Duaiv, French/American (1952 - )

Duaiv was born in 1952 the city of Bordeaux. He was raised by his mother, a classical pianist and his father, a sculptor. He began painting at the age of 3 and completed his first oil painting at the age of 9. However his parents discouraged art and encouraged him to pursue Music. However he became classically educated in both art and music by attending the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique in Paris and train in the cello. And he attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris to further his studies in painting.

At age 23 he was inspired by Salvador Dali to prsue art for a living and to blen is passion for the arts and music.

He moved to the US and became an American citizen in 2011, where he still lives with his wife and children.

Duaiv’s primary goal as an artist is to share his art as an experience and inspire his audience. Through what he calls “Happenings,” Duaiv performs spontaneous concerts at galleries and outdoor spaces before his book signings and gallery openings. Duaiv also travels aboard cruise ships frequently, inspiring audience participation through his live performances.

Duaiv is inspired by Impressionist artists including Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, and Vincent van Gogh, He also draws inspiration from Dutch artists Johannes Vermeer and Frans Hals. Duaiv employs Van Gogh’s moving, dynamic brush strokes, Vermeer’s soft texture, and Monet’s subtle palette of color into a beautiful contemporary variation of his own. Duaiv’s art is a reflection of the world around him, capturing the calm of countryside landscapes, the energy of modern cities, and the personality of portraiture. The artist uses cans of paint rather than tubes, working with various sizes of palette knives and tiny brushes, often smoothing the paint with his fingers. Duaiv employs pastel colors and swirling brushstrokes in his artwork as an homage to Impressionism

Today, Duaiv continues to both paint and play his cello without relent. The two disciplines are so entwined for the artist that he cannot paint without listening to music. He claims that there is no such thing as Sunday and he never takes vacation. For Duaiv, his art is his life. His artwork is collected Worldwide.