Sun, sea, and the warm contrast of gold against blue shape the visual language of Lise Cléo, a practice rooted in the Mediterranean light of southern France. Working mainly in acrylic, with occasional watercolor and pencil, the paintings carry a dreamlike quality, less illustrations of the world than of thought itself. What began in primary school as the one place true joy and ease could be found has grown into something inseparable from daily life, a practice built not on technical mastery but on genuine emotional connection.

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Can you pinpoint a single moment in your life when you realized art was not just  a passion but your purpose? 

In truth, I’ve been drawing for as long as I’ve been able to hold a pencil, but the real  turning point was in primary school. I remember realizing that while I wasn't very  academic, creating art was the one place where I felt completely in my element and found  true joy. That was the exact moment I knew art wasn't just a hobby it was my purpose.  Today, I simply can't imagine living without it. 

How do you reignite creativity during those inevitable periods of self-doubt or  stagnation? 

I’ve recently been fortunate enough to live by the sea. It brings me a sense of peace during moments of doubt and helps spark my inspiration when I hit a creative slump. 

What do you think is the most meaningful role an artist plays in society today?

For me, it's about bringing a little lightness, magic, and beauty into a world that can  sometimes feel harsh and sad. 

How important is it for viewers to understand the intended message of your  work? Does ambiguity add value, or do you seek clarity in your expression?

While I have my own idea, emotion, or meaning in mind when I paint, I prefer to let  viewers imagine and bring their own interpretation to the piece. I love the idea that my  paintings can resonate with anyone and convey different messages to different people. 

If you could communicate just one core message through your entire body of  work, what would it be? 

Freedom, peace, and love. 

Do you feel a personal connection to your subject matter is essential? How has  this connection shaped your work?  

Personally, I believe having a connection with your painting and feeling genuine emotion  is essential, it really shows in the final piece. As far as I'm concerned, that’s far more  important than technical skill. 

How do you feel social media is shaping the way art is created, consumed, and  valued today? 

I mainly use Instagram to share and sell my work for now. I appreciate the autonomy  social media gives to artists, but unfortunately, it also demands an exhausting pace of  production just to stay in the algorithm's favor. This risks prioritizing visual trends and  quick appeal over artistic depth. On top of that, the public's relationship with art has  shifted due to infinite scrolling. People don't always realize the amount of work that goes  into a single post.

Can art be truly therapeutic? Have you experienced its healing power  personally, or seen it impact others? 

Personally, painting helps reduce my stress because it offers a space of total freedom:  there’s no "success," no "failure," and no judgment (at least, before posting it on social  media!). Creating something out of nothing gives me a real sense of well-being.  Sometimes I go through complex emotions that are hard to put into words. It makes me  truly happy when my art resonates with people, and to feel that a collector didn't just buy  my painting as a simple piece of decor.

To wrap things up, I’d like to share a quote from the painter Henri Matisse that I absolutely  love:  

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." 

 

I adore this thought, and I feel it applies to everything in life… especially art.

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For Lise Cléo, painting remains a space of total freedom, no success, no failure, no judgment, only the quiet satisfaction of creating something out of nothing. Ambiguity is welcomed rather than resolved, each piece left open enough to carry freedom, peace, and love into whoever encounters it, in whatever form resonates most. As Matisse once said, there are always flowers for those who want to see them, a sentiment that captures both the spirit of the work and the hope behind it: that a little lightness and beauty might still find its way into the world.