Welcome to the complete collection of modern abstract paintings by Régine Gardan. Here you will find the entirety of her work: more than 200 oil paintings on canvas, made by hand, each one unique, signed and accompanied by its certificate of authenticity. Take your time wandering among the colours: somewhere in these canvases, there is one waiting for you.
What is modern abstract painting?
Modern abstract painting is an art that does not try to copy the visible world. It sets aside the recognisable subject, the landscape, the portrait, the still life, to express itself in a more direct language: that of colour, shape, rhythm and texture. Born in the early twentieth century with pioneers such as Kandinsky, Mondrian and Malevich, abstraction then unfolded in a thousand directions, from American abstract expressionism to European lyrical abstraction. Each generation of artists brought its own sensibility to it, and that is precisely what keeps it modern: it never stops reinventing itself.
In front of an abstract canvas there is nothing to guess, nothing to get right. There is something to feel. A deep red can awaken an energy, a calm blue can soothe an entire day, a composition swept with movement can bring back a memory that you alone know. That is the great strength of this art: emotion comes before explanation. The painting does not impose a story on you, it invites you to write your own. This is also why an abstract artwork ages so well in a home: your eye always finds something new in it.
Should we distinguish modern abstract art from contemporary abstract art? Art historians reserve the word modern for the avant-gardes of the twentieth century, and the word contemporary for today's creation. In everyday language, a modern abstract painting simply refers to an abstract work with a current aesthetic, made for today's interiors. That is the sense in which this collection uses it: living, colourful, expressive canvases that find their place naturally in our homes.
Modern abstract wall art: what sets an original apart from a reproduction
A modern abstract painting made by hand has nothing in common with an industrial print. A reproduction is a flat image, produced in series, identical to thousands of copies. An original oil painting is a living object: the paint has real thickness, the movement of the brush or the knife remains visible, and the light catches the surface differently depending on the time of day and the place you stand. Bring your hand close to an original canvas: you can almost feel the relief of the work.
There is also something a reproduction will never offer: presence. A hand painted canvas carries the time the artist devoted to it, her hesitations, her second thoughts, her choices. Every painting in this collection is a unique piece: nobody else in the world owns the same one. Each artwork is signed and delivered with its certificate of authenticity, which attests to its origin and its singularity. In a daily life saturated with printed images, hanging an original artwork at home means letting a fragment of real life into your interior, an object that was touched, worked and wanted.
Colour and texture in Régine Gardan's studio
All the works in this collection were born from the hands of Régine Gardan, a French painter (1964-2018). Faithful to oil painting, she loved its depth, its demanding slowness, that unique way it has of keeping the trace of the hand. On her canvases, colour is never laid flat: it is built up in layers, in superpositions, in contrasts that answer one another. Some areas vibrate with an almost solar intensity, others breathe in softer tones, and it is this dialogue between strength and restraint that gives each painting its particular pulse. The material itself tells a story: reliefs, transparencies, passages of the brush, everything that only a hand can leave behind.
Her work was awarded in painting salons in Isère, in France, where her colourful universe left its mark on many eyes. Today, this body of work lives on through this website, run by her son, who keeps her heritage alive by sharing more than 200 canvases. Behind every painting there is therefore a sincere family story: that of a family that wants these colours to keep lighting up homes and touching new eyes. To discover her journey and her sensibility, visit the page dedicated to the artist.
How to choose your abstract painting
There is only one true rule: choose the canvas that stops you. The one your eyes keep coming back to for no apparent reason. To refine that first impulse, three simple paths can guide you.
By colour
Colour is the first language of an abstract artwork. Ask yourself what the room needs to receive: energy, calm, warmth? Canvases dominated by vibrant reds energise a living room or an entrance, blues and greens soothe a bedroom or a study, warm tones soften a room with cold light. Think also about the dialogue with your walls and furniture: an artwork can extend an existing harmony or, on the contrary, create a bold contrast that wakes up the whole room.
By size
The size should be chosen for the wall, not the other way round. A large piece stands alone above a sofa or a bed and becomes the focal point of the room. A medium size fits into a hallway, an entrance, a stretch of wall between two windows. Small pieces, on the other hand, love company: grouped together, they compose a personal, ever evolving gallery wall. In every case, let the artwork breathe: free space around the canvas puts the colour in the spotlight.
By emotion
This is the truest path, and the most personal one. An abstract artwork speaks first to what you feel, and that feeling says something about you: your temperament, your relationship with energy, calm and intensity. If you would like to explore this further, our complete guide to choosing an abstract painting according to your personality walks you through it step by step, from your character to the colours and compositions that truly suit you.
Modern abstract painting in today's interiors
The modern abstract painting has become an obvious choice in contemporary decoration, and that is no coincidence. In a minimalist interior, it brings the vibration that was missing: it dresses a wall without weighing it down, it gives the room a soul without imposing a theme. In a more classic interior, it creates a breath of fresh air, an elegant point of tension between the old and the current. Scandinavian, industrial, bohemian or refined: there is no style that an abstract canvas cannot elevate.
A few simple guidelines for hanging: place the canvas at eye level, with the centre of the artwork around 1.60 m from the floor. Avoid direct sunlight to preserve the brilliance of the pigments over time. Dare to mix materials: an abstract painting converses wonderfully with natural wood, linen, stone, everything raw and authentic. And above all, trust your eye: the right artwork is the one that does you good every time you walk past it, morning and evening alike.
Does an abstract painting need to have a meaning?
No, and that is a freedom, not a lack. An abstract artwork does not hide a message that would need to be decoded. It offers an experience: colours, textures, movements that each person receives in their own way. What you feel in front of the canvas, that is its meaning. Two people can love the same painting for opposite reasons, and both are right. This is exactly why abstract art accompanies our interiors so well: it embraces your moods instead of repeating one single story.
How do you care for an oil painting on canvas?
An oil painting is robust and asks for very little care: gentle dusting with a soft, dry cloth, away from direct sunlight, humidity and strong sources of heat, and it will keep its intensity for decades. Never apply water or household products to the painted surface. Every artwork in this collection reaches you carefully protected, with free delivery across the European Union and its signed certificate of authenticity: you can hang your unique piece with complete peace of mind.
