Yves Sancier is a French-born artist and civil engineer who has spent most of his life in the UK. Living in Hertfordshire with his wife, two grown children, six cats, and two budgies, he balances his profession with a deep passion for art. Rooted in figurative representation, his work captures the essence of his surroundings, transforming landscapes into unique, structured compositions. In this interview, Yves shares his artistic journey, inspirations, and creative philosophy, offering insight into the delicate balance between observation, expression, and personal vision.
Who is Yves? Can you briefly tell us about your life?
I am 51 years old, originally from Brittany in France but I have now lived more than half of my life in the UK. I live in Hertfordshire, North of London, with my wife, our two grown up kids, six cats and two budgies. I am a civil engineer, and an artist in my spare time.
When did you start defining yourself as an artist?
I began enjoying drawing as soon as I was able to hold a pencil. I am firmly convinced that this is the same for every child, possibly because this is the first mean of expression you get before you learn to write. Then there is a stage when many move away from this enjoyment, whilst others, like me, simply never stop enjoying it. And so, I guess this must be at this stage that I started defining myself as an artist.
What kind of art do you do? Is there an art movement that you feel you belong to?
My art is strongly anchored in figurative representation, I attempted abstract art many years ago, but I quickly felt this was a failure and that pure abstraction was not something I could do. My creativity requires a connection with the world I see, and if
some details in my art may sometimes tend to abstraction, there is always a connection to the world around me.
My first paintings were oil on canvas but over the last few years I have been using ink and watercolour on paper. I mostly do landscapes of the place where I live.
I don’t feel I belong to an art movement; in fact, I am not sure I would like to belong to an art movement as I would fear it would alter my independence. But, of course, inspiration from others is always there. Art, with a capital A, is in itself a movement, all artists take this movement forward from where the previous generation has left it.
Do you think being an artist is a profession?
If we consider the origin of the word “artist” which is shared with that of the word artisan, or craftsman in English, then yes, it is originally a profession which, in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance would even have been passed from father to son. But in our modern days I don’t think being an artist is just a profession. I do consider myself an artist and for me it is a mode of expression, a way of life, and above all, as a visual artist, it is a passion I have for images, for paintings, and for transferring on a piece of paper all the pictures I create in my mind all the time.
From your works we understand that you are an artist who observes his surroundings. What is your source of inspiration?
This is correct, my surroundings are very much the only source of my inspiration. I like walking a lot and, wherever I walk, I take photographs with the view that what I take may, or may not, end up in my work. Consequently, most of my landscapes are not actual places but a composition made of the various material I collect during my walks. And it does not matter the surroundings, whether it is the stunning coastal landscapes of Brittany or the streets of a London suburban town, I enjoy finding the beauty that is in everything, everywhere, even in the most seemingly derelict places.
Do you have a colour palette in mind before you start working?
Yes, always, from the material I collect I mentally create the pictures I will paint and that includes the colours or the tones I will use. The composition is largely fixed in my mind when I start a painting, and, even though the physical creative process always
brings some evolution and new ideas, meaning that the finished painting evolves during the realisation, I am always careful to keep the original concept in mind so that the message and the strength of the picture I envisaged at the start is preserved.
We see a unique technique in your work, such as parcelling. Can you explain this style a little bit?
This parcelling is a concept I have developed over the last few years, and I call it a pixelization of nature. In our modern world we are spending a considerable amount of time behind our screens to the expense of the time we spend looking at the real nature. It is not totally impossible, the way things are going, that future generations might only know nature through screens, this is scary to imagine. As a modest warning I have developed this pixelization concept, shown in the half centimetre grid present in most of my latest paintings, of what this virtual nature could look like, as if painted by an artist who would have access to nature only through a digital screen. The beauty can always be extracted in an image, painted or digitalised, but what is really important, is for us and the future generations to never forget the natural world that surrounds us and makes us live. Of course, I also like the personal aesthetic value these little squares bring to my paintings.
Can you tell us about the artists you take as role models?
It depends, how much time have you got? As the list is enormous. From the history of art I would shorten it to those masters most important to me such as Durer, Vermeer, Schiele, Hokusai and Méheut without forgetting all the anonymous artists who painted the eastern Europe and Greek orthodox icons.
Then for the living I get most inspiration from artists such as Hockney, Peter Doig and Matthias Weicher. But one of the artists who fascinates me the most at the moment is Ruprecht von Kauffmann, I find his work absolutely fascinating and, in some way hypnotic and magical. I find particularly poignant, the end of times sort of atmosphere he brings to the canvas.
So, what are some of the art branches you are interested in outside of your field? Can you give us some examples from your taste in music or cinema?
All branches of art interest me immensely. My passion for books and literature is as great as my passion for painting.
I love all kinds of music, but my teenage years having been shaped by bands like Nirvana, Noir Desir and Les Thugs I always come back to alternative rock bands which is what I listen to when I paint. Blonde Redhead and Radiohead are all times favourites, but currently I like the energy of bands such as Hookworms, Legss, Beige Banquet and The 113.
I like cinema as a form of art, much less as entertainment. I don’t follow closely what is being done these days and so my favourites remain in the classics. Film directors I like are Rivette, Pasolini, Fellini, Bergman and lately Sorrentino but above all I place Tarkovsky.
In your opinion, which is more important in becoming a good artist: talent or hard work?
My opinion is that talent helps, but talent can be wasted if there is no hard work to develop it. This is valid for everything, by the way, not just for art. Therefore, whether there is talent or not at the start, hard work is what is most important. I often think of Dali’s advice to artists in his diary “Artists: paint, paint, paint”. I would also add that this hard work must be fed by a relentless curiosity and passion about art: knowing what is being and has been done in art is invaluable.
Is it important for you to be able to share your art or is it enough for you to do it for yourself?
I have not shown my work for a long time, just painting was sufficient for me. I only started sharing it recently outside friends and family circles. It was a big step to take I felt, as thinking what reception your work will get is a very daunting thought. I did it when I was ready, and I am glad I did. Ultimately, I think it is important to share it, as I said earlier, art is a mode of expression and therefore the message is better shared.
Do you have any new projects coming up soon?
I have projects and ideas for pictures all the time, and I am
struggling to find the time to get them all on canvas. Currently, I am painting a triptych about birds. I like our little winged neighbours and am always in awe observing them. Their songs, particularly at dawn in Spring is one of the best and captivating sound I know. This project is inspired by the works of Audubon, Giovanni Pietro Olina and the music of Olivier Messiaen.
I also plan to take up oil painting again which is a medium I really like but have not used for some years.
How would you define your art in one sentence?
For this I will steal a sentence from Philip Guston: “I paint what I want to see.”
Through his meticulous approach to art, Yves highlights the beauty in both the natural and urban landscapes that surround him. His signature "pixelization of nature" serves as a reminder of our increasingly digitalized world and the need to reconnect with reality. With ongoing projects and a rekindled interest in oil painting, Yves continues to evolve as an artist, driven by curiosity, dedication, and an unwavering passion for creativity. As he puts it in the words of Philip Guston, “I paint what I want to see.”