Our Oil Artist Friends
FRANÇOISE NIELLY
Born in Marseille, Françoise Nielly studied Fine Arts and creates instantly recognisable oil portraits of men and women. Having grown up in the south of France, between Cannes and Saint-Tropez, she has always been surrounded by the light, colour, and atmosphere that define the region. Inspired by her memories of the South, Françoise uses bold, fluorescent colours to express her art.
Whether painting the human body or portraits, her artwork bursts with vibrant hues and dynamic energy. She wields the palette knife with precision, creating striking compositions with dazzling colours. Her unique and daring style makes Françoise Nielly a perfect ambassador for the primary colours of Lefranc Bourgeois’ new fine oil range.
EWA HAUTON
Ewa Hauton was born in 1969 in Poland, where she studied fine arts. With an artist mother, the world of art was an integral part of her childhood. She paints faces, imagined figures, and bodies, with a particular focus on the female form.
Using ink, charcoal, oil paint, and an eraser, Ewa strips away unnecessary shapes and textures. Her process unfolds in multiple stages: she begins with charcoal, follows with oil washes, then uses an eraser to bring light back into the charcoal drawings. She reworks the charcoal before moving on to oil painting. To maintain the fluidity of lines and movement, she paints with a calligraphy brush. Throughout her creative process, she shapes her work step by step, using ivory black and titanium white, guided by the rhythm of Chopin’s music.
ALICE FALORETTI
Born in Brescia, Italy, in 1992, Alice lives and works in Venice, Italy. She creates paintings inspired by nature, depicting caves, mountains, and plants. Using alkyd-based mediums, she achieves fluid textures and vibrant colours. Her work explores the relationship between humans and nature, blending real and imaginary elements. Alice enjoys painting landscapes that appear both real and fantastical, subtly incorporating traces of human presence.
Alice Faloretti’s painting is influenced by the early 20th-century approach to landscape art, both in its iconography and its intimate, psychological depth.
OLIVIER MASMONTEIL
Olivier Masmonteil is a French painter and a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux. Both an artist and a globetrotter, he has travelled extensively, capturing the landscapes of the places he visits on canvas. He also collaborates with La Source, an association founded by Gérard Garouste.
In recognition of his work, he received the Coffim Foundation Painting Prize in 2002 and the Art Collection Prize in France in 2015. His inspiration stems from iconic paintings, transforming into a poetic and lyrical journey through time and space, where the magic of colour unfolds through his bold creativity.
Sharing Lefranc Bourgeois’ deeply rooted philosophy—combining academic tradition with pioneering creative passion—Olivier was a natural choice to launch the brand’s artistic encounters.
For several years, the artist and the brand, driven by shared values, have continued to inspire each other with great enthusiasm.
YOANN MERIENNE
Yoann Merienne was born in the late 1980s in Haute-Savoie and now lives and works in Lyon.
From a young age, he showed a passion for drawing and painting. He took part in the International Art Competition in Wallonia, where he was awarded the gold medal. After graduating in Industrial Design, he dedicated himself to mastering light and shadow, bringing an extraordinary sense of depth to his work.
A devoted user of our oil paints, he carefully sculpts light by working with shadows, adding depth, and shaping volumes through delicate touches of white, black, and blue.
JENNYFER GRASSI
Jennyfer Grassi lives and works in Paris. She began painting at the age of 11 with a set of Lefranc Bourgeois oil colours, a gift from her father, and continued her artistic journey at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
Throughout her many exhibitions, she has focused on themes of lush, even menacing nature, using bold and luminous colours to bring her vision to life.
ENZO CERTA
Enzo Certa, partly of Italian origin, initially pursued studies in art restoration but soon realised it was not his true passion.
He then joined the École des Beaux-Arts in Caen and completed his studies at the Beaux-Arts de Paris in 2019.
After a residency in London and two exhibitions, he is now working on new projects. Influenced by Flemish Baroque painting, his work creates a dialogue between "grand painting," humour, and everyday events.
JAMES MACKEOWN
An Irish artist who has lived in France for over 25 years, James knows he could never "live far from the sea." His paintings often depict the landscapes of Normandy and Brittany, where he has made his home.
A painter of light, James masterfully connects intimacy with vastness, capturing both with deep sensitivity. He exhibits annually in numerous galleries across France, as well as in England, Ireland, and Switzerland.
His contemplative and warm nature shines through his work, where seemingly spontaneous compositions reveal an exceptional command of colour and movement.
Describing himself as a "painter of intimacy," James conveys the wonder of the present moment—whether in the warmth of home or the ever-changing coastal landscapes.
NATACHA IVANOVA
Natacha Ivanova trained at prestigious Russian art schools.
Her work is deeply influenced by C.G. Jung, the psychiatrist known for his studies on dreams.
In her paintings, she blends mythological and historical tales with personal memories, creating a unique and introspective artistic narrative.
JON ONE
John Perello was born in Harlem in 1963 and began graffitiing trains and walls in his neighbourhood before expanding across New York City.
He later travelled to Paris, where he collaborated with French artists such as Bando.
In the 1980s, he moved away from graffiti and embraced abstraction. In his studio, he uses Lefranc Bourgeois oil and Flashe paint to create works that capture speed and movement.
Oil paint is an ideal medium for him, allowing him to build texture and striking material effects.
Street art remains a key influence in his creative process, with New York subway graffiti continuing to inspire his work.
PABLO PICASSO
Pablo Ruiz Picasso, born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga (Andalusia, Spain) and passed away on April 8, 1973, in Mougins (Alpes-Maritimes, France), was a Spanish painter, draftsman, sculptor, and printmaker who spent most of his life in France.
A versatile artist, he is considered one of the founders of Cubism alongside Georges Braque and a companion of the Surrealist movement. Among his most famous works are Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), a proto-Cubist masterpiece, and Guernica (1937), a dramatic depiction of the bombing of Guernica on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War.
Picasso had a particular fondness for Lefranc Bourgeois colours, from cadmium red to cobalt blue.
CLAUDE MONET
Claude Monet, born on November 14, 1840, in Paris and passed away on December 5, 1926, in Giverny, was a French painter and a pioneer of the Impressionist movement. Renowned for his landscapes and his study of light and colour, Monet’s works, such as Impression, Sunrise and his Water Lilies series, have left a lasting impact on the art world. His dedication to capturing natural scenes at different times of the day and across seasons revolutionised modern painting techniques and aesthetics.
The screw-top tube, invented by Lefranc in 1859, greatly facilitated the development of Impressionism by allowing artists like Monet to take their paints outdoors, whereas previously they were stored in pig bladders. Unsurprisingly, Monet was among the artists who loved Lefranc Bourgeois colours.
JEAN-FRANÇOIS MILLET
Jean-François Millet (1814 – 1875), a 19th-century French realist painter, is renowned for his depictions of rural and peasant life. Among his most famous works are The Gleaners (1857) and Shepherdess with Her Flock (1863), among others. Millet spent his youth working the land. At the age of 19, he studied art in Cherbourg, France. In 1837, he moved to Paris and joined the studio of Paul Delaroche, where he stayed until 1839.
Millet was a devoted admirer of Lefranc Bourgeois' Naples Yellow, using it to create beautiful light effects. He wrote: “I have finally found my beautiful Naples Yellow, which is nothing like all those cosmetic Naples Yellows I had been using for some time."
