At the heart of Thierry Lamare’s (b. 1957, Paris, France) work is studied finesse and craftsmanship. His drawing and painting is as descriptive as it is accurate, and his compositions and presentation meticulous. Lamare’s intimate portraits describe the intricacies and depth of Bahamian life.
Lamare had a passion for drawing at school and after a successful admission into Les Grandes Ecoles d’Art, decided instead to study interior architecture at the Ecole Camondo in Paris. He continued to draw and travelled extensively, seeking inspiration for his work. On a visit to the Bahamas in 1985, Lamare found his subject; he loved the saturated color, light and Bahamian architecture. The new environment presented him with endless opportunities for drawing and painting. The artist moved to Nassau and began a career painting the Bahamian landscape.
In 1996, while visiting friends in Long Island, Bahamas, Lamare encountered Joyce, a woman in her mid-60’s who lived in Clarence Town. At the time, he was not exploring people as a subject but her physical presence struck an emotional cord: she was beautiful, in her mid sixty’s and was still a ‘peach’ as she once told the artist. She would be Lamare’s first human subject.
He returned to Long Island frequently and during one of these trips met Ophelia. He developed a great admiration for who she was and what she had accomplished with her children. Over time, they became friends and Lamare began painting Ophelia in her everyday life. He describes the experience, “I just wanted to be a humble witness of what her simple life was about and immortalize her through my art. She still has countless stories to tell providing a great source of inspiration. ” We have come to know Ophelia through Lamare’s paintings over the past 15 years.
Lamare’s work is widely sought-after and collected. He exhibits bi-annually in a solo exhibition and works out of a studio in Nassau.
Timeline
1986 Began selling watercolors in the Bahamas
1986 Prix de la Ville de Moutiers, France
1987 Prix de la Ville de Moutiers, France
1987 – 1988 Marché de la creation, Lyon, France
1989 – 2002 (Solo Exhibitions), Nassau, The Bahamas
2003 -2005 (Solo Exhibitions) The Princess Street Gallery, Habour Island, The Bahamas
2003 (Group Exhibition) Inaugural Exhibition, The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, Nassau, The Bahamas
2008 (Group Exhibition) NE4, The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, Nassau, The Bahamas
2009 (Solo Exhibition) Ophelia, The First Chapter, Societe Generale Nassau, The Bahamas. Featured a body of work that took five years to complete.
2011 (Group Exhibition) INDA 6, International Drawing Annual, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2011 (Solo Exhibition) Ophelia, The Final Chapter, Societe Generale, Nassau, The Bahamas. Conclusion of work on Ophelia.
2012 (Group Exhibition) NE6, The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, Nassau, The Bahamas
2013 (Open studio) June/November, Nassau, The Bahamas
2014 (Solo Exhibition) The Absence of Colour, Societe Generale, Nassau, The Bahamas
2014 (Open Studio) May, Nassau, The Bahamas
2015 (Open Studio) December, Nassau, The Bahamas
2017 (Solo Exhibition) Desaturation, The Island House, Nassau, The Bahamas
2017 April to October (Retrospective) Love, Loss & Life, The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, Nassau, The Bahamas
2019 (Solo Exhibition) People to People, Capital Union Bank, Nassau, The Bahamas
2021 (Solo Exhibition) Gilding, CAB Gallery & Studio, Nassau, The Bahamas
2023 (Solo Exhibition) Through Roland’s Lens, CAB Gallery & Studio, Nassau, The Bahamas
