User:Contemporaryartists/Monika Meunier

Monika Meunier

Monika Meunier (b. May 13,1947) is an internationally recognized and collected artist.

Biography

Monika Meunier was born May 13,1947 in Oran, Africa on the Mediterranean Coast. At the age of two, her family relocated to Paris (France), where Meunier was raised. Growing up, her close family provided her with artistic inspiration seeing that she had aunts and uncles who hailed as musicians, painters and photographers. By studying their works, Meunier was able to discover how to compose deep meaningful paintings that capture nature’s true essence.

In 1957, she and her family settled in Nice, a city located on the French Riviera. Meunier did not enjoy the typical schooling she was receiving so, at the age of 16, she enrolled in the Nice School of Art where she further honed her artistic talents.

After completing her schooling she traveled world-wide, living in the United States (Miami Beach, Florida and Houston, Texas) and Germany (Stuttgart). These cities provided inspiration which led her to experiment in various forms of expressions – greatly enriching her appreciation of art. Meunier expanded her talents into drawing, sculpture, stained glass, antique restoration, etching but her focus remained on painting.

Career

In 1992, Meunier created the Nice Art Association for French painters and held exhibitions involving hundreds of painters in the 1990s. After working with such talented artists, she decided to immerse herself in the artistic adventure and opened her studio in Nice.

Meunier’s works present collectors with idealized versions of the beautiful region which surrounds her studio. Towering amid cypress and olive trees, are the local sights that inspire her constantly. She brings her landscapes to life with scenes - the sun is always shining and the flowers always in bloom. Meunier uses only oil paints and carefully applies them to canvas with her palette knife. She has a distinctive style that presents landscapes in sweeping texture and vibrant colors – rich red earth, the bright violet lavender fields and the calming blue coastal waters. Meunier is particularly inspired by the surrealistic works of Salvador Dalí.

Exhibitions From 1992 - 2010, Meunier has exhibited her work in France (Nice, Paris, Saint Paul de Vence, Monté Carlo, Avignon, Mégève, Cannes, St Remy de Provence, Saint Maxime, Mougins, Saint Jean Cap-Ferrat, Villeneuve-Loubet) and the United States (California, New York).

Awards & Recognition
 * 2008 Jury Member of the Ambassade International d'Art Cannes, France
 * Grand prize & Silver medal from the Mediterranean institute of art Plastique, Nice, France
 * First prize from Art expo French Riviera - Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, France
 * Honored prize from the Fondation Escofier, Villeneuve Loubet, France
 * Honored Prize from Art et Lettre de France First prize From the city of Nice France
 * 1996 - 2008 Member of the Academie of Art Graffic Plastic & Photographic, Nice France