We're pretty obsessed with the delectable new frankie fellows bonus poster that came with issue 106! We had a chat with artist Flore Cousseran about what inspired this piece, plus her painting style, her travels and a whole bunch more. Enjoy! 

Tell us a little about your art and creative style. My artwork is a call for exploration and joyful curiosity. I am obsessed with bright colours, patterns and elements of nature – all of which I use in my pieces. I also love playing with gouache and watercolour, especially the beauty of imperfection and the texture that goes with this medium. My style is maybe naive, sometimes poetic, but always vibrant. Creating  artwork is a meditative time where I can escape from everyday life.

When and how did you first begin making art of any kind? As far as I can remember, I have always been creative. As a child, I constantly doodled in the corner of my notebooks or was drawing animals and plants with a pencil. However, I gave that up completely during my studies and didn't reconnect with my creativity until about twelve years later during my travels around Australia. I felt the urge to draw what I could see around me. I was completely fascinated by the landscape's colours, variety and wildness. I bought my first gouache in December 2020 and I haven’t stopped painting since!

How did your artwork (now featured as a frankie poster!) come to be? I painted this artwork during the Peachtober challenge lead by @furrylittlepeach. Every year in October, a bunch of artists create a piece everyday, based on a list of word prompts. The prompt that inspired my artwork was 'hands' – I had a very clear vision for this piece almost immediately! I love creating joyful paintings that are full of colour and tiny details. 

Where do you find inspiration and creative motivation? My travels inspired me a lot! I am always wandering around with my camera and taking pictures of everything and anything around me – particularly plants, objects or local food! Nature is a huge source of inspiration for me, but I am also intrigued by the small moments of everyday life. When I'm travelling, I feel like I'm able to open my eyes wider and take in more of the colours and textures around me. Since returning to France, I've been actively trying to be present and and rediscover my home country with a fresh perspective. 

What's next on your 'to-draw' list? To be honest, it's really hard to tell right now! I'm not planning too far ahead in terms of what I want to create in the near future. Since my overseas trip is complete, I am looking forward to setting new habits, sketching daily and finding new inspiration in my day-to-day life. 

Where can we see more of your work? You can find my work on Instagram at @papier.coton, or on my website, papier-coton.com.