Bernard Oulie

Influenced by the avant-garde movements that flourished throughout France in the early twentieth century, namely the work of Post-Impressionists Henri Matisse, Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin, Bernard Oulié followed a unique path in search of individual style and artistic achievement. Just as Cézanne sought "a harmony parallel to Nature,” Oulié’s work reflects a lifelong pursuit of authentic emotional and artistic expression using pure colors and simple forms.

Oulié is well known for his stylistic experimentations, integrating themes and techniques of fauvism, expressionism and other modernist movements. His paintings are defined by their brilliant colors, bold shapes, spontaneous brushwork and their emotional and expressive qualities. His vast oeuvre, spanning three decades, is comprised of landscape, still life, studio interiors, and figurative subjects.

Early Career

Born in Bordeaux, France in 1943, Bernard Oulié spent much of his youth cultivating a passion for the arts, exploring the natural world, discovering beauty in the colors, forms and wonders of the local landscape. As a young man intent on a career as a professional artist, he briefly attended the School of Fine Arts at Algiers, but upon the urging of his family, returned to France to complete his education at the University of Bordeaux. Upon graduation, Oulié embarked on a career in wine making, a complex and delicate craft emblematic of the French port city.

Although he enjoyed a long and successful career in the Bordeaux wine industry, Oulié’s passion for art never waned. In 1982, at the age of 40, Bernard Oulié turned his attention exclusively to painting. Leaving Bordeaux behind, Oulié travelled the world, persistently searching for inspiring destinations where he could live and paint.

A Frenchman in Florida

Forever inspired by the clarity of light and the vibrant colors of his homeland, Oulié sought destinations that resonated with the striking scenery of Provencal France. Captivated by the simplicity and beauty of the remote Florida Keys and surrounding landscapes he moved to south Florida in 1994. During this period, Oulié explored the expressive potential of color, experimenting with subtle variations of tone and form, layering constructive brushstrokes to create dimension on the canvas. Employing varying styles and techniques Oulié produced paintings that celebrated local Florida imagery, depicting a range of subjects featuring natural landscapes, seascapes, historic architecture and local customs.

Fulfilling a life and career that parallels that of avant-garde French artist Paul Gauguin, Bernard Oulié mostly resides on a secluded island off the coast of Belize in a remote region of the Western Caribbean. Undisturbed by modern conventions, he has the freedom to live and paint in an environment of pristine originality and natural wonder.

Exhibitions

1976 - Bordeaux, France Burdigala Gallery
1978 - Paris, France Gallerie d'Anjou
1983 - Montreal, Canada Guy Favreau Center
1987 - Montreal, Canada Bancusi Center
1989 - Montreal, Canada Troisieme Vague Galley
1990 - Montreal, Canada Randez Gallery - Exhibition
1991 - Montreal, Canada Revolution Gallery - Exhibition
1992 - Geneva, Switzerland Galerie du Theatre - Permanent collection
1992 - Montreal, Canada Galerie de L'Isle - Permanent collection
1993 - Key West, USA Kennedy Gallery - Permanen collection
1994 - Boca-Raton, USA Caesarean Gallery
1995 - Miami, USA Kennedy Gallery - Exhibition
1996 - New York, USA Agora Gallery
1996 - Delray Beach, USA Artcetera Gallery
1996 - California, USA Selected amongst the "Top 100 Intn'l Artists"
1997 - San Diego, USA La Jolla Gallery
1997 - Boca-Raton, USA Mihalis Gallery - Permanent collection
1998 - Geneva, Switzerland Galerie de la Cite - Permanent collection
1999 - Boca-Raton, USA Alexander Gallery - Permanent collection
2000 - Hollywood, USA West End Gallery - Exhibition
2000 - Guadalajara, Mexico Galeria Vertice - Permanent collection
2000 - Aguascalientes, Mexico Museum Cerro de Torreon - Exhibit
2000 - Irapuato, Mexico Museum de la Ciudad - Exhibit
2000 - Guanajuato, Mexico Museum Diego Riviera - Exhibit
2000 - W. Palm Beach, FL, USA Ambassador Gallery - Permanent collection
2000 - New York, USA Ambassador Gallery - Permanent collection
2000 - London, UK The Bruton Gallery - Permanent collection
2002 - Bath, UK First Sight Gallery - Permanent collection
2002 - St. Simons Isl., GA, USA Left Bank Art Gallery - Permanent collection
2003 - Palm Beach, FL, USA Mar-a-Lago - Exhibition
2003 - Florence, Italy Biennale Internazionale - Exhibition
2004 - Mediterranean Sea P&O Cruises - Artist in Residence
2005 - Central & South America Radisson Cruises - Artist in Residence
2006 - Eastern & Western Caribbean Norwegian Pearl – Onboard Gallery Exhibit
2007 - Los Angeles, CA USA Beverly Wilshire Hotel - Exclusive Art Connoisseurs Exhibit
2008 - New York, NY USA Sofitel NY - Exclusive Art Connoisseurs Exhibit
2009 - Mexican Riviera Disney Cruise Line - Artist in Residence
2010 - Northern Europe & Baltic Sea Azamara Club Cruises - Onboard Gallery Exhibit
2011 - Fort Lauderdale, FL USA Ritz Carlton Hotel - Exclusive Art Connoisseurs Exhibit
2012 - Coral Gables, FL USA ArtRageous Gallery - Exhibit

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