Addison Art Gallery | On view now | Orleans, MA

Light and Soul

Olivier Suire Verley's impressionist style paintings embody a sense of peace and calm

Olivier Suire Verley, born in La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast of France, has always been surrounded by art. The impressionist style paintings he creates, using oils over an acrylic base, embody a sense of peace and calm, from sailboats on gentle waters to people picking flowers at a local market. The Painting Yard, oil over acrylic base, 39 2/5 x 55"

“I believe I’ve known, since my childhood, that my destiny was to paint. I was brought up on music, painting and books. My grandfather, a painter himself and friend of Marquet, Signac [and] Matisse, nourished us with art and harmony,” says Verley. “I am made of impressionism, inhabited by light and movement. I have an alert eye and soul. I do not reproduce,” he says, “I interpret, the vibrations interest me more than the subject.”The Last Trip, oil over acrylic base, 28 7/10 x 23 3/5"

Addison Art Gallery in Orleans, Massachusetts, is exhibiting his new work now, with a reception on Saturday, August 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. As additional paintings are finished, they will be available to view and reserve.

“Olivier Suire Verley’s paintings appeal to me on many levels. His work captures a pulsating vibrancy in the midst of order and calm. No matter his subject, there is a fluid energy running through all of Verley’s paintings that brings them alive. His palette is always pure, his colors lively with a dash of unexpected brilliance,” says Cynthia Mohr, a collector of the artist’s work. Old Rigs, oil over acrylic base, 17½ x 17½"

Verley finds inspiration nearly everywhere he travels. “One does not come back untouched from such trips,” he says. “They nourish the palette and sharpen the harmonies of colors. I think that’s what you can feel in my latest creations.” The Painting Yard is brimming with vitality, with energetic brushstrokes depicting a scene of tethered boats and bustling workers. Yet, the mood of the piece is still calm, as if the hustle and bustle is welcome, familiar. In The Last Trip, an old abandoned boat lies in a field, likely never to trek the waters again, but filled with years of memories. Colorful Market, oil over acrylic base, 31½ x 31½"