SAVE OUR SOULS {2005} | " This is my favorite...it’s quite hard to believe I made it. This is a piece telling how I have learned that you can’t help others if you haven’t been helped before. I knew I wasn’t the savior people thought I was. " |
I first discovered Cyril Rolando's work in 2013 while browsing DeviantArt a few years back and fell in love with his use of bold colors, motion, and symbolic subject matter. I had the privilege of interviewing Cyril recently about his art and creative process.
| JON: Can you describe your studio? CYRIL: I draw at work in my office, in between breaks with patients and during my lunch. It's peaceful; there aren’t a lot of pictures, but a lot of natural light. I really like to work in a quiet place, with inspiring music...On weekends, I split my time with my wife and my graphic tablet! |
SWEET VERTIGO {2014}
HEART OF A PIRATE {2014}
| JON: Can you take us through your creative process? CYRIL: Most of the time, I get my ideas when I am driving home after work. As a psychologist, I listen to a lot of people express a lot of emotions…art is my outlet. I used to work one hour and stop and do something else. Then I come back to my artwork with a different mood. I often continue to draw in my dreams.When I make a lot of clouds or…grass…anything, I keep on making clouds and grass in my mind. It's like the activity was persevering in my head. JON: Once you have that initial idea, how long does it take you to complete it? CYRIL: I need two or three weeks. Most of the time, I start something and I delete it, because, at that initial moment of creation it was important, but not the result. If an art piece tells me to keep going, I try to go further. 12-15 hours later, the work is complete. |
TROUBLES {2015}
| JON: It seems that many of your patients inspire you then. Are they the main source of ideas for you? CYRIL: Yes. I have a lot of patients and I work as an expert for court proceedings. I help to understand the needs of a foster child, an alcoholic mother, or the mind of a rapist...Art and psychology are constantly interacting. I need art as an outlet to my heavy working days and I need psychology to think up my art and tell something. I often ask my patients to draw. It’s a nice way to interact with them, if they lack the words. FOLLOW OUR RULES {2013} |
MISSED DEADLINES {2013}
| JON: In addition to style, subject matter seems very important. I notice lots of water imagery, animals, time-keeping devices like clocks, watches, and hourglasses, as well as candles, wings, and dancing. Could you explain your selections? CYRIL: I think I am obsessed with these objects because they are pieces of a real Poetry for me. I am really connected with the notions of running out of time, the dangerous but fascinating qualities of water, the frail but powerful candlelight…I like the contrast of life and death...I don’t really know to describe my style. Moreover I've been in the mood to change my mind- to break my own rules... I used to say my art can be described as'otherworldly' but I am not sure that's still the case. JON: What books or artists have affected you and shaped your work? CYRIL: I used to say Tim Burton and Hayao Miyazaki’s universes affected a lot my imagination. But, there is a book I read when I was 14, L’écume des jours, (The Foam of the Daze) from Boris Vian, which had a strong impact on my way of thinking about love, story, the absurdity of the world, the beauty of emotions and the power of imagination. I like how absurd worlds can help us to understand our own reality. |
 INK OF BLACK THOUGHTS |  THE PIANOQUARIUM |
| JON: What’s your favorite color? Why? CYRIL: Such a hard question! I should say cerulean blue. I like the way you don’t know what is the real color. Blue? Green? It's ambiguous, and changes all the time due to the mood, the light or your feeling. JON: Have you ever been apprehensive about sharing your work? If so with whom and how did you overcome it? CYRIL: I am an anxious person, so I still have a lot of apprehension before publishing an artwork. Year after year, this feeling hasn’t changed and I am still quite critical about my artworks. JON: What's next for Cyril? CYRIL: Just enjoying the art. LIFE IS NOW {2014} |
| You can follow Cyril's work on his Deviant Art profile. He offers tutorials and behind-the-scenes videos on his Facebook page. If you want to support his work or purchase a stunning print, check out his blog shop here. |
