Abstract & Contemporary Watercolors
Monotype on Arches paper

In 2011–2015, Catherine de Saugy developed a series of abstract watercolors on Arches paper, where transparency, fluidity, and color intensity become the vectors of a singular artistic language. Arches paper—renowned in the art world for its exceptional quality and pigment-friendly texture—allows the artist to create contemporary abstract works that are at once delicate and powerful. Each watercolor on Arches paper is conceived as an intimate exploration: pigments diffuse into the fiber, mingle, and overlap to generate luminous atmospheres—sometimes gentle, sometimes contrasting. Standout works from this period include The Blue Angel (L’Ange Bleu, 2014), Ah! The Financial Markets (Ah ! Les Marchés Financiers, 2008), To Love (Aimer, 2011), Vehemence (Véhémence), Saturn (Saturne), Storm (Tempête), Don Quijote, Caravel (Caravelle), and Dis-Illusion (Dés-Illusion). These titles reflect emotional states and inner landscapes that the artist translates into abstract images. The series highlights a command of gesture at the boundary between control and spontaneity: water becomes a creative element in its own right, opening passages between matter and light. These contemporary works on paper reveal an abstract painting practice in which time, memory, and emotion crystallize on the surface of the support. With these watercolors, Catherine de Saugy affirms her place in contemporary abstract art, while proposing a personal path in which paper, water, and color unite to give rise to unique, poetic, and timeless works.