Artwork copyright Corine Landrieu. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Where I Come From, 1993

Corine Landrieu
American French (born 1957)

Location: Oak Harbor High School, Oak Harbor

About the Artwork

Where I Come From is a diptych of two painted paper collages created by artist Corine Landrieu. It is part of her group of artworks that combine organic elements, found materials, and other imagery to tell a story. This piece suggests how the artist's background influences her present life. The left collage features images of Paris, while the right features images from nature. She notes, "As an artist I have been inspired by the geography and the cultural past of the Northwest, as well as by the notion that life's essence is transformation. A strong sense of connection to nature has led me to incorporate organic elements in my art, and to work with metaphors evocative of the cycles of life… Often the individual pieces of material -the wall paper from my grand-parents' house, the piece of seaweed, the wasp paper, the dirt, the image from a magazine or newspaper ­ each have a story to tell about where they come from, and often about my relationship to that place."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Oak Harbor School District.

About the Artist

Seattle-based artist Corine Landrieu creates mixed-media paintings. She was born in the Netherlands and raised in Paris, France, where she received a degree from the Sorbonne. She move to the Pacific Northwest in 1980. She received a Bachelor of Art degree from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 1984. In addition to her artistic practice, she also works as a professional sculpture conservator.