Joie de Vivre: Sculptor S. E. Glovie's Irrepressible love of life will be featured at the Historic Ebell of Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 11, 2007 -- Face to face with Sylvie Glovie, the extension of her spirit into her art is undeniable: both emanate an unquenchable love of life. Her passion will be on display at the Ebell in Los Angeles starting September 7th, 2007.

When Michelangelo finished his famous sculpture Moses -- which was itself one part of the enormous, ultimately unfinished tomb for Pope Julius II -- he stepped back to critically examine the flawless figure he had cut from stone. Although satisfied with the lines and proportions of the immortal statue, he felt that there was still something missing. "Why can't you speak?" the genius demanded, striking its stone knee with a sculptor's hammer. Or so the legend goes.

If this apocryphal tale contains any certifiable truth, it lies in its pithy symbolization of the artist's eternal struggle to represent the world as truthfully as possible and to create pieces compelling enough to communicate with audiences. So, if art could literally speak, what would it say? Well, if the sculptures of French-born S. E. Glovie (Sylvie to her friends) were to suddenly start making pronouncements, you might hear any number of languages. A stroll through her thriving studios in Santa Monica and the south of France reveals one-of- a-kind bronze statues that exhibit a pro-vocative intermingling of cultural influences. Sylvie has managed to master multiple styles, but no matter the nationality of her muse or whether her chosen mode of expression is classical, neoclassical, African, modernist, or abstract, her unique sculptures resonate universally.

While Sylvie's figures may not be 12 feet tall like Michelangelo's undisputed masterpiece, David, they're a lot easier to take home! And they can be quite stirring. Surrounded by Beauty "I was raised in France, in a city called Perpignan," reveals the sunny, smiling sculptress. "It is between the Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenees, so I had the best of both worlds. The great light of the region and its beauty inspired many great artists, like Pablo Picasso, Aristide Maillol, Braque, and Salvador Dali%u0301, to name only a few."

Of course, Sylvie is too modest to add her own name to such a list, but like those world famous artists before her, she was profoundly influenced by the beauty of her surroundings. Even as a child, she was attuned to nature's ever-changing colors and forms, sensing that they were clues to some grander mystery. "I was fascinated at the beach by the way the wind etches lines in the sand, and also in the mountains by the unearthly shapes created by the snow," she says. Sylvie was equally fascinated by the lines and shapes created by her two artistic uncles.

Uncle Antonio worked his magic in wood carvings, while Uncle Gilbert molded clay. These creative family members helped ensure that Sylvie was never bored as a child. She would watch their clever hands work for hours at a time as they turned blocks of insensate matter into the most delicate and beautiful pieces -- objects, she precociously reasoned, that would never have existed but for them.

At an early age, the strong desire to create gripped her heart, and it has never let go. "I remember at age five being given a mold set of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by my parents. My mother has always instilled an appreciation of beauty, and I was so thrilled! I was so happy molding the little pieces, painting them, and making them beautiful."

Born in a region with such a rich artistic heritage and encouraged by the artists in her family, Sylvie was fortunate enough to grow up gazing upon the statues, sculptures, murals, paintings, fountains, and architecture of great masters. Being in the presence of such beauty led her to feel both gratitude and obligation; she desperately wanted to contribute in some way to that body of work. All through her school years, her interest in the arts continued to blossom.

"I feel very connected with the spirit of mankind," she says. "I suppose that's why I've been primarily interested in the human figure, although I am discovering the power of abstract sculptures." Unlike much art, Sylvie's figures do not express suffering or the hopelessness of the human condition. On the contrary, her statues are dignified and often heroic. "What I mean to portray is a strong state of being," she says. "To me, the human spirit is courageous; it rises above its condition and flies to the stars. I want to portray that spirit as it unfolds, lighting the way for a new day for all mankind."

Creating Beauty - Inside and Out Although her uplifting work has been collected in France, London, New York, and Los Angeles, Sylvie understands that art is meant not just for an elite few, but for everyone -- and she's not talking about merely viewing it. She encourages anyone who feels the urge to create to simply give it a try. "The very enthusiasm when you start the creative process enhances your whole being; it makes you feel more alive, more youthful," she says. "Creating beauty makes you feel happy and connected. It unifies soul and body."

Please join us for S. E. Glovie's exquisite sculptures on display starting September 7, 2007 at 6 p.m. at the historic Ebell of Los Angeles, located at 4400 Wilshire Blvd.

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