drama, but the 30s approaching, I simply realized that life was short. I had lots of ideas didn’t have the time to paint because I was a hard working all the time. So, I quit my job and I began to paint sleepy portraits. I found this funny and relaxing to have sleepy portrait on the wall! Then I entered inside the dream. A cloud appeared one day in a painting, then a Provencal house and a cypress. My characters became bigger and rounder. little by little, I created my personal vocabulary, as if you were in the same dream with the same codes. A very soft and peaceful dream. A travel inside my heart.

FYG: How did you come to the exhibition title?
AF: ‘Travel Inside My Heart’ came to me for three reasons:
Firstly, this title is about introspection. During the last year in quarantine, I think that lots of people (including me) had more time to think and did more introspection. Until now, I have painted pictures about the world, global themes. But more recently, I needed to propose a more authentic vision for people and to paint honest and even naive vision of my dreams and my feelings.
Secondly, this title is about escaping. Escaping a very complicated and dramatic world to find back our childhood landscapes or to dream about a simple life. Finally, this title is about inner world. We live in a society that is thirsty for authenticity but is still very superficial. I have also that feeling that as a woman artist, people expect you to paint about women body, women sexuality or motherhood. I chose to show that women are not only bodies but have also a deep and rich inner world.

FYG: Which artists are you influenced by? From what do you draw inspiration?
AF: Currently, I get inspired by both classical paintings (from Renaissance, surrealism or Romantism) and modern references I see on social media or pop culture. For example, I got really inspired by ‘Twin Peaks’ by David Lynch for some of the paintings of the show. And strangely, meditation session I am sometimes listening! I love the pictures and metaphors that meditation teachers use to make your spirit more peaceful.

FYG: What techniques do you use? Can you talk a little more about your process?
AF: I use acrylic that really conveys to my quick way to work. As soon as I have a picture on mind, I want it to be in front of me very quickly or I become very frustrated! First, I begin to make a quick draft with rounds and simple lines. I discovered about myself that I really prefer to paint rather to draw. So, I go quickly on the canvas to see if something happens!

FYG: What do you intend to convey to your audience?
AF: My aim has always been to create peaceful and meditative pictures for people. I want people to watch my artworks and tell themselves ‘Well, let’s turn off the phone and take a break to walk in the nature or to think about life’. I love to see my art as a kind of Art therapy. For myself first because it relaxing to paint people who dream, tiny trees and homes. And when the painting is done, I want to share that feeling with everybody else.