I painted this view a few days after a visit in Canterbury. It is inspired by the landscape of South England but also by the memory of the Cathedral itself. I use a scratching technique: I first paint a board in white . When dried I paint it is black oil paint and I gradually lift the black colour using different scratching tools.
Blondiau exhibited in Galleries in London (Hicks Gallery, Cavaliero Finn Gallery, Gagliardy Gallery), and in Brussels (Arthus Gallery, Galerie Chapitre 12) . He shows in Amsterdan (Galerie Mokum) . In 2014 two paintings of Blondiau were selected for an exhibition of the Dulwich Picture Gallery (London) and shortlisted for a prize. In 2018, the London County House commissioned two large paintings currently on permanent show. In 2023 one painting of Blondiau was selected for the Royal Art Academy summer show. The paintings of Blondiau are in several private collections.
Blondiau is mostly a self thought painter but also studies as non enrolled student at the Art Academy of Braine l’Alleud, Belgium (Prof Baets) and at Brussels Visual Art School La Cambre School (Belgium) (Atelier of Dudan) in parallel to other studies . Belgian I lived in several countries including 20 years in London. Now located in the Netherlands since 2020.
"I am a landscape painter. I try to paint a sense of nature in flux. We say "Nature" but I prefer to say "the living world" because we are not external to nature but we are part of it. In the West, we often feel disconnected from the natural world, despite talking about it a lot. I try to create paintings that facilitate emotional intimacy and a reconnection with nature. ?I like to paint forests and seascapes. Looking at forests and oceans can provide us with a sense of connection to something beyond ourselves, a feeling of the vastness of the world and our place within it. ?
I use a scratching technique that mix oil and etching approaches. I avoid using colour in my work. I feel that sometimes colour can be distracting and can impeach the viewer to focus on the movement and forms suggested by the many fine scratches on the canvas. "
Solo and group Exhibitions
2023: Gallery Zone (Leiden) and Gallery Mokum (Amsterdam)
2022 : Arthus Gallery- Brussels, Belgium
2022: Katwijk Museum , Katwijk, The Netherlands
2018: London County Hall - London, United Kingdom
2014: Dulwich Picture Gallery - London, United Kingdom
2013: JP art Gallery , Batersea, United Kingdom
2012: Cavalierofinn Gallery / AAF - London, United Kingdom
2009: Gallery Bergamoff - Brussels, Belgium
2008: Hicks Gallery - Wimbledon, United Kingdom
2007: Gagliardi gallery - London, United Kingdom
2006: Quantum gallery - London AAF - london, United Kingdom
2005: Quantum gallery - London AAF - London, United Kingdom
2004: Gallery Chapter 12 - Brussels - Brussels, Belgium
2003: Gallery of the European Commission - Brussels, Belgium
2002: Gallery BLABLA - Brussels, Belgium
2001: Gallery Arthus - Brussels, Belgium (see press release)
1999: Resonans Galerij- Gent, Belgium
Permanent collection
County Hall Art / London, United Kingdom