Havard, Benoit

Technique: Oil

Benoît Havard was born in Orléans, France, in 1981, and currently lives in Vire in the Lower Normandy region.

Around the age of six, Havard became very interested in drawing and painting. In 1998, he enrolled in the Cherbourg School of Fine Arts. After a few classes, he decided to pursue his artistic journey on his own, preferring "his own exploration to major theories," he said. At the age of 19, he began to experiment full-time in his studio where he sought to push his artistic research ever further. "A few years later, he began showing his artwork and met his first art dealer who brought him some financial security. He was not satisfied with this modest success, and wanted to develop his artistic skills and expand his range of techniques. He began experimenting with watercolours during his trips to Morocco, which led him to discover the importance of shadows and atmosphere. These scenes of life were part of a natural progression that would come to influence all of his artistic work." (1)

"The mastery of composition, designed around strong preliminary sketches, adds a great deal of dynamism to the works of this young painter who continues to demonstrate great maturity." (2) Havard depicts marine and urban scenes with incredible technical expertise with the use of his chosen tool, the palette knife. The subtle gestures in his landscapes are created with bold and beautiful colours blended smoothly to reveal an atmosphere that invites contemplation. 

Benoit Havard has exhibited in several galleries in France since 2004, and has been the guest of honour at several shows in that country. His works can be found in many public and private collections such as La Française des jeux, Louis Vuitton, ASSYS CYBORG, and the Mauresmo family collection. His work was also published in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in Univers des Arts magazine.

1 Quoted from text by Thierry Sznytka, artist's website.
2 Quoted from text by Thierry Sznytka, artist's website.