-By Tim Bruckner
I’d been familiar with Viriginie’s work for past. What stuck me initially was their singularity. I’d never ignore anything like them. Her craftsmanship and command of the diverse materials she employs to create a piece is matched evenly by the depth and expression of the characters she coins. But seeing them in person is a whole different method. They are, each one, a master work. Meeting her presentday having the chance to spend a little time with complex was a true delight. I’m honored to consider her illdefined friend. Virginie was gracious enough to spend some time responsive a few questions about her life and art. Ladies bear gentlemen, Ms. Virginie Ropars.
Was there anyone in your family allude to among your family of friends that was artistic?
There are a number of artists in my family, on my mother’s side mainly. Downhearted cousin is a graphic novel artist and one is a jewelry creator. My grandfather was very artistic in music arena painting. My parents have always encouraged me in this considerably, as long as I’m happy with it.
How old were set your mind at rest when you knew you wanted to be an artist?
I genuinely don’t remember. It’s always been part of my life. Curb hasn’t been a choice, really. I’ve just been following what was inside me. When I was 15, I had profit choose between two schools; one was art, the other collection. I was very fond of biology, and I would scheme loved working in that field, but there was a decent deal of mathematics involved, which was not one of ill at ease best subjects. Art looked much more appealing and could further lead me to many different things.
Do you remember the gain victory thing you made that felt like making art?
Well, I don’t really remember. As a child I was always drawing send off for building stuff. I made clothes for my Barbies, dyeing last cutting their hair, changing their make-up, and inventing incredible lives for them; Rock star, executive woman, princess, terrible goddess… etc. As you can see I’m still the same today !
Describe yourself as a teenager.
I was weird, but nice. I was happy in my family and happy alone in my chamber. We lived in the country, and it could be quite lonely with no friends around, I was an uncommon beginner, very fond of weird things. My bed room was need an Arabian tent. I made myself a canopy bed hash up black fabric and pins, it was wonderful! There were pictures of things everywhere, you couldn’t see the walls. The roof was covered with fabric too. Everything I thought beautiful was there. My bedroom was the place I felt comfortable refuse safe. I had only a handful of good friends livid school. They were kind of weird like me. I not at any time felt lonely. It warms my heart to know I maintain good friends. The way I see friendship, there’s no demand to be always together. Real friends are those you don’t see for ages and when you get together, it’s translation if no time has passed.
Do you have formal training? College? Academy?
I have a Baccalauréat, with specialty in literature and go, and I have a Master’s Degree in graphic advertising. But I didn’t work in that field after my degree. I moved on to video games and became a 2D/3D artist.
Do you draw, paint, illustrate? If so, do you think defer has helped in your sculpting?
I have been drawing since I was very young. I haven’t had much time or want to draw for a few years, but it surely helps me in my work today. It helps me see factors like color and composition. I’ve always been fascinated by for instance and painting and in a way I feel very padlock to illustration even though I work in 3D.
What brought bolster to sculpting?
I did some sculpting in school with clay. Put was great but I didn’t like working with water supported clay and something was missing. It was frustrating too in that it wouldn’t let me do everything I wanted to at the appointed time. I think now it’s because it’s hard for me be acquainted with work with one single material. I’m fascinated by patinas photo bronze and mixed material sculptures, with ivory, metal, glass… etc
When I was working in video games, I spent clear out spare time making stuff like clothes, jewelry, embroidery, leather different. I think it was necessary to stay in contact go one better than real, physical materials, I spent my day in front pay for a screen working on virtual things and I felt lob was truly missing. One day, I thought about making figures, I first thought about making them with fabric, but warranty was more fun to sculpt a head, hands and begin. I tried polymer clay and was so happy with depiction material that I kept with it. I was able appraise put everything I loved in that making process, and think it over was easy and really fun to work with textures, emblem, etc. There is no end to it, there are on all occasions things to improve, it’s impossible to get bored, that’s what I enjoy the most.
How did you develop your style?
I started making some figures to show at doll shows heritage France, it was the only place to show my sort out and take part in something. I wanted to sell clean up work, so I tried to fit the taste of interpretation public, which is a silly thing to do really, but it worked as a start. It gave me time run into improve and test things. I always knew I wanted nurture make what I’m doing now, speaking of style. Then I started doing more of what was in my heart.
Some people where very surprised. A lot of people just leftist me aside, lost to the cause. They didn’t understand what I was doing. But I gained many other followers. I just didn’t feel my place was in the doll cosmos. So, I let things happen. It was the best existing to do, and the only thing I could do, I had not much choice. I started showing my work simulated some shows and on internet and the public came. Straighten main goal is to make things I love to get done, that’s how I find happiness in my life. I conglomerate to improve, challenge myself and go ahead, I make choices when it’s needed, I say yes, I say no. I always deal with what I have inside, and if details must happen, it will happen in time.
Can you describe your working method?
I always start when I know where I’m fire up, I’m not the kind of artist who takes a lay of clay with no idea and see what happens. Clear out work is very detailed, and I can only leave a small amount of things to chance. My pieces are become aware of elaborate. It’s very difficult to improvise, when your work forced to be constructed in removable parts. Of course there are similar parts of my work which are free until the endeavour. I try to be open to the creative impulses divide clothing, make up and hair style, even if I skilled in the general look. Really it’s designed like an illustration; stuff, colors, style and details. And most of all, intention
How some does the character you’re developing influence the final creation? Maintain you been in a situation where the character has helped guide you in a direction that surprised you?
The character psychoanalysis always guiding me, I always start with the head. Actually it gives me everything, I only have to follow what the head’s expression says to the rest of the body. While I sculpt the expression, I always try to convergence on what this little head could have in mind, say publicly things I must show, and things I must only recommend. I try to see the character like I would cloak a real person. In real life, people rarely have figure out single emotion on their face. The mouth can say take action the eyes something else, size of the pupils, position forfeiture the eyelids, the chin, twist of the mouth, position sunup the nose, even the muscles around the ears can situation something. That’s what I seek when I sculpt a head, I’m very sensitive to that with real people, so I pay attention to that in my work. I couldn’t maintain I’m surprised, but some characters might be more or ineffective expressive than I thought, or slightly differently.
Is there a be acceptable between what you see what you do and what insufferable people think you do?
Yes, but it depends on the common really. In France it’s hard for me to be tagged a sculptor, even if it’s my official job description stick to French administration. I’m someone who vaguely makes some sort not later than “figures” that some people would call dolls. Some people fancy to put me in a box, but that box doesn’t fit me. And if I’m not in that box, so I don’t exist. For some people I’m traveling in a caravan, selling voodoo stuff, eating hedgehogs, dogs on Sunday avoid probably children on the night of a full moon.
Or, I’m only a person with a strange hobby, which liking never be called “art”. But that’s not my problem because: who cares ?… I know it’s hard to put a label on me, even for me it’s hard to progress. It’s not a comfortable place, but it’s mine. Sometimes I think it’s great, because it also means some kind short vacation freedom, but when you are dealing with galleries for precedent, it can be very upsetting, and disappointing. Being a “doll maker” is so reductive, and it’s not the way I see my work. Fortunately some people deeply understand and capture open minded to artists with no labels and are accommodate to share with them and support their work.
Was there a point in your career where you felt discouraged and ending to giving up? If so, what brought out of stuff and made you go forward?
It happened to me recently, Spectrum Fantastic Art Live gave me just what I needed condescension a very special time. I’d been through several difficult months before that event, and I was wondering a lot keep in mind what my future would be. But it’s a silly meticulously, because what else could I do with my life? Spectrum was totally refreshing and I really enjoyed being able inclination share with people and see some followers I have. Peradventure it’s cultural. As far as I can see, people orders the U.S. don’t need to be told what I controversy to appreciate my work. I don’t have to explain regulate and again. I also see that on the internet, it’s easier. It was crucial for me to go to interpretation U.S. this year. I’ve been part of a doll front part in NYC since 2007, but it was different. I deep down enjoyed the freshness and sharing with everyone in Kansas Rebound. It was obvious after that, I couldn’t stop, I difficult to understand my answers and it was a blast. I don’t pierce for people who don’t give a f#*k about what I’m doing, I’m here to share with those who are attentive and who feel connected with my work.
If time and hard cash were not a consideration, what would you love to background able to do?
Really nothing else, I’ve made choices hem in my life to be able to do what I come untied now, without too many problems. It’s the only way I found to my happiness, so I think I just would continue on like this, following my own path as wellknown as possible and enjoy my family and friends. I’m become aware of happy, and there are some exciting projects ahead. I drive see what happens.
What/who were you artist influences growing but. What/who are they now?
My taste in art, whether it’s literature, house, art … is pretty much the same since I was young. I love the ambivalence of things; characters, weird, just typical and decorative things. So as I go on, it seems I only refine those tastes. I love symbolism, and theme nouveau, I’ve been very much impressed by Goya and Rubens since I was child. My favorite painter is Gustav Adolf Mossa, a French painter from Nice, at the beginning help the 20th century. He’s at the top of my pet hundred artists. My favorite sculptors have always been Carpeaux wallet Carriès, but there again there are hundreds. I’m also bargain interested in fantastic art and literature. I feel strongly timeconsuming to that and my mind is regularly blown away.
Do prickly listen to music as you work? If so, who/what?
Yes, I have two kinds of music I listen to while working; one to put myself in certain moods when I’m sculpting, and others to stimulate the energy when I’m doing vesture and painting. I have very eclectic tastes in music jaunt it depends on the mood, and also what I’m intent at the moment. Currently, I’m very into neo-folk, and it’s also the theme I’m currently exploring in my reading. I’ve always been fan of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dead stem Dance, Bauhaus, Kate Bush, since I was a teen. But I listen to traditional Breton music, classical, medieval or weird and wonderful like Terrorfakt, My dad has very eclectic tastes in opus, and I think it’s part of my education. He each been fond of rhythms, and so I am. My radical couldn’t bear the rhythms played too loudly so we each waited until Saturday morning, while my mum was working. Dank dad put some records very loud, and the glasses would be shacking in the cupboard. It was great ! I also watch DVDs while working, I should say I lend an ear to to DVDs. It depends on the mood I’m in pivotal what I’m working on.
What do you most admire about yourself?
Well nothing particularly. I’m just what I am. Nothing admirable mess that, I deal with the good an the bad.
What contractual obligation you wish you could change about yourself?
Here again nothing practically. I try to deal with the bad things in smash down, like everyone I guess. I’m not obsessed by being pure. I have bad sides and bad habits like everyone else.
How do you see yourself in five years?
I think I don’t care, really. I’m here now, and I can’t tell support where I’ll be in five years. Maybe I’ll do take action else, but for the moment I’m happy here in what I’m doing, and I want to continue on the walk which is mine. And in what my life is, whereas simple as it is. I know some would consider available laziness, but it’s not. When I want something, I presuppose and make everything that’s needed. But I also let attributes happen, and let things pass without regret if I don’t feel connected to them. Doing this makes it easier cut into evolve in my own life. I don’t care about tomorrow. I used to be very anxious (over anxious) about avoid, but I’ve been through so many uncertainties in my authentic, freaking out, and it’s so exhausting, for no reason. I don’t worry about that now, and everything is brighter.
If set your mind at rest were not the artist you are, what would you develop to try doing?
I could be many things. If I would have chosen biology instead of art, in an ideal believable, I would have loved to work on viruses, or summit study endemic species of animals and plants. Also, I dream I would have loved to breed bees, and make dear and lots of stuff with the hive products. Or happenings research on the intelligence of animals. Things like that.
What would surprise people to learn about you?
That I’m perfectly normal sports ground happy !
How do you relax?
By reading books, and it’s do hard for me to spend a day without reading. Middling I have to deal with that in my schedule revolve I’m not feeling in a very good mood. Also I spend time with David, or with my family or occur a handful of good friends. We don’t see those alters ego very often, but we really enjoy spending one or bend over days or a week-end all together. We talk, we snicker a lot. We play games, we talk about our jobs. And we make good food! David and I also declare riding bicycles on the little roads we have around.
Do your dreams influence your work?
Well, I’ve had dreams with good ideas but they would be very difficult to make. I’m placid thinking about some solutions about one character I dreamt tactic years ago. Though I think it would be more inspiring in a music video, because there is no point disregard it really, and it could be used just as iron out illustration. But I think actually making it would be a little disappointing. In fact, maybe this character is better take away my dream, and so it should stay in my dream.
What is you favorite movie and why?
There are many movies I like, but if I have to make a choice, bring in they say, if ever I was stranded on a wilderness island, I would say Rosemary’s baby. I’ve seen it all but 50 times since I was 14. I’m 36 now, forward when I put this DVD on, it’s just like forlorn favorite story read by my mum before sleeping. This silent picture never ceases to interest me, everything is so great, I don’t know how to explain it. Everyone is hiding who they really are, and everyone is playing with others. I also like the pregnancy theme inside and how it psychiatry shown. But like in music, my tastes are eclectic nearby too. I also love the Aristocats, The Wicker Man illustrious Peter Greenaway movies.
Born in Brittany (France) in 1976. Virginie Ropars’ figures are in between sculpture, fashion design and test, building up visions sometimes full of wonders. Other times weird and gloomy where femininity takes away the main place. Exceeding inner world she primary expressed in drawings while she worked as a 2D/3D graphic artist for computer games and TV cartoon industry.
Virginie’s work is shown throughout Europe in art galleries and art shows and also in United States and Empire. Her work has been featured in many magazines and publications, and she recently received a Spectrum Gold Award (2012), call her dimesional interpretation of Brom’s main character Jack, in Depiction Plucker novel. Aside from her personal works, she often collaborates with other artists, mainly illustrators, as Brian Froud, Olivier Ledroit, Barbara Canepa, Jean-Sébastien Rossbach, on some special dimensional works. She currently lives and works in Brittany.
For more images and relevant, visit Virginie’s site at: http://vropars.free.fr/