Angel Allen-Tardivel: On French Soil

I am so excited to share the Q & A interview that I did with our first international artist. Though born and raised in the States, Angel Allen-Tardivel has been living abroad for some time and doesn’t plan to come back anytime soon.  Thank God for social media, because with it I was able to see her art and follow her artistic journey over that past year.  Enjoy and let us know what you think in the comments.

Please share a little about your upbringing and how art became a part of your life, initially.

I grew up a sporty kid! From what I can remember, I don’t think I had much interest in art as a kid–I don’t remember the desire to color in my freetime or doodle in books. I grew up in New Orleans, so there was creativity all around me, but I think sports just took a hold of my interests at that time. Art didn’t become a part of my life until high school when I literally had no choice, and was required to take it for my 8th and 9th grade year. Instantly, I fell in love! And I don’t think it was the “art” that I fell in love with–it was the process. It was learning the history, the different techniques and mediums. I enjoyed the process of making art, and because of that admiration I took art for the remainder of my high school years. Looking back now, none of it comes as a surprise to me; I’ve always enjoyed the process of learning how things come to be, and art was no exception.

I love that your portraits have the subjects in interesting positions, poses, and props. How do you come up with them? It seems like you have a photographer’s eye.

I find that I can easily visually conceptualize how I’d like a painting to look, but in all honesty putting that idea directly on paper or canvas is the hard part. Usually, I take photos of myself for poses, or use references to help me get as close as possible to the look that I imagined. Everything else like props and background are things I come up with to support the story or message I’m trying to bring across. I love research, and I use it for nearly every piece I make to add symbolic elements that have emotional significance, or even sometimes historical significance.

How are Rennes (where you currently live) and New Orleans (your hometown) similar and how are they different?

I think Rennes and New Orleans are actually quite similar. France, in general, is a country with a rich history and culture. The region I live in, called Brittany, is very proud of its Celtic roots. New Orleans is similar in that it really is a place separate from the general idea of an American city. It is rich in its french, spanish, and west african influences and the people of New Orleans are extremely proud of their roots. New Orleans is definitely a festive and artistic mecca in comparison to Rennes, but Rennes has an art culture of its own that is growing and developing well. It’s youthful and opportunistic, especially for artists. I do believe that New Orleans takes care of their artists and makes many opportunities to expose art easy and accessible, but Rennes is not quite there yet; it takes a lot of searching and networking to find those opportunities (but they are there!). 

There is such a rich history of Black expats in France. Do you connect with that history? If so, how?

I have heard that there are many Black expats in France, and it comes as no surprise. France, like the US, is very diverse, but I believe that there is a connection to France that a Black American may feel due to the very rich Afro-French culture and history in the country. Many African countries were colonized by France, thereby making the language in those countries French. For that reason, many Africans migrate to France to raise their family, and by consequence, they infuse the country with their cultural richness! I know a few Black expats and definitely feel connected to them in the sense that we are here in this country together, and that we are part of that history of Black expats.

You have multiple degrees in business, but you just had your first solo art show. Which direction do you think you are heading in?

I love this question because I think it’s so far from the origin story of many artists. Like I mentioned before, I had little interest in art when I was young. I was a child who loved putting things together, and learning the process of how things are made. I remember when I was young I would make products from things around the house, and then create a whole infomercial script about it. I mention that because I think there was and will always be in me a businesswoman, as well as a woman who enjoys the creative process of things. So, when it came to deciding what to major in, I had no idea because I didn’t think there was a career for me in art. Eventually, I went with my first love and chose to major in foreign language, and minor in international business. I knew that I could always continue art on the side, so my decision felt good. I decided to go to business school in France and obtain my Masters, as I didn’t really see a future for me as a language professor or working in translation. Well, I learned that I strongly disliked business culture, and I was very bored and down most days in my classes. Unfortunately, but fortunately, you’ll see, when I was reaching the end of my studies in business school, COVID hit hard and it was just the time I needed to make the change. I dove deep into my art, building a brand for myself, and with time I got the exposure I needed to land a couple of group shows and a solo most recently. My art is my business, and I see no other way going forward!

What is it about your art that you love?  What breaks your heart?

What I love most about my art is that I get to share my thoughts and my voice with others, in a way that feels the most safe, the most inspiring, and the most effective. I love that it represents the African Diaspora, while also being inclusive in its origin. What breaks my heart is knowing the possibility of losing that love under pressure, stress, and the fear of remaining current within the realm of art. I’m not in those circumstances, I hope I never succumb to them, but the thought does pass my mind sometimes and it can be heartbreaking. When a passion becomes your career, it’s often the risk of “falling out of love” that you take in order to do what you love, ironically.

What is up next for you?

What’s next, what’s next! At the moment, I’m in the process of confirming my participation in a couple of group shows. I also have a small exhibit in a small town here in France in late October. I’ll be exhibiting some paintings from a new mini series that I created just for this exhibit. Exhibiting is always a main focus, but besides that I’m also really concentrated on adding to my art portfolio, taking my time to create quality art, and diversifying my art in a way that makes it more accessible to a wider group of people.

You do commissions. What is your process of partnering with someone or an organization to produce a piece?

Yes, I do commissions! When it comes to finding commissions, I always go back to previous clients first because we’ve worked together already, and they have an idea of my style and process. After reaching out to previous clients, I look for potential clients. As of late, I’ve been very motivated to partner with organizations and small Black businesses back in the US, and mostly in New Orleans and Louisiana. Getting a good idea of what the client is looking for is very important to me. Even though I’d love to take on all commissions, I know some requests are just not in my domain, and that’s ok. So, having a clear outline of what the client desires is a must. After that we sign a contract and I begin the process, involving and updating the client as much as possible so that they feel they are contributing to the success of the painting–which is absolutely the case!

Do you have any plans of living in the States again?

For the foreseeable future, I do not see myself moving back to the US. I do find the art world in the US way more developed, diverse, and dynamic than here in France. But the art culture here in France is young and promising– I have a few important connections who are really making strides to elevate the Black art community here in France and that is something I am extremely excited about and to be a part of. It really feels like a movement! In addition, I just love my lifestyle and family here, so I’m very content!

What is your favorite color?

Oh no, this question, ha ha! It’s so difficult to choose. As a child I had seasons of changing my favorite color, and so today I’ve just settled with the conclusion that I like most, but do not appreciate their very bright relatives. You can see this in my work; I don’t necessarily shy away from color, but the colors are not extremely saturated– they are easy on the eyes.

Who is your artistic inspiration?

You know, most of the artists who inspire me are surrealists like Dali, Tanguy, Magritte… I don’t consider myself a surrealist, but it’s the first style that I was ever attracted to. There is a sense of humor –albeit dark sometimes–that I really really like. The storytelling that I see from these artists, with the use of objects, is an element I use as well in my work. There are many late artists who inspire me for different reasons: Basquait for his work ethic, Picasso–not for the person he was–but for his ability to “flip the script” on the traditional art world, Ringgold for her activism. Many living artists today inspire me as well, more as visual inspiration at the moment  as I’ve not gone very deep into their personal stories and careers. Besides professional artists, God and his creation of man inspire me. We are so extremely complex and art is just my way of figuring out and expressing our depths.

One last interview question. Who is an artist that you should know?

Yay, I like this question. I have quite a few that come to mind, but I would have to say Rebecca Archer (@art_attorney) . She’s a lawyer by day and artist by night (and day too, I imagine, ha ha). She uses scraps of textiles of different patterns to make these amazingly vivid collaged portraits–I’d even call them paintings. They are absolutely beautiful, and I think the care she takes to pick out the fabric and decide how to incorporate it into the overall composition is what makes her work extra special to me.

Thank you so much, Angel, for your time and sharing your story with me. Please follow her on IG and Facebook and check out her website: www.angelallenarts.com/