“Seeing, beyond looking, is being infinitely Present.“
It is with thirty years of professional experience in human resources and then in individual support that Catherine opened up to a new artistic horizon, photography.
Two different and yet similar universes.
In coaching, deep listening and attentive looking are essential. It is not simply a matter of hearing the words of the other or observing their non-verbal behavior, but of truly listening to them with your whole being, of feeling the subtleties of the emotions, the nuances of the thoughts and the silence of the unsaid.
This way of being fully present in the world allows Catherine to capture, through her lens, unique and ephemeral moments, revealing the incredible of what Nature reveals, right under our feet or our eyes, in the tiniest details. of a mineral or a plant, in the writings of the wind, the dance of the sand, the play of water and the mischievousness of the light. Always in search of beauty, Catherine immerses herself in the present moment and knows how to capture the marvelous from the moment. She knows how to watch for fleeting expression, the harmony of colors and shapes.
Her workshop is nestled in the heart of Aude, a region where wild and unspoilt nature unfolds into a living picture. Here, natural landscapes blend harmoniously, offering an infinite palette of light and colors to those who know how to observe them. Between rolling vineyards, crystal clear rivers and majestic forests, every corner of this land tells a unique story.
Traveler and explorer of life, very inspired by the wisdom of indigenous peoples and their connection to nature and all forms of life, Catherine is also the author of Bali, un chemin d’Amour, Aluna Editions (2021)
A deciding encounter:
It has been 20 years since my meeting with the Korean painter, poet and calligrapher, Bang Hai Ja.
I invited her to my house in Paris where she created her first oval work which she titled At the Beginning of the World.
It was a silent meeting, all in the Presence, many ensued.
I remember driving her back to her workshop one rainy winter evening.
While the traffic was heavy and the drivers nervous, Bang Hai Ja let out a little cry of wonder as she grabbed my hand: “Look!”. I didn’t notice anything.
She showed me the inverted reflection of the bare tree branches on the rear windshield of the vehicle in front of us. A truly enchanting garden!
From that day on, my gaze learned to focus on the non-visible and to manifest the infinite beauty of the natural world.
I shared my photographs with her, like a long-time friend.
She showed me her paintings and her stained glass projects, like those made for Chartres Cathedral.
Without me expecting it, she pushed me to take the plunge… by inviting me to exhibit for the first time within her association Atelier Matière Lumière, at her home in Ajoux in Ardèche.
2019: Moments of eternity
In 2019, thanks to Bang Hai Ja, I presented my second exhibition in Paris, under the title “Moments of eternity”.
Hai Ja’s words written in the exhibition’s guestbook have accompanied me ever since like an inseparable talisman.
She always kept the photograph that I had given her: The 3 kingdoms: mineral, animal, plant, which reminded her of the rock engravings of the Chauvet cave that she loved so much.
During 2024, on sheets of Korean “Hanji” mulberry paper, that she gave me, that I create unique prints which will be exhibited in September in her tribute.
