Bernard is a Spanish contemporary artist known for vibrant paintings inspired by sailing, the sea and the exhilarating sense of movement found on the water.
Born in Alicante in 1964, he grew up surrounded by art, spending time in the family studio with his father and sister, both professional artists, while developing his own lifelong passion for sailing.
Combining elements of Impressionism and abstraction, Bernard creates atmospheric seascapes using expressive brushwork, rich texture and brilliant colour. Swirling seas and skies provide the backdrop for distinctive sailing boats picked out in flashes of ochre, magenta, turquoise and green.
Rather than simply painting a coastal view, Bernard captures the experience of being on the water, the wind, changing light, movement and energy that have fascinated him since childhood.
SEA | MOVEMENT | COLOUR
Drawn to the Sea
The sea is a constant presence in Bernard’s work. Regattas, harbours and groups of sailing boats provide the starting point, but his paintings are less about recording a particular place than capturing a moment.
Sails overlap, horizons dissolve and boats gather together in compositions filled with colour and atmosphere. There’s a familiarity to the subject, but Bernard’s expressive approach gives it a distinctly contemporary energy.
Painting with Movement
Look closely at a Bernard original and much of its character is found in the surface of the painting itself.
Loose, expressive marks and areas of intense colour create the impression of sails shifting in the wind and water constantly moving beneath them. Details appear and disappear within the paint, allowing the viewer to complete parts of the scene rather than having everything precisely defined.
It’s this combination of recognisable imagery and expressive painting that gives Bernard’s work its sense of movement.
Colour for the Home
For all their energy, Bernard’s paintings are remarkably easy to live with.
The blues and turquoise tones naturally connect with an interior, while flashes of coral, red and yellow introduce warmth and personality. A large sailing piece can completely change the feeling of a room without overwhelming it.
From a distance the paintings deliver colour and impact; up close, the layers, marks and small details give you something new to discover.
Related Artists
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