Studio Visit: Aurore de La Morinerie
Renowned French illustrator Aurore de La Morinerie puts her brush to paper for MENU this season, creating a beautiful series of illustrations that showcase some of our most iconic designs. We had the pleasure of speaking to her about her decades-long work as an artist and the elements that influence her.
Where do you live and work?
For the past 20 years I have lived and worked in my studio in eastern Paris.
How long have you been an illustrator? And how did you get into the field?
I’ve been working as an illustrator for the past three decades. The idea of being freelance appealed to me – as well as the many different subjects that can be drawn.
How has your background in fashion design informed your work?
It allows me to always stay curious about the permanent changes in the world of creation and the arts in general.
What is your preferred medium?
Brush, ink and paper.
How would you describe your style?
I search for abstraction, simplification of the line, and movement.
What inspires your work? Where do your ideas come from?
I have always loved Chinese and Japanese art. And, above all, nature.
Briefly describe your artistic process.
I scrutinise what I'm going to draw in order to determine the form: the curve of the silhouette, the details. I look at what is heavy and what is light; the movement…
What do you most like to illustrate?
Everything that is alive – from people and animals to plants and landscapes – but also design objects.
How does drawing interior objects differ from depicting fashion and people?
As objects are most often still, you need to feel and convey their gravity. People are captured [in a moment], much like on a photograph.
What recent projects have you worked on?
I've had various commissions including a flower series, a fly-fishing project, drawing objects from a movie, and am also currently preparing a new series of drawings for an exhibition in Japan.
How important is interior design to you?
It’s very important. This past year, I have felt just how much an interior can be protective and reassuring. The elements and objects used to create our spaces are an eternal source of inspiration and an invitation to work.
And what constitutes great design?
Beautiful material and the balance, elegance and simplicity of a given form.
What objects do you like to surround yourself with?
Tables, chairs and lamps in different sizes and for different purposes. I also view them as decorative objects. My studio is also filled with storage furniture as well as vases and paintings.
