Michèle Bodelin has always had an affinity for animals and a great love for drawing them. She began painting animal portraits in pastel at age fifteen, when she gave a painting of two Siamese kittens to her art teacher as a gift. When the teacher framed the work and put it on display at the school, requests for portraits started coming in – first, from a biology teacher who bred Siamese cats; then, from a student who had recently lost a beloved pet. Michèle Bodelin had found a calling.
“The Muse” – Kiki-la-Doucette Bodelin 1996 – 2016
“Pastel is the perfect medium to combine drawing and painting. I strive to paint ‘living portraits’ that speak to the viewer. For me, painting is an interactive process in which I rely on the work itself to ‘tell’ me what it needs, as I paint. When a piece stops speaking to me, I know it is time for it to go out into the world and speak to others. It is my privilege to be entrusted by you to produce lasting tributes that celebrate the special bonds you have with the animals who share your lives.”
“The New Kid” Colette Bodelin, “Coco” 2016-
