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In today's episode we sat down with Philippe Gandiol, a French-born artist who paints both studio work and plein air in an impressionistic style inspired by both the abstract and realism movements. He discusses his artistic journey, from early exposure to art through his grandfather, to working for the music industry, to eventually transitioning to a full-time painting career later in life. Philippe emphasizes the importance of developing a relationship with his "muse" and listening to the painting itself to guide his creative process. He shares strategies for overcoming the challenges of being a self-employed artist, such as diversifying income streams and leveraging connections through art organizations. Philippe advises aspiring artists to use fear as motivation, maintain a positive mindset, and pursue their passion relentlessly. Finally, Philippe tells us about his upcoming classes and where you can sign up!
Philippe's FASO site:
https://www.philippegandiol.com/
Philippe's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/philippegandiol/
Philippe's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/philippe.gandiol
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Transcript:
Philippe Gandiol: 0:00
The minute the Muse is calling, you have to respond. Just listen to deep into yourself, you know. And then if you listen carefully, it's almost going to be like a voice. So the muse, that voice inside you, I think it's very, important, and it is real. I mean, I'm telling you, just sending me images, it's down. It's whispering. What's important? You gotta keep painting all the time. I mean, every day. And the more you paint, the more, the more that voice in you is loud and clear and caring.
Laura Arango Baier: 0:44
Welcome to the bold brush show where we believe that fortune favors a bold brush. My name is Laura Arango Baier, and I'm your host. For those of you who are new to the podcast, we are a podcast that covers art marketing techniques and all sorts of business tips, specifically to help artists learn to better sell their work. We interview artists at all stages of their careers, as well as others who are in careers tied to the art world, in order to hear their advice and insights. On today's episode, we sat down with Philippe Gandhi o a French born artist who paints both studio work and plein air in an impressionistic style inspired by both the abstract and realism movements. He discusses his artistic journey from early exposure to art through his grandfather, through working for the music industry to eventually transitioning to a full time painting career later in life, Philippe emphasizes the importance of developing relationship with his muse and listening to the painting itself to guide his creative process. He shares strategies for overcoming the challenges of being a self employed artist, such as diversifying income streams and leveraging connections through art organizations. Philippe advises aspiring artists to use fear as motivation, maintain a positive mindset and pursue their passion relentlessly. Finally, Philippe tells us about his upcoming classes and where you can sign up. Welcome Philippe to the BoldBrush show. How are you today?
Philippe Gandiol: 2:01
I'm fine, and I want to thank you very much for inviting me to this show. Yes, of course,
Laura Arango Baier: 2:09
of course. Anytime. I'm very happy to have invited you because your work has this beautiful, impressionistic sort of style that I can tell I see it, and I can tell it's yours. And seeing your paintings on your website, it feels, I don't know. It feels like I'm seeing your personal handwriting when I look at your paintings, and it almost feels like, oh, maybe I shouldn't be looking at this, but it's so beautiful. You know what I mean? Like, it feels very, yeah, it feels intimate. It feels like you're really putting a piece of yourself on your work that is so honest and authentic, and I think that's one of the things that I really love about your work. Well,
Philippe Gandiol: 2:49
thank you very much. Yeah, you're welcome. I really this is as an artist, that's what you have to do. Yeah, exactly,
Laura Arango Baier: 2:58
exactly. But before we dive into more about your work, do you mind telling us a bit about who you are and what you do?
Philippe Gandiol: 3:06
Okay, well, I was born in France. I was born in Paris. My parents were a pharmacist, and they moved to Normandy. Normandy is on the west coast of France, really close to a famous area called Mont Saint Michel, which is kind of a very touristic and that's where my family comes from. So I'm a Norman. I'm a Viking. Anyway, no, I'm not. And then we moved to the royal valley in the center part of France. I went to high school and college in that area. I did some classes in Paris too. And then in my early 20s, I moved to California. And we have some relatives in Canada and Florida, but I didn't stay with them because I wanted to go to California, because it's a cool place. It is. It was, you know, and that's it in a nutshell. That's my life.
Laura Arango Baier: 4:28
Wow. Okay, so you have a lot of, I guess, influence, you know, obviously from, you know, being from France, and obviously, you know, Paris, and studying there, that must have been wonderful because of the amount of art that you have there. I mean, the louver absolutely alone. It's incredible, incredible, one of my favorite museums. Yes, so would you say that you were you always knew you wanted to be an artist, or did you ever, you know, maybe explore other avenues before you said, You know what? This? This art is for me,
Philippe Gandiol: 5:05
I think I always knew it's hard to tell, because when I was a kid my I lived with my parents in Normandy, for example, but spent all my summer vacation in Paris with my grandparents, and I was very attached to them. I had a very close connection to my grandpa, and my grandpa was an art lover. They had painting all over the house. It took me to shows. You know, we went to the museum, we went to the louver, we went to Orsay, we went to different places. And I didn't, not, I was not aware that all this was penetrating my psyche and my my soul. So what he did, he loved to work with wood. So he gave me little pieces of wood, and I start carving them and so forth. And later on, I got really into writing poetry, which I still do. I wrote short stories, and I studied acting, and then I studied art. So I think all this, you know, was a foundation, a nourishment on that level. But at that point, I did not think I would be a full time painter, and because when I came here in California, I had to make money. And so for about a period of time, maybe 1510, 12 years. I worked in a music business, and I still painted on the side. But then I went up the ladder and eventually was in a big position in IT, information technology, because that's part of my personality. I can I do understand computers, I don't know. And I went more into design and then management, and I became a VP, so that was good for the money. And so that's basically, I think art was always in the in the back of my mind. And I keep painting, you know, I had painting in my studio or sold them to my colleague, and, you know? And so it was always there. But at that point, at some point when I was doing that job, and say, and I was around a musician all the time, so, you know, that was very nourishing on the art level. And so at some point it just became obvious that I had to be who I am, which is an artist.
Laura Arango Baier: 8:29
Yes, yes, definitely. And it must have been, I can imagine it must have been a little bit hard for you to also, you know, knowing you had to do great position in the music industry. You know, deciding suddenly you know what? This isn't for me. This isn't like my soul needs something more. It must have been very difficult. Yeah,
Philippe Gandiol: 8:51
it was. But the company was going down, there was lots of politics and influences and and they did a little Enron, I don't know if you remember, but the animal scandal, when the the head of the company start taking money out and everything, and so that helped to make the transition. And to me, in my mind, it was very clear that if I'm going to transition to anything, I'm going to have I'm going to be a painter. But there was no I didn't even look for another job. To my father's dismay, he was shocked, but it is me. I'm a rebel, you know, I left them, I went here, and this is it, yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 9:55
yeah, a man after his own dream, which is very poetic. Yeah, and actually, since you you were a bit in the music industry, and you know, you also, you know, dabbled in writing and poetry and painting, who or what would you say have been your greatest influences in your work?
Philippe Gandiol: 10:19
I think, think Cezanne was very big. I didn't, don't like his personality, but to speak up, in a way, it's kind of a bear, you know, and that's what they call him in France. They call him loose, you know, the bear. And but what I like the combination of realism and abstraction. When you look at the mountains and Victoria and novels painting, there's lots of abstraction. They are beautiful grays. And I love grays. And so that was but many artists you know Van Gogh, yes, because by growing up, I love Van Gogh. We went to, I went to Holland at some point to to go to the Van Gogh Museum. And I was blown away by, wow, yeah. And, and then Daly, because Salvatore, Daly, yeah, Daly's the Surrealism was very intriguing because it just tells a story. And that's when I realized, when I paint, I need to tell a story, and I need to tell kind of my story, I mean at least my interpretation of what I feel and what I see, but it's becoming more and more what I what I feel, how my heart and mind react to a subject or my emotion at the time, you know, and where else I love in the abstract, I Love Rock George Braque very much, because I like his colors scheme, the the tonal quality of his work. And I like Kandinsky too, because I think the guy is brilliant. And then fetching, I love fetching. Man fetching. Anyway, yes, in a nutshell, Edgar pay here in California, because he's a great plein air painter, and I do plenty of studies,
Laura Arango Baier: 12:48
yes, yeah. And actually that that brings up my next question, because I'm very curious, why, why did you settle on your, I guess, on for your main you know work to be plein air. Did you somehow end up doing plein air? Did something lead you into plein air? Or was that always an interest of yours
Philippe Gandiol: 13:13
in my last year in that company, I took some art classes in Sacramento because I live in Davis, California, which is close to Sacramento, with a woman was a plein air painter, and I felt that it would be a good way for me to because before that, let me rephrase. Before that, I was doing lots of studio work. I did some drawing. I was doing drawing classes, you know, drawing the load and so forth. And then when I encounter her, I start this plein air. It was an eye opener, opener for me, and plein air became started. People start talking about plein air, and that reminded me the Impressionist Cezanne Van Gogh, they all do plein air. So I thought, Wow, maybe that's what I need to do to follow the the journey of the impressionists. So that's how it came about. And then one thing led to another. And so when I quit my job and dive into full time painting, I connected with some people around here, and we went out and paint. And I started to see. I mean, the great point about plein air is you paint what you see, but you i. Arrange it in such a fashion, if the tree is not where you want it to be, you just move it on your so you you listen to the painting I tell my student, first you see what catches, what catch your your imagination or your desire, and then it's a conversation between you and what you're going to paint. And then it becomes the conversation of the painting between you and the painting. And eventually the painting is the master. I just listened to the painting, and the painting is telling me, what about a bit of very young green in your blue over there, and maybe a touch of alizarin crimson? And when my student asked me, How do you mix color, I said, I don't know. I'm just, I just, I listen to the painting, but it is true. You know, I really do and plein air really helped me there. And then plein air became huge. Now it's huge. And I don't do as much plein air anymore, but I use it as a study. So I go out, let's say I would go to Norway. I would go out to a fjord, and then do some sketches, a little plein air study, and then I would go to the studio and develop, on a larger scale, the abstract quality of what I saw there, but a photo does is not going to give me the data that I need, because the lens, the computer chip, they have their own mind, And it's not me, it's that tool, and I don't trust it fully. So,
Laura Arango Baier: 17:08
yeah, yeah, yeah. I completely agree with the photography part, especially it's useful as a tool. But I agree it, unfortunately, it gets rid of nuance. It gets rid of accuracy in terms of even the drawing, because even the lens has, you know, a curve to it, so it can make things distort very easily. So yeah, so I totally agree they are useful, of course, but it's good like you do to go out into the field observe, you know, do your plein air sketch. Maybe go back again, but even within days, you know, I've heard some plein air artists say that sometimes, you know, the changes in humidity or the weather can really make a place look entirely different from the first time you experience it. So it can be really challenging. Yeah,
Philippe Gandiol: 18:01
it is what you say exactly. It's it's totally right, especially if you do cityscapes, the distortion is outrageous, you know, so, but I know, so now I can take a photo, and I know it's going to be distorted, yeah, but it's nice for details. And, you know, and plein air is a good way to move you forward, because you get exposed in lots of shows. You do plein air events. People know your name a little bit. I'm not a famous artist by any means, but, but at least you make connections with and you meet some brilliant artists, and it is an inspiration. I'm very honored sometimes to be invited to some of those shows, because I learn a lot,
Laura Arango Baier: 18:59
yeah, yeah. And I find that that's most artists. That's their journey is, no matter what stage they're at, they always learn, or they're always in a like, in a state of learning, which is amazing and wonderful. And it goes to show that it's, it's a passion that keeps on giving, because you think you know something well enough, and then the next time around, you try again, and it's totally different, and you realize how little you actually know. It's very humbling. I know,
Philippe Gandiol: 19:31
yeah, and I think for me, I'm just, I'm just starting, you know, and because I've got so much to learn. I mean, I'm looking at the sergeant painting. I mean, like, wow, you see what I mean? I just, yeah, I mean, all, and I'm like, so much, you know, everything, every stroke is, is, is incredible. But. Learning experience. And you had a question about blocks, you know? Yeah, I don't feel the blocks so much because I feel like I have so much to learn, so I've got to keep painting. I mean, I paint every day. I'm addicted. It's an addiction, you know, it is. And so you just keep going, you know. And if I feel like, you know, I need to move to the next step, I'm just okay. It's eight o'clock. I gotta get up. I'm gonna go to the studio. You take your brush to the stroke on the canvas, and then it's history. Go that stroke guides you to the next one, to the next one, to the next one, and then you do a painting. Yeah, and because I'm not, I don't find my work that great. But what I found fantastic is the the act of painting. That's what I love, and when the painting is done, I don't care. I can sell them. I don't have a favorite painting. Really. My favorite painting is the one I'm gonna do after this interview. You know, it's inspiring to talk to you, so I'm gonna paint, and that's, that's, yeah, that's a key, that's, that's a beauty. That's like, wow,
Laura Arango Baier: 21:36
yeah, yeah. It makes me wonder, because, you know, I I'm always curious to know of how many artists, and usually it's a lot of them face, you know, those creative blocks. Because I find that sometimes it can take so much energy to be inspired all the time. You know, it can. I don't know, like, do you? Do you find that maybe it's easy for you to be inspired to paint.
Philippe Gandiol: 22:04
I don't know if I'm inspired to be honest with you, interesting. I just because I'm an addict, so I have to paint inspired a lot. I mean, I mean some things inspire me sometimes, like, I love the lot, you know, the light, like cram brand, you know, it's a light, okay, so the light hits that person walking down the street in Chicago. Okay, that's inspiring. I want to paint it, by the way. So I take my sketchbook, and then I take a photo, and I leave it, and I go back to the studio, and I remember, because you develop a very strong visual memory, my visual memory is getting stronger and stronger. I'm getting old, but it's still there, and so am I inspired? Yes, I am, but it's my life. I mean, it's, I mean, you hungry, right? Are you inspired to eat? Yeah, you are, and you're gonna eat, and then it feels good. And, yeah, I don't know. I don't know if I answer your question.
Laura Arango Baier: 23:24
I think, I think you did, in a way, because it you're, you know, the way that you are referring to painting it makes it sound, you know, like a almost like a natural thing, right? Like being hungry, like you just said, or going to sleep, or waking up. It's it comes naturally to you, which is awesome, because a lot of us, I find struggle to sometimes get ourselves on the canvas, but it makes me wonder if maybe it's because of fear, in a way. You know, I think a lot of us are so afraid of making a bad painting that we just would rather not paint at all. Sometimes, you know what? I mean?
Philippe Gandiol: 24:05
Oh, no, I do bad painting all the time. I would say seven 70% of my paintings are bad paintings. Maybe I don't know. I don't care. I mean, I'm used to have bad paintings. I'm used to rejection. I get rejected all the time. I get bad painting all the time. Also, it's bad. Well, I just take my sander when it's dry, and resurface it with some gesso and paint over. I'm not that good, that I'm gonna do good paintings all the time.
Laura Arango Baier: 24:43
Oh my god. I love that. I love that. It's very carefree. It's very, you know, I'm gonna paint, it's gonna I'm just gonna enjoy the ride. And I think that's beautiful. I think, Wow, that is, that's very inspiring. Yeah, it's
Philippe Gandiol: 24:58
like going on a date. I'm. Gonna go on a date with this old friends or this gorgeous woman or whatever, you know, and that's it, you know, you're gonna enjoy the moment, and at some point you're gonna say, well, the relationship is not working out. That's it. And have a little bit of add to, you know, kind of OCD and all of that kind of yeah tendency. So I'm like a dog on a bone to have lots of energy. I just Yeah, yeah, lots of energy, yeah. It's yeah, it's okay. Sometimes it's gonna, yeah, it could be hard for other people. So it's, it's a sword with two
Laura Arango Baier: 25:52
Yes, two edges, yeah, yeah, yeah. So when you did make that jump into becoming an artist, a full time artist, what was that like for you? Did you have, maybe, for example, like, money saved up on the side, or were you already prepared in terms of your expenses, say, like, making sure you're not overspending or living below your means. Like, what was that transition like for you?
Philippe Gandiol: 26:25
Well, all of you above first, there was fear. But to me, fear is stimulant. If, God, if I'm fearful, I have to overcome, right? So I'm using the fear as a fuel to push me forward, right? Like it's like a thrust, you know? So you have to, you can redirect your emotion to a direction, you know, especially fear, because fear paralyze so I have two choices, or is it gonna paralyze me, or is it gonna be a thrust, like, you know, like a propeller, it's gonna propels me to do something else? So that was and then I was well paid at the end of my career and my job, because my career is to be an artist. So that was just a job. I paid my house and I put money in saving, I invested my money. I played the stock market and different investments. So it kind of grew when I left, I lost a whole bunch of money, which was extremely fearful for me and some of my colleagues. So I decided don't concentrate on that. Look at what you did. You got your home, you got enough saving. And I say, in three years, I'm gonna make it. And maybe it's my big ego, but I feel like, if I apply myself to something, I'm gonna succeed. I I mean to to my own desire to me to succeed as an artist, not to be a famous National painter. Philip gandio, wow, now it's enough money to pay my bills and and to develop my relationship with the muse, with, you see, because the Muse is very seductive, you know, I've got a interesting relationship. Sometimes we fight, sometimes, but all but we are really, really good friends. You know, we are family. So, so that was Yeah. So I say, I'm gonna make it. What else? What choice do you have? You know, so you have to listen to yourself. I mean, if you feel like you tune yourself and what you're doing is in line with your heart and soul, I would say your chances of success are pretty big. I mean, look what you're doing. You're doing this podcast. You You paint, you talk to all these people, and you live in Norway, you can do it, you know, from wherever you want to be in the world, if, if your husband or partner decide to move and say, Yeah, I can go to Japan and do. The same thing. It's just the technology allows you, yeah, and, and you, seems to me that you, you know it's gonna work. I mean, you know you're gonna be successful.
Laura Arango Baier: 30:15
Yeah, you take a leap. It's truly a leap of faith, of I'm gonna make this work no matter what, which can, like you said, it can be really scary, it can be overwhelming, it can be shocking. I mean, in my case, I moved here with maybe, like 100 bucks in my pocket, and I made it work, yeah, so I totally understand. You know, that fear of, Oh no, what if? What if? What if? It's all of these, what ifs happen? And was I in the best position ever? Not really. I mean, having 100 bucks in your pocket when you move to a new country is really scary. Of course, I had already used part of that money to get myself settled in a place, but I had very little time to figure stuff out, right, which I could withstand, right? Because I'm young enough to be able to also have that touch of, I guess, ambition that sometimes, as we age, you know, we sometimes lose a bit of that ambition because reality sets in a little bit too much. So it can't be too delusional. But I think there is something good to be said about having high expectations and high standards for yourself when you can trust yourself enough that everything's going to be okay. It's really interesting, because I can see that in you as well. You know, with with your work, how you had this, you have this way of living your life, of I am just going to do it like this. I'm going over there, I'm going over there. And I totally relate with that, because that's also how I've, how I've lived my life. And actually, you know, you said something earlier that I'm very curious about, which is your relationship with the muse. How did you, you know, when was the first time you thought about that, about, you know, starting your own relationship with your personal inner muse, and how, how, how has that worked out for you? That's so cool.
Philippe Gandiol: 32:23
That's a good question. I think when I was about maybe 15 years old, I stopped doing mines, you know, like and there's in French. We call it the Piero. I forgot what it is in English. But anyway, and you do those mimes of this young, this individual, and he's, he has a relationship with the moon, and he wants to, he wants to go to the moon and sit on the moon and look at the world and floats and everything. So I did a mime about that on the Adagio of albino, which is very romantic. You know, I don't know if you know it. I was
Laura Arango Baier: 33:15
beautiful.
Philippe Gandiol: 33:17
I'm a very romantic around French. Therefore I'm romantic right now, it's but I am, you know, I just like, I'm a big and, and I think that's the first time I really felt the news, because when I was writing the script of this, it just was something in me that was almost separate from me, but in same time myself that was almost dictating this script and these movements and everything, you know, and I was studying, was doing a bit of acting already, and writing and drawing. So I was drawing the sketching the stage and so forth. So maybe that was the first time I had kind of that little things. And then when I decided to do the jump, I had to establish a relationship with the muse. To me, it's her, you know, it's a because I just love women, you know, and it's a beautiful woman and and I had to to really develop that in order to grow, because I say, I've got to be me. I cannot be judge, you know, Edgar Payne, I cannot be. I'm not going to be John Singer, Sergeant, unfortunately, or or so warrior. Oh, my God, the light and so anyway, I'm going to have to be me, you know, humble me with all my my plus and minus and my failure and my successes. And I need a partner. I. Uh, I need someone to dance with. I need someone to talk to. I need someone to hold my hands and and push me and overcome my fears and dig deeper and and it's so hard, you know, to paint. I mean, it's so hard, you know, it's like people have no idea, you know, they think you have talents. I have no talents. I just work like a like, like a bee, work like a horse, like pulling Exactly. So I think that's that. I think the Muse came from necessity, and then the relationship came, and then the Muse told me, Listen to the painting that was like, brilliant. And then so you step back and you look all my students, when they paint, they paint them right there, you know, just in your how can they see? They don't see the big picture. So you step back and you look at it the museum. Say, step back and look at me. Look how beautiful I am. Look at interesting I am. And so forth. And and then I started listening to the painting that really changed a lot in my work. So the muse, yeah, so long, it's a lot no friends, you know, it's, it's really part of me. I think all of us artists, we all have a muse. We hold an art that don't you? Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 36:45
at BoldBrush, we inspire artists to inspire the world, because creating art creates magic, and the world is currently in desperate need of magic. BoldBrush provides artists with free art, marketing, creativity and business ideas and information. This show is an example. We also offer written resources, articles and a free monthly art contest open to all visual artists. We believe that fortune favors the bold brush, and if you believe that too, sign up completely free@boldbrushshow.com that's BOLDBRUSHshow.com, the BoldBrush show is sponsored by FASO. Now more than ever, it's crucial to have a website when you're an artist, especially if you want to be a professional in your career. Thankfully, with our special link FASO.com/podcast, you can make that come true and also get over 50% off your first year on your artist website. Yes, that's basically the price of 12 lattes in one year, which I think is a really great deal, considering that you get sleek and beautiful website templates that are also mobile friendly, e commerce, print on demand in certain countries, as well as access to our marketing center that has our brand new art marketing calendar. And the art marketing calendar is something that you won't get with our competitor. The art marketing calendar gives you day by day, step by step, guides on what you should be doing today right now in order to get your artwork out there and seen by the right eyes so that you can make more sales this year. So if you want to change your life and actually meet your sales goal this year, then start now by going to our special link, FASO.com/podcast, that's FASO.com forward slash podcast, I would say. So there's always a I think for some people, it might manifest a little bit differently. For me, personally, I just get images in my head. So, so that's where for me it comes from, or maybe also poetry, because I also really love poetry. And you're right, I do. I do, right? Yeah. So I also, I have my little notebook with all of my little poems and little weird thoughts and stuff, excellent. Yeah, yeah. So I relate to you a lot with that. But, yeah, I'm so curious now about you know, how someone could get in touch with that muse, because I find that maybe some of us would benefit from building that relationship, right? Maybe we have that relationship, and the Muse is just waiting for us to do something, right? What? What do you think you could recommend to someone who maybe wants to build a better or a deeper relationship with their muse?
Philippe Gandiol: 39:31
Well, they have to listen. I would say, shut up and listen. You know, kind of just listen to deep into yourself. You know, just be quiet. And as you say, you know, images will emerge because we are visual people, but we write and we do different things too. And so you have to listen to that. It's almost and then. If you listen carefully, it's almost going to be like a voice that, let's say, you know, you need more abstraction in your work, because life is abstract. I mean to me, life is completely abstract. It just little shapes. And the impression is, you know, if you, if you look at my painting from close, just little mark, and then when you step back it go, you put it together with your eyes and your brain and something, and then you see an image. But we all see people see different images of my own work, you know? They say, Oh yeah, that looks like San Francisco. Well, it's New York, you know, or whatever. But they make their own story, you know. And and then so the muse, that voice inside you, I think it's very, very important, and it is real. I mean, I'm telling you, just sending me images. It's down. It's whispering, you know, and sometimes it's loving, sometimes it's you know, what are you doing? Theory, you know what? What is that? You know? And so forth. So I don't know, I would say you have to listen and keep the faith and keep painting. What's important, you gotta keep painting all the time. I mean every day. And the more you paint, the more, the more that voice in you is loud and clear and and and caring, because I think the Muse loves me, sometimes she hates me, but it's me. I love myself. I hate myself. I wish I was a better painter and so forth. And I'm insecure and I'm scared, and, you know, I got through all those emotions, so yeah, you have to nourish you have to nourish it. Yes,
Laura Arango Baier: 42:14
definitely, completely agree. And of course, like you said, you have to nourish it through, you know, doing the work, you know, like being at the studio, painting, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's brilliant. That's great, yeah,
Philippe Gandiol: 42:30
because we all have it. Everybody has, every single person on this planet has a muse, but some people decide to to do art, and some people decide to do nuclear physics or make bread. But I like to cook. I make my own bread. It's like art. Cooking is like making a painting. Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 43:01
it's enjoying every every creative act as well. I mean, obviously the music will always be in every creative aspect, right? Like from what we wear, what we eat, you know, the music we listen to. So that's very interesting in the sense that it there are little clues that maybe the Muse leaves in our everyday life, like the type of music we we like to listen to, and asking ourselves, Hey, why do I like that? Or the type of clothing we like, or the type of movies we like, type of food, yeah, yeah. There's a lot. There's a lot there with the muse. It's
Philippe Gandiol: 43:44
very sad. Yes, you know, it's very so you have to listen very carefully, yes, very carefully. Yes, totally. But if you do, it's like, what if? Yes, Dad, that, Oh, why don't you try it? Okay? Then you Oh, and that takes you somewhere else. Then it comes back again and say, Okay, now that you do that about,
Laura Arango Baier: 44:22
really,
Philippe Gandiol: 44:29
it's very subtle. It
Laura Arango Baier: 44:31
is. It's very subtle. It's very subtle, which is why you know your your advice of being quiet and just listening is such a it's so great because it's true, it's allowing this voice to have the space and the in the silence, to be able to be heard. Because I think also our everyday lives are so busy and loud and, you know, energized, and there's so much going on that it can be very difficult to even have a. Moment of silence like that, you know. So it's very great advice, very good advice.
Philippe Gandiol: 45:07
Thank you. You're welcome. Yeah, works for me. I mean, we're all different, you know. But the US is very busy. When I go back to France and Europe, things slow down here, people, you know, they're going, you know, 200 miles an hour. You know, in I'm sure, no way is much more. It's brighter, it's more sore. Yeah, you're going 55 and you can look at the landscape here, which is,
Laura Arango Baier: 45:43
yeah, yeah. Here it feels sometimes like 15 miles an hour, which is really funny. It's extra slow. It's cruising. We're cruising, um, yeah, um, and uh, just to go back a little bit into the business side of painting, when you did jump into the career full time, did you find that you wanted to diversify your income? Of it as an artist, you know, maybe sell paintings and teach, because I did see that you do quite a bit of teaching. Did you decide to diversify? Or was that something that just naturally happened for you to diversify your income.
Philippe Gandiol: 46:26
I had to diversify. I didn't feel at first, you know, because I wanted to do teaching. So I did some consultant. I was a consultant for the company. I left or, you know, so you know, and, and so that happens in the first three years. You know, I did a few gigs here and there, but I was definitely a full time painter. That was my I was an artist. This is it, you know, I'm just doing that on the side. I invested my money carefully and and I start as soon as possible to do kind of workshops. But I felt I was not up to that yet. But, you know, just putting the foundation. And then very quickly, I start teaching, because I feel that when you teach, you learn. I mean by teaching, I'm learning so much. I mean, my students give me so much they have. I don't know if they have any idea how much, but I'm getting lots of ideas just by watching them, you know, listening to them and so forth. So I did that, and and then I started doing the workshop, which is really the best money you can do. And, and then i i stopped painting, selling my work as soon as possible, really cheap. I was sending my painting on frame, 100 bucks or $50 take it, you know. But, you know, it adds up. Every little bit adds up and and eventually it was enough to to create an income I have because, you know, I did it so I'd be careful to invest my money. I played the market and I, I know it's not for everybody, but it worked for me. And I went even into the what you call it, you know, the the digital money, the Bitcoins, yeah, so I did bitcoins here and there, for example. And then I'm watching it very closely the minute I can feel the trend. I'm selling, buying low, selling things. But that it came of my responsibility as a VP of it, or management, where you have, you know, over 100 people working for me, it's a lot of people, so you have to manage budget. So that helped me, actually, in that respect. So it's not for everybody, lots of artists, you know, it's hard, and I do have that edge that allows me to do it. But my advice would be, once you secure enough, start teaching, and you're not going to make a great income, but it's you're going to learn, you're going to grow, and then do your workshops, and sometimes you later gig on the side, do. Commissions, and it's hard because they people have their picture in their mind and it's but I don't feel like I'm compromising myself. You know, they want a painting which is not really in the style of how I paid, but hey, you know, here comes 10 grand, you know, or$5,000 or even $1,000 but that helps you see, so you have to, I don't call it compromising. Philip sometimes people say, Philippe, you know, you're really compromising. This is not the way you paint. So, yeah, but those people are happy and make money and try to have a good relationship with them,
Laura Arango Baier: 50:54
yeah, yeah. These are all very good points, because, you know, I know a lot of artists, for example, who they'll do portraits, like you said, or they'll even do pet portraits, and it's usually quite low budget for a lot of people to be able to do that, and they do it, and that helps them get started, right? So it's, it's okay to, you know, do tasks like that, because it means, hey, you know what? I'm getting some money on the side while I start building, you know my my prestige with my real work. Yeah, and you do work with galleries too. So how long? How long did it take for you to decide to approach a gallery when you know you you finally got your paintings going?
Philippe Gandiol: 51:39
To be honest with you, have a really hard time because I feel that. I do feel that I'm insecure about my work too. I have lots of insecurity. And when you approach gallery, you get rejected a lot. They say, you know, oh well, you come back. And then at first to they sell, they start selling your painting. Then they say, why don't you do more entry ways or whatever you know, or more, I want your painting to be happier, you know, and so forth. So, once again. You know it's like a fine line, and sometimes you just, I just give up, you just give up. So I'm not really, and I'm scared to go to Gallery. I'm like, I'm just totally scared. So I go in there. Okay, here's my website, Faso website, of course, the best and, and which is I've been with other been with Faso for a long time, and, but anyway. And then eventually, you know, they like but then suddenly they stop selling, and you have to keep the relationship with them, and I'm not very good at that. And my advice to people is say, please be consistent. Yeah, keep you know, keep nurturing the relationship. If they see you often, or you talk to them, or you do visual zoom session or whatever, which is really a good way, because you can show the work, and you can talk to them and so forth. That's really, really important. I need to do more of that. And COVID was really bad, because that's I was in four galleries. Now I'm only two galleries because, I mean, I was kind of four and a half, three, three galleries just stop, or they only, they reduce their staff and everything. So now they only have, like, you know, 10 artists instead of 20. And I was not part of the 10, and they said, ciao, ciao. And you don't have to live with that so, but I think it's but the I think the market is changing, and I think direct sales are growing, and to have a good website is very important to develop your your selling skills is very important. If you can, if I could afford an agent, I would have an agent, because I really don't want to have to deal with selling. Really, it doesn't feel right, and it's like, and you have to say, I am really good, and I don't feel that way. Just don't so it's very hard. Yeah, so, but you have, I think social media takes a lot of time that's important. You know, Instagram, Facebook, podcast, you know, sit when someone asks you to be. Cannot say yes, even though it's hard. Oil and belong to different organizations, like a California art club, oil painters of America, American impressionist society, eventually. Now I'm a signature member, because I've been there for a while. So you get more status, then you get more invitation to go to the Laguna plein air, or different things. It's all tied up. I know my weakness is gallery, but I feel at the same times gallery used to do more just between you and I. I mean, I love galleries, but it's changing. And the website I'm using, you know, they they really pushing you to sell directly. So it's an opportunity. I mean, you are a wonderful opportunity for me, too, and everything, every, every legal thing counts, yes,
Laura Arango Baier: 56:08
yes, I completely agree. Yeah, it's a it's a shame that you know, the galleries you know have come to this point of being so limited. Because I agree, you know, working with a gallery is very convenient for a lot of artists, very great for a lot of artists, but it's not always accessible to the majority of artists. So yeah, I agree that, you know, social media, having a great website, those are all very important things, especially a website where you can sell direct, which is one of the things that is really great about the Faso websites. And, yeah, I it's, and it's great that you're, you're so honest and transparent about how you feel that, oh, my weakness is galleries, because that's something else that's so important, you know, for for other artists to really notice is, What are my weaknesses? Where are my strong points? How can I play with these two things so that I can make everything work? And I particularly love that you also mentioned, you know, painting societies and being part of groups. Because, again, like you said, more opportunities, you know, just putting your name out there trying every little thing can be useful in the long term. Yeah,
Philippe Gandiol: 57:26
yeah, yeah. And plus, you know, I work alone. I mean, most of the time, that was a huge change to go back to the transition I used to work with lots of people, and suddenly it's me, myself and I with the muse. That's where the muse was even more important. I mean, at least have someone else with me. Studio, you see me, but often you alone, you know. And so it's important to belong to different groups and the plein air was another thing, you know, yeah, and I do feel more comfortable in my studio, you know, I feel like in My cocoon, and it's like, you know, yes, but that you have to get yourself out one way or another,
Laura Arango Baier: 58:29
either virtually or in person. I mean, it's it's really important. Yeah,
Philippe Gandiol: 58:34
yeah, it's key. Yeah, go
Laura Arango Baier: 58:38
ahead. Yeah. Do you have any final advice for someone who wants to make the jump into becoming a full time artist?
Philippe Gandiol: 58:48
If you are an artist, you don't have a choice. You gotta do it. Number one. I mean, this is it. This is your life. You know, this is you have to live your dreams. You have to otherwise, you know you're gonna miss out so much. And so my advice is use your fear as a fuel. Um, you paint more than ever, be very open with your partners or whatever. So you need the support of your family. It's very hard if you don't, because then the choice is, I'm breaking up or I'm not doing it. I'm gonna see something horrible. But I think if you're really an artist, you have to break up, you have to do it Amen. And eventually they. A rally, but might be difficult at first, and then you need to maybe keep a side job on the side that doesn't take you too much time, but like consulting or something, you know, if you're a gardener or, I don't know, keep doing People's Garden, fix something and but in the same time paint, because, you know, the main forest is painting. So instead of doing 70% that job and 30% painting, you do the opposite 70% of the time. It's totally you building up your your work and your and your career, because it is a career and and then, and then you do that on the side, another thing to don't wait. I mean, I became a fault. I mean, I really, when I was in my 30s working, I were thinking, I need to be a fault. I already were thinking about it. I mean, it's okay. I know some artists, you know, in their 60 they retire and decide to paint, but the soonest you do it, the better off you are, because it's very hard. It takes a lot. I mean, for me, I'm a slow learner. No, I understand quickly. If you explained to me for a long time that kind of you know? So I would say, the minute the Muse is calling, you have to respond, and you will find, you will find a way to make it work. I don't know if that's very pragmatic, but that's what I did, yeah, and it worked for me. And and think, always think it's gonna I'm gonna make it. I am going to be successful, because it is me, you know, I'm giving it all
Laura Arango Baier: 1:02:07
beautiful, yeah, no, and it's funny because you say it's not pragmatic, but I mean, in the first place, it's not a very pragmatic career, um, so I feel like, You know, there's really no rules in that sense. Yeah, it's a kind of a crazy, crazy career to have, when you really think about it, but it's so much fun. Yeah, yeah, by the way, do you have any upcoming workshops or courses or shows that you'd like to promote.
Philippe Gandiol: 1:02:42
I don't. I need to take care of that. I'm thinking doing your workshop in Italy maybe, but I'm in negotiation, and it's nothing you said. I just had a solo show here in Davis, like a big show, and I didn't sell as many painting as I was hoping, of course, but it's all right. And I don't have got classes, and I'm gonna do small local workshops. So I do my classes all the time. So I'm finishing the my last class gonna be in a couple of days, and then I'm taking the Christmas break, then I'm going to Australia to visit some friends, and I'm going to be there for three weeks. I'm going with my wife, and she's going to stay longer, and I'm going to paint and gouache, because it's easier to carry. Yeah, and and then I'm going to take my class again, so February, March, April, and then I'm going to do some two days workshops, one or two days like that, locally, not nationally. So once again, you know, I It's hard for me to set up those workshops, you know, in advance and talk, but if I don't do it, you should do it, because workshops are the best way to to make money and it's exciting, yeah and yeah, and you meet, you connect with people once again. You get out of your shell. You get out of the cocoon. You go outside.
Laura Arango Baier: 1:04:37
Yes, exactly, exactly. And if somebody wants to take classes with you, where can they sign up?
Philippe Gandiol: 1:04:47
They want to take class with me, they can go to my website, keepgandial.com, look under classes and they can see my schedule. They. They contact me directly. I don't have a link from there because I like to talk to the person to see my classes. I don't do real beginners anymore, so it's more intermediate. It's too hard to do beginners and intermediate advance in the same class. So I would do and I'm gonna do weekend or Saturday or Sundays painting session and all that's gonna be on my website, which I'm gonna I'm going to update before Christmas, and I'm gonna be gone for three weeks, starting starting mid January, I'll be back early February, so, so the classes will start out of that. I'm not gonna do classes around the holidays because everybody's busy.
Laura Arango Baier: 1:06:00
Yeah, that's very true. It's very true. There are seasons for those things as well. But yeah, and then, what is your social media?
Philippe Gandiol: 1:06:11
Social media? So I'm on Facebook, and it's my name. Mostly, I'm on Instagram, of course, and I don't, I send a newsletter. So you can go on my website and subscribe to my newsletter. I send it every month. I mean, I'm trying to almost every month and and I, once in a while, I do some podcast or, like, say, oil painters of America want me to publish something. And so if that's the case, I would advertise it on my social media. I would put a painting and on Facebook or Instagram and say, okay, by the way, blah, blah, blah, blah, I would do that, and I would put that on my website too. I try to update my website as much as possible. And so if you look at the website, you you'll see what what I'm doing,
Laura Arango Baier: 1:07:20
and then I will include all of your links in the show notes, so that people can go check out your beautiful and if you
Philippe Gandiol: 1:07:26
need, if you need for me to send you the link exactly, I can do that
Laura Arango Baier: 1:07:31
after sure conversation. Perfect. Well, thank you so much, Philippe, for your very wonderful, candid, transparent advice. I think I'm definitely gonna sit alone and listen to my news for a good long while.
Philippe Gandiol: 1:07:49
Well, thank you so much, Laura. Wonderful meeting you again. Thank you again for this interview. Of course, I really appreciated it.
Laura Arango Baier: 1:07:59
Yeah, me too.
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