Interview 17. Boiteau Thierry

This artists work I got my eyes on recently on instagram…I got fascinated in his skills with making the metal come so “alive”.

He tells me that english is not a language that he is one hundred procent confident with and that I can change errors of his…and honestly, there are some. But I don´t see them as a problem, I understand what he means. So, I will not change anything, I want it to be his own words. So it is not to make anything look funny that I will not (if it is not obvious spelling mistakes) tamper with the answers. Also, I am not always that skilled in language either…

Me: Hello mr. Boiteau! Please tell me a little about yourself, where do you live and work for example?

Boitheau: Hello , my name is Thierry Boiteau , I’m 48 , maried, with 2 children . I live next to Bressuire in the West of France ( between Nantes and Poitiers). I’m teacher mainly in biology – ecology and in iron work in a special school where the students work in reciprocetion between school and training périod.

Me: Your instagram account, the name “metalfish79″…tell me, why the “79” in it? Where you born in 1979 just like me?

Boiteau: The number 79 refers to my department ( Deux- Sèvres). And fish is my astrologycal sign.. I was born in 1972.

Me: Are you a full time artist or do you have another job also to provide and thrive?

Boiteau: I’ m just an hobbyist who loves work with the metal and sometimes the wood. And I love too my job because that is so varied and I love to teach to teenagers.

Me: For how long have you been an artist? Tell me about “the road” to get there, your journey to become an artist…

Boiteau: I begin my iron work … since 10 years, before I don’t know the weld… so I … learned. It begins when my wife request a simple sculpture in iron…. but before I’m searching the material that suited me, I ‘ve tried the wood but I finaly find the iron and the method ( arc welding).

Me: Tell me about your sources of inspiration…what inspires you the most you think?

Boiteau: My sources of inspiration are mainly the animals , the flowers, indeginous peoples, the old cars ( from 1900 to 1930 … perhaps because they look like beetles ?? ), and mainly 2 french painters ( Bernard Buffet and Pablo Picasso ) that I revisit in metal.
But I think that the great artist in the world is the nature , all is beauty…

[Me: ooops, hope that didn´t upset any Spanish readers, calling Picasso “French”…]

Me: Does your artwork have any message to communicate? Is it important for you that your art have some kind of message?

Boiteau: I try to show the diversity and the beauty of the nature . We are arrived to a critical state with the disparition of many animals and plants. I tried to show differents behaviours of the animals ” anger” ,” rebel” but too the humor … that they could have towards the human.

Me: Do you consider yourself to be a successful artist so far in regards to getting your art known and when it comes to making money on it? Are these issues important to you?

Boiteau: I ‘ m not a successful artist and for me money it ‘s not really important for me , I just want to please and share my work with people….but I know that all work deserves salary…

Me: What do you think is most important if you want to make yourself “a name” in the artworld? Your work, who (And how) you are and/or who you know? (or something else)

Boiteau: The most important is who I am and the message that I can explain through my work.

Me: Now, what would you ask yourself if you were me? Please answer the question also…

Boiteau: Do you think the human will find wisdom ?
If it’s not too late…

Me: Where can one find your art?

Boiteau: On my website: boiteauthi.wixsite.com/sculpturesmetal (he has an instagram account to, metalfish79, my comment/Emil.)

Me: Thank you very much! …and the last question; was this interview any fun? Did it make you think any new, creative thoughts?

Boiteau: Thank you so much to show an interest in my work..
I think that your interview is so interesting because it get asked the right questions.
Perhaps a bouquet of flowers (in iron of course).

I wish Mr. Boiteau good luck with both his teachings and his artisterie…below are a few examples of what he has created, I think they are amazing: