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Marcelle La Cour's art is a blend of surreal and imaginary realism: compositions that merge still life into city scenes or into evocative landscapes that rouse one's sense of beauty as well as fun and intellect; often her work has subtle messages that one discovers in the placement of certain object...

Marcelle La Cour's art is a blend of surreal and imaginary realism: compositions that merge still life into city scenes or into evocative landscapes that rouse one's sense of beauty as well as fun and intellect; often her work has subtle messages that one discovers in the placement of certain objects or half-hidden elements. Marcelle is fond of adding an amusing twist, a visual deception or an extraordinary detail that provokes another look.

Growing up in a family of dancers, painters and free-thinkers, Marcelle's non-traditional background opened her up to in an inner life where imagination and deep-set inspirations matured, now revealing an artist who feels she must apply her intellect and passion to her art. In a culture she sees too much driven by commercial values, Marcelle moved in the opposite direction toward qualities she fears we are losing: integrity, meaning, beauty and joy, and she imbues much of her work with these concepts. This, along with her experience in the fields of music and dance, led to the development of her signature artistic theme: the rhythm and dance of light illuminating objects and spaces so as to bring them to life in glowing, translucent hues that enhance message and significance in each work.

"What I paint is what I feel, using my brush to stroke into life enchanted vistas that take one on unexpected journeys of moment and meaning or simple delight."

At age 15 Marcelle won her first art competition and was awarded a trip to Paris. Afterward she studied under two master artists. Feeling the need to expand on this knowledge, she developed a singular method that allows her to actualize the images in her mind, and without the use of toxic solvents. The use of a special medium refines her process, resulting in a singular technique and style. Employing light as the means of illuminating form and color in meticulously worked compositions, she transfers these in charcoal onto canvas, over which a layer of lead white paint is applied in thin layers and textured strokes to create a subtle three-dimensional effect. After the canvas has been set aside to dry for some time, she paints in more opaque colors and then applies numerous layers of glazes, tints and scrubbed-in color until her brushes are worn down to nearly nothing. The contrasting interplay of textured brush strokes and smooth glazes gives her work an extraordinary quality that transcends conventional painting in its visual impact.

Marcelle's newest ongoing series of work, Paris in Another Light, represents a highly refined stage of the technique she has been developing for years. These paintings are meant to convey the impression or the essence of Paris that resides in one's emotions, rather than to portray a realistic view of the city. The use of light and color in Marcelle's paintings seduce one into a dimension where mood and the pleasure of the senses comingle effortlessly with message. Her style transcends the viewer to another plane of heightened reality and intensified emotion.