Alix Waline

Decorative painter | Paris, France

Dotty for walls

Alix creates striking murals
Her technique is a modern pointillism
She turns tiny dots into emerging shapes

Alix Waline has chosen a simple idea and takes it seriously. The decorative painter has dedicated herself to her own painting technique of abstract pointillism, where she uses small dots to make large organic shapes. Most often her canvas is walls of private homes or luxury boutiques, and her brush is a felt marker with which she makes her murals composed of many tiny marks. Alix studied History of Art at the Sorbonne and Fine Art at Beaux Arts de Paris, finding her way into the world of art was a little miracle in her eyes. As an adolescent she was more interested in music and never thought she would eventually become an artist. As she had lots of artist friends, she became curious and found herself exploring art, liking it and eventually studying it.

Interview

©Tony Querrec

How did you pursue craft after university?: I had some difficult years working in trend forecasting and as a set designer’s assistant, while I was searching for my path. Eventually I built up the courage to say, it is this or nothing, and I began to develop my own style and worked with interior designers and architects.
Do you master your pointillism technique?: The technique yes, but I love trying new things. It is a slow technique but the creation time allows me to see things and the work evolves in a way that would not be possible with a faster technique. The tactile experience is satisfying.
Do you see yourself as craftswoman?: I view myself as both an artisan and an artist. I don’t consider myself as a contemporary artist, I like decorative arts and I do creative aesthetic research, so I think I am on the border. I use a wide range of artistic references and I am inspired by photography of organic shapes like the ocean, especially the extremes of macro and micro photography.
When is one of your works good in your eyes?: For me, it is about having the shapes emerge and come to life. It is difficult to explain, because it is a feeling. But it is a balance between not too much and not too minimal. I like it when something in the work is undefined, something that leaves you guessing.

Alix Waline is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2001