Jacinthe Rivard | Nostalgic Art
A native of Montreal, Jacinthe Rivard resides in Saint-Lazare, after living for many years in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Jacinthe Rivard paints everyday objects, those of our daily life, those that inspire her, and above all, shine. Her muse is light, the one reflected in glass, metal, or even simple plastic packaging. There is no need for divine revelation to make the artist want to paint or ascribe existential meaning to his creations. Only spontaneity and envy guide her. “A bottle of Coke is a bottle of Coke” – she said – “but put it under a spotlight, and it becomes a star!”
In her creative process, Jacinthe is first and foremost a photographer. She loves playing with her camera and light effects, knowing that a beautiful photo will always become a beautiful painting.
From her point of view, life is too short and her list too long. So she paints mostly in small sizes, usually 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 inches. Her paintings are mainly sold in Canada and the United States in several galleries and art fairs, and Jacinthe also accepts commissions if the subject inspires her.
“I’m a Canadian living in a Montreal suburb. How did I become an artist? Well, here’s the real story I never before revealed. It all started when I became a famous artist on a virtual reality game. I was known as Mrs. Jassy!
That’s right, I was a geek who played social games online! Avatars/players/real people would pay gold coins (which were actually bought with real money) to buy my virtual art, made with the games software. They would then hang it in their virtual house. Mind-blowing right? I know! Well, in 2012, I decided to live in the real world and become a real-life artist. Picked up a real paintbrush and just painted every day and never stopped!
I’m a very nostalgic girl. I love old things. Vintage things. I buy everything that looks cool. Mostly from the 60s and up.
I set up photo shoots for them and use those photos to paint. It’s amazing how you can make an old phone come to life with the right lighting and a little boost from my paint. Oil is the only medium I use. I paint on wood panels. I never paint in layers. If it’s pink, I mix the right shade of pink and put it down where it goes! I’m a “tell it like it is, no-nonsense kind of girl”. It shows in my art. If it looks hyper-realistic sometimes, it’s not because that’s the kind of artist I wanted to be. It’s just the kind of person I am. I see everything. I see things as they are, so I paint them as they are. Well… as I see them. I don’t know if that’s the way everyone else sees… I love finding just the right wallpaper to match an object with. I also love cropping my pictures to give them personality. I guess it’s my way of saying, “Hey, look at this!!! It’s such a cool object! I know you’ve seen it before, but look at it my way; it’s so pretty; I made it art!”
I love colors. Did I need to mention this?
Houses these days are very neutral. It seems like beige is the color of choice for walls. I’m no different. My house is all white! So I try to liven up the walls with a pop of color and, at the same time, a trip down memory lane! If you’re wondering, I don’t play virtual social games anymore; I love the real world so much more!
Contemporary realism artist with a pinch of nostalgia
Jacinthe lives in a little town just outside Montreal, Canada.
She found her painting niche in 2017. She had been painting mostly portraits for years.
One day, she painted a 6 pack of Coca-Cola. She was overwhelmed by how well people responded to it, so she started painting more nostalgic objects. She realized that a vintage telephone could remind someone of first love. Sitting by that phone, waiting for them to call. Likewise, a water gun can bring back memories of younger days, playing in the yard on a hot summer day. It also calls to the younger generation; old stuff is so different!
She also loves to paint food items. Food also makes people happy, and her art is all about that. Making someone happy! Sometimes with just a quirky title, she gives her paintings.
She paints in oil from pictures that she takes herself. She can spend many hours looking through her camera. It’s actually quite exhausting to try and make water droplets stay on a Perrier bottle or trying to make three donuts balance on top of each other.
When you see her paintings in real life, you realize that although they look like photos, they are anything but! You can see brushstrokes and so much texture. It’s hard not to touch them and “feel” the painting.
She has sold her paintings internationally and has won many art contests.
www.jacintherivard.com | Facebook: jacintheartist | Instagram: @ jacintherivard
