A painter with a unique career, he exhibits his shimmering paintings near Alençon

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Around fifteen canvases in bright and colorful colors mark the citizen gallery from the town hall of Condé-sur-Sarthe, near Alençon (Orne), until Friday, October 11, 2024.

The works are signed by the Orne painter Stephan Serais, a true autodidact with a unique and recognized career.

An easel replaces sport

However, nothing suggested that, more than 20 years agothat Stéphan Serais would one day exhibit as a painter!

“21 years ago, my wife Peggy, to make me forget the pain I felt at no longer being able to run because of a compressed vertebrae, gave me an easel, two canvases and a box of paint tubes!” he smiles.

I had never painted! I knew absolutely nothing about mixing colors and, not having the patience to take classes, I taught myself…

In the footsteps of impressionism

He then immerses himself in the figurative and impressionist paintingthe source of his overflowing inspiration.

“150 years ago, a new era of painters was born: they left the big cities to go to the Normandy coast or to the countryside to paint in the great outdoors. They stayed in guesthouses or inns and sometimes paid their way by offering a canvas to their guests!” says the former police officer.

Stephan then decides to imitate them and begins to paint still lifesbite it portrait of his children and then goes to the site to paint landscapes.

Under the artist’s brush, works are born bright and warm colors. Saint-Céneri-le-Gerei, Argentan and even the forest of Silly come to life in his paintings of all formats.

A recognized talent

“I started in 2003 and then exhibited very quickly, in 2004, at La Perrière.”

Favoring the knife technique and oil painting, the artist reveals some secrets of his daily life punctuated by his passion:

I paint every day, from 6am to 1pm, and I work on four or five canvases at a time. I don’t have a studio, I paint in my dining room!

The works of the Orne artist were quickly spotted, and his talent recognized by his peers: he received the silver medal of Arts-Sciences-Letters in 2007.

In 2008, he was awarded the Medal of Honor from the City of Paris, followed by that of the city of Argentan in 2011.

As did the artists who inspired him at the time, Stéphan Serais exhibits around forty paintings permanently at the restaurant-bar The Relay, in Bourg-Saint-Léonard, near Argentan.

Until Friday, October 11, at the Condé-sur-Sarthe citizen gallery, place Bernard-Suard, during town hall opening hours.

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