Gérard Isirdi was born in Aubagne in 1950, the eleventh of twelve children in a family of Italian origin.

He spent his childhood in the village of Roquevaire to the South of Aix-en-Provence.

Bathed in the atmosphere of Cézanne’s landscapes, he lived a childhood that any painter would dream of.

The large family lived in a village house overlooking a magnificent square lined with century-old plane trees.

Every Sunday in summer, its terraces were populated with pétanque* players. The sight of these men inspired our painter.

Right from his childhood Gérard was irresistibly attracted to painting. However, h soon learned that he would not have the financial means to go to Art School; thus, he would teach himself.

During his adolescence, he took up with a group of painters who had come together under the name Painters of the Huveaune Valley. They saw in him a real painter’s temperament, and he benefited from their advice. This spurred him on, and he went on to exhibit some of his paintings in collective exhibitions while continuing his artistic apprenticeship in the countryside of Provence.

*pétanque: a french game similar to bocce where players toss fist-sized metal balls trying to get as close as possible to the small wooden target ball.

In 1973 he taught himself engraving in Paris, making prints for other artists and making a living from odd jobs. Everything he earned would go to buying canvases and oils in order to paint.

During the summer of 1974 he travelled to Andalousia and Morocco where he painted the scenery.

In the same year, he had his first exhibition in Roquevaire which was a great success, and he was invited to Rigny le Ferron (Aube) by the painter Arsène Sari who advised and encouraged him. This led to another exhibition in the museum of Arsonval.

Returning to the South of France, his painting evolved to become more abstract. This corresponded with a time of tumult in his life.

In 1980, he discovered the Luberon, where for five years he lived in the ruins of a farm set into the rock face. This return to nature opened up a new world for him; and again, his art took a new direction. During this time he took up work as a gardener to earn his living as he painted.

In 1990, he resolved to give all his time to his art work and he set up an atelier in the Luberon village of Lourmarin. There he received much encouragement from his followers.

His beginnings as a professional painter were marked by three important shows: Annecy in 1993, San Francisco in 1994 and Geneva in 1998, where his works were bought by well-known art collectors.

CURRENT WORK:

1995 saw the start of a new episode: sketches and studies of the clients seated at the Lourmarin café terraces.

Gerard would sit in the corner of a terrace and sketch passers-by or people at other tables. The sketches became more detailed and colorful – stylized and alive.

These Café Scenes have brought Gerard world-wide recognition, in particular Homme au journal, Femme au chapeau, Femme au journal and Femme à la casquette, which are now reproduced as posters, screenprints, engravings and lithographs. They have become must-haves in the world of contemporary art and decoration.