Scribble Artist Interview with Béatrice Coron!
Big Tent by Béatrice Coron. photos credit to Etienne Frossard
Scribble Town (ST): Béatrice Coron is a visual storyteller who creates in the forms of illustration, book arts, fine art and public art. Béatrice describes her work as, “Collecting memories from individuals and communities, I stage narrative allegories in silhouette to create a dialogue with the viewer in playful fantasies.” Wanting to know more, let’s start with, where are you and what are you up to these days?
Béatrice Coron (BC): A lot of different projects, fences in Chicago (http://oakpark.suntimes.com/news/publicarts-OAK-08152013:article), a subway station on the A train in NYC (will be installed 2014-15), artist books, an ebook and of course papercuts for different exhibitions.
ST: Wow! How did you become so well versed in so many different mediums?! How did these mediums get introduced to you and was there anybody to encourage you in your art practice? It really amazes me when I look at your portfolio which consists of paper cuts, public art installations, animation, and what else am I missing? I can imagine the adventure has been an exciting one!
BC: Self-taught. See my TED talk:
You cannot make a living on papercuts alone 
I’m always curious to cut my stories with different materials. The base is full and empty shapes, the material and techniques varies.
ST: Amongst them all, what tools and mediums do you find most helpful when building your creations and visions?
BC: Sketching with pencil, cutting with xacto knife
ST: October looks like a busy month for you already with upcoming workshops and lectures. Please let us know about some of the events. We’d love to participate, if possible.
BC: The workshop at the Future of Story Telling was really interesting as everybody comes to this conference with an open mind and looking to discovering new fields. It’s a yearly event.
ST: Where or when do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create? Do you ever listen to music or look at other art to trigger inspiration? I know that when I look at your work, I want to pick up some paper and cut away!
BC: I listen to podcasts about philosophy, history and current affairs. I also read poetry. Every domain is an inspiration.
ST: You have done some remarkable public art pieces like Postcards from North Carolina and Bronx Literature. How do you go about creating for that space? Do you sit in the space for a while and observe the visitors or is there some other way you work with the space?
“Postcards of North Carolina” displays the must-see of the region with Charlotte skyline, the mountains and seascape sceneries, while the trees reference the many historical roots of the region.
BC: I research the history of the place and study the space. From there I visualize how it feels to arrive in that space and what I would like to see. For example in Charlotte’s airport “Postcards of North Carolina” depict the historical roots of the region.
ST: What or was there a pivotal point in your childhood that got you making art? Where did you grow up?
BC: I grew up in Lyon, France. I am an only child and was very quiet. I often escaped with my imagination.
Children’s Hospital Castle by Béatrice Coron. Photo credit to Etienne Frossard.
ST: Who are some artists and authors that you like? What draws you to them?
BC: Among many and many artists I admired, I like woodblock prints of Felix Vallotton, I enjoy his black and white’s balance. I also enjoy Japanese prints for their creativity in composition.
ST: Béatrice, what is a good piece of advice for Scribblers?
BC: Just start to cut and enjoy!
ST: Will do! Thanks Béatrice! For more info on Béatrice and her artwork, please go to http://beatricecoron.com.
In the City by Béatrice Coron. Photo credit to Etienne Frossard.
