Juliette Guilloteau

Year of birth: 1995.
Where do you live: Brussels, Belgium.
Website | Instagram

Could you tell us about the inspiration behind your paintings “Bathroom Pink” and “Overalls by the Oak”? 

Some of my fondest memories were created with my family, and some of the earliest ones come from moments at my grandparents’ house in the west of France. Each room in the house had its own personality, and so did my grandparents. I was very young when they passed away, so the image of them that I keep was formed when I was 8 years old. I’m almost thirty and only now am I trying to go through the grief that I didn’t have the resources to process back then. These two paintings are part of that process — honoring their memory in the best way that I can. 

Your artist statement speaks of vivid memories of your grandparents. How do these memories shape your artistic process and choice of colors? 

Writing is an important part of my creative process. I use it to relive moments, have memories come up to the surface and explore the emotions that they bring with them. I spent a while writing about family gatherings, memories with them, how I remembered them and their environment. A lot of those memories took on a different dimension now, compared to back then. 

I remember my grandmother as a very soft-spoken, strong woman, one who would always have chocolate mousse ready for us when we arrived. The strongest image I have of her is watching her in the pink bathroom, getting ready. This entire scene inspired “Bathroom Pink’ — it’s deeper than a simple pink, it has layers, just as my grandmother did. I wanted to try and communicate that depth, and her energy, with a soft pink and deeper purples, paired with bursts of more vibrant colors. 

My grandfather was the center figure at the table, but the man I remember also helped me learn how to read, loved peanuts and always wore the same green jumper. He strolled around the garden with his cane, pipe in the other hand. “Overalls by the Oak” is the version of him that I drew inspiration from. He was a complex character, undoubtedly loving, unforgivably dark as the woods. 

Juliette Guilloteau | Bathroom Pink + Overalls by the oak | 2024

You mention that the subjectivity of grief makes shared understanding challenging. How does this influence the themes you explore in your work? 

When I say that I’m revisiting my grief, this is an experience that no one will completely understand — others might relate, but it is a deeply personal and visceral emotion that, although universal, remains subjective. Everything in my work comes from that subjectivity of experiences. I’m not looking to recreate everyone’s feelings, I trust my instinct to guide me in exploring what matters and inspires me. 

As a self-taught artist, what challenges have you faced in developing your artistic voice, and how have you overcome them? 

The main challenge, one that I imagine shall stick for a while, is building up that confidence that my art has a right to belong out in the world, and not putting on a pedestal the artists that went to art school or come from an artistic background. I have reached out to artists that I know, to ask for advice, for their opinions. It has really forced me to put myself and my art out there and step outside my comfort zone, which is valuable everyday. Books and the Internet are brilliant resources, but actually practicing, trying out new things, new media, new techniques is the one way that has helped me find my own voice and create my own artistic universe. And ultimately, no one really cares that much, so why not go for it?

Juliette Guilloteau | Bathroom Pink | 2024

Your work is influenced by abstract expressionists. Are there any specific artists or styles that have particularly impacted you? 

Amongst others, Joan Mitchell, Mary Abbott, Grace Hartigan, Allison James, Francesca Mollett, Daisy Parris. 

How do you hope viewers will connect with or interpret “Bathroom Pink” and “Overalls by the Oak”?

If they connect at all with the stories behind them, or the images themselves, that will be the victory. Each interpretation will be subjective, which is all I strive for — for the viewers to appreciate art in their own way.

Juliette Guilloteau | Overalls by the oak | 2024