About Jean-François Podevin
As a fine artist I envision, I observe, I dream, I interpret, I draw, paint, collage, photograph, and print, I create interactive kinetic sculptures as well as very large to small scale paintings in both traditional and the digital media, I also print limited editions of no more than 5 to 10 prints of some of my images.
My work is in collections in the United States and Europe. It has been exhibited in university galleries, art centers, libraries as well as private galleries. Two of my Time magazine covers originals are on permanent display at the National Portrait Gallery. My work has also been commissioned by interior designers, architects, film production and theatrical set designers.
A collection of over 250 sketchbooks are a testimony to my daily life as a visual artist and the source of all my work.
I was raised and educated in Paris. I live in California with my wife Barbara and my children William and Michael.
My father who passed away in 2011 was also a great abstract painter, aside from my art schooling both in France and the USA , I learned at a very personal and spiritual level what it is to be a visual artist, and followed into my father's footsteps at a very early age.
As an illustrator, I have created several hundred cover illustrations for most US National publications and many International large circulation magazines. I excel at discovering visual metaphors. My images invite the viewer to fathom the themes and the very abstract concepts of today's world.
Illustration and Fine Arts are two streams that merge into the vast river of human creativity. Once they flow into it, they cannot be separated. I associate myself with many contemporary artists and artists of the past such as Toulouse Lautrec, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, N.C. Wyeth, Ben Shawn, Barbara Kruger among many others, whose vision in fine art emerged from their work as illustrators.
My work is diverse in style , that is because I love diversity as well as the idea of renewal for an artist.
Clarity of vision, apprehending and expressing the ineffable, and hopefully enlightening the viewer with it , is in my opinion the light to attain for a visual artist.
Self-portrait Photo: Larry S. Scher. Photo and Painting: Jean Podevin Self Portrait Photo: Larry S. Scher Passport photo Skype profile photo Drawing :Michael Podevin age11