By Allison Malafronte
Monique Chartier, Lisianthus and Larkspur, oil, 24 x 36.
About four years ago, oil painter Monique Chartier began focusing on florals almost exclusively. A lawyer by day, Chartier was becoming a professional artist as well, after spending six years taking workshops and fitting painting into every spare moment she could find.
For Chartier, the reason flowers are her principal subject is simple: “They just evoke so much joy,” she says. “They are a delightful gift to our senses, and they also mark significant events in our lives. They are not only important to people but are also essential to our environment.”
Monique Chartier, Lueur, oil, 8 x 6.
Monique Chartier, Carnation and Eucalyptus, oil, 6 x 6.
This appreciation for nature was instilled in the artist during her youth. “I have wonderful childhood memories of walking around the garden with my father, who loved taking care of the flowers and making our yard look beautiful,” she says. Chartier has a small garden of her own outside her Kansas home, with rose bushes and annuals. She also shops at local florists and nurseries; setting up flower studies or still-life arrangements in her studio gives her flexibility around her full-time work schedule.
Monique Chartier, Azalea and Pothos, oil, 20 x 16.
One of the artist’s favorite challenges is painting white flowers, which forces her to search for subtle, hidden colors. A good example is her 2018 painting AZALEA AND POTHOS, in which Chartier set up a dramatic contrast of light and shadow and then found lovely hints of lavender and pink among the petals. AZALEA AND POTHOS was accepted into several juried exhibitions and won multiple awards. “This was the first painting that saw some traditional success,” she says, “and it was an encouraging sign that I was on the right path.”
Chartier doesn’t anticipate exhausting her options on that path any time soon. “There is endless inspiration in capturing the distinctive shapes and textures of flowers and the way light affects them. I think this will keep me busy for quite some time,” she says. To learn more, visit www.moniquechartier.com.
Monique Chartier, Nature Antique Shades Pansies, oil, 6 x 12.
This article is part of the Welcoming Spring: Floral Paintings to Collect portfolio.