Hervé Lenouvel

Born in Brittany in 1960, Hervé Lenouvel grew up in the countryside near the forest of Brocéliande, a landscape that forged his deep and enduring connection to nature. From an early age, Hervé turned to drawing and painting as a way to translate that connection.

As a self-taught painter, Hervé Lenouvel immersed himself in books on technique, experimenting with watercolour and gouache before ultimately choosing oil paint for its richness and expressive physicality. Hervé Lenouvel’s early work leaned toward figuration, but over time he developed a more spontaneous, intuitive approach, creating images that hover between suggestion and abstraction.

Nature is Hervé Lenouvel’s sole source of inspiration. Hervé Lenouvel’s paintings are shaped by the impressions gathered during his daily walks, sun and mist, wind through leaves, shifting light, and the quiet presence of trees and water. Back in the studio, Hervé Lenouvel works quickly and decisively, aiming to retain only what is essential in order to convey the emotion of the moment. For Hervé Lenouvel, technique is merely a foundation; the true work lies in self-knowledge and the ability to let personal expression guide the canvas.

Colour remains the core of Hervé Lenouvel’s  process. Each painting develops through the interplay of hues until a balance is achieved that feels both instinctive and complete.

Hervé Lenouvel continues to live and work in Brittany, and his paintings have been exhibited across France, England, Canada, and the United States.