Artist Statement:
Josephine Tournier Ingram creates abstract paintings primarily in acrylic on large gallery-wrapped canvases, as well as Japanese watercolors with graphite on paper.
Josephine is deeply inspired by the vivid colors and textures she sees in the nature and landscapes of Santa Barbara, California, where she resides. Josephine is continually drawn to the ocean as well as the Rocky Mountains where she grew up. Her art is also influenced by the places her family lives (such as Hawaii, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, and New York City). The sparkling lights and textures of these cities, along with the mountain peaks in all of nature's glorious seasons, and the tides of the seas move her to create her art.
Some of the textures found in her paintings have been built over the last twenty years by slowly layering over her older paintings that were originally in different styles. This resulted in a meditative practice of self-discovery. Layers of passion, experiences, and memories.
When she was a child, Josephine watched her father (a culinary French chef and restaurant owner) go blind due to a genetic degenerative eye disease called Choroideremia. She learned through this painful process that vision is a privilege and a gift not to take for granted. That led her to a lifetime of deep appreciation of every single moment of sight and visual inspiration.
Music also plays a part in her creative process. Josephine grew up studying and practicing dance (classical ballet, contemporary, and hip hop). For her, dance and painting are meditation in motion. She feels focused flow creating art while listening to the rhythm of the music.
Josephine has also created commissioned paintings for art buyers and collectors. Her method is to create a few variations for clients to choose from. This allows for a low-pressure collaborative journey. The clients choose their personal favorite painting, and Josephine keeps the remaining pieces to showcase in gallery exhibits or sell on her website. One of her recent clients commissioned her to create a painting for their Montecito estate, and when she presented the series to choose from, they decided to purchase all four paintings in the series to display in their beautiful home. She has had clients purchase multiple art pieces to display in a cohesive art collection in their homes and businesses.
All of Josephine's available paintings to purchase are also listed on this website and can be shipped to most cities and countries.
Art buyers and collectors can also schedule an appointment to see some of her paintings in her art studio located in Santa Barbara, CA. All are encouraged to follow Josephine on Instagram to learn about upcoming shows and exhibits.
“The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live.”- Auguste Rodin