"When people ask me if I am an artist, I usually pause before answering. And the reason why is because, deep down, I believe that most of us are artists. Art, to me, is the ability to tune in, see beauty, and express it in a memorable way. I'm not talking about "beauty" in the traditional sense of the word. I'm talking about the recognition of what truly moves us as human beings. Artists are simply those people who find a way to capture this feeling and evoke it in others.

My early influences were places, not people. Born in Paris, I was surrounded by art. At 17, wanting to explore other cultures, I moved to Rome, alone, where my artist's journey began, creating posters for the Roman theater and working in a graphic design studio. From there, I traveled the world, then moved to New York City, started my own graphic design studio, and learned how to communicate a message that captured both attention and feeling.

Always, I was self-taught. It was feeling and fascination that were my teachers, not professors. It was only when I moved to Woodstock, New York -- pregnant with my first child -- that my artistic sensibilities fully opened up. I began with portraits, moved on to landscapes, then mosaics, oil pastels, photography, and now, 25 years later, digital painting.

Living in San Miguel de Allende has opened up my artistic palette to a whole new level. My first creations here were oil portraits of the people I encountered on my walks -- flower vendors, abuelas, and musicians -- people most tourists take for granted. And then one day, 16 years ago, sitting in a park, I heard, off in the distance, I heard the enchanting sound of drums, bells, and shakers. I looked up and was astonished at what I saw -- hundreds of dancers, dressed in outrageous costumes, walking in my direction.

These indigenous dancers were enacting a sacred tradition that had been going on for hundreds of years in Mexico. I photographed as many of them as I could -- not as a tourist taking pictures, but as a visual artist attempting to amplify beauty. These people inspired me -- the way they moved, what they stood for, their nobility, creativity, and commitment. Stunned by what they evoked in me, I kept searching for new ways to more fully express what I was seeing -- a way that would enable others to pause, reflect, and appreciate what these dancers were all about.

After a lot of experimentation, I realized, with my digital art, that I could amplify the moment, making more accessible, to others, the spirit and beauty of these amazing people.

As an artist, I am on a lifelong quest to find my voice -- what I have to say and how I want to say it. It's this voice I care about, true meaning, not art trends and style. And while I may never be as well-known as two of my earliest influences, Vermeer and Sargent, I trust that I will continue discovering my voice and the ever-changing forms of its expression, here in the beautiful town San Miguel."

Evelyne's digital art
Evelyne's pet portraits
Evelyne's people portraits
Evelyne's equine portraits

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