Last night Mickey and I went to an exhibition at our cousin Yuta Powell‘s boutique. The event showcased work from artists of Parisian gallery IBU. One of the artists exhibiting was Athena Poilâne – of Poilâne Bakery fame.

Not often am I completely moved by all pieces within an artist’s body of work – but Athena Poilâne’s work pulled me in and deeply resonated with me. I think it’s safe to say that she’s one of my favorite artists that I’ve come across in a while. Her work is deeply rooted in references to the natural world – particularly seen in her forms and repetition. I think she explains her inspirations best: “As a child, I spent my summers by the sea and developed a fascination with the natural environment that surrounded the French Brittany coast. I was always encouraged to look around me for the beauty in details that were seldom noticed and made it a habit to look for the trace of time on the discarded; rust on a chain, barnacles growing on rocks in shallow water. Evidence of nature taking over and transforming things as time passes has been an inspiration in how I handle material and experience my work. I’m interested in bringing together unusual objects that are both natural and man-made, to create hybrid portraits that illustrate an imagined memory.”

She inspires me.

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