Meet Sylvie Levesque: Mixed Media Artist

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sylvie Levesque.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?

I express myself better with a paintbrush than with words. I am a self-taught artist, and I came to painting because I needed a way to capture feelings that are hard to say out loud. I started painting in 2006, but moving into my space here in 2013 at The Alameda Artworks truly felt like coming home. I love being part of this creative community, and I also like to challenge myself by creating oversized paintings—like my piece Falling Leaves, which is 72 x 66 inches. Today, a big part of my story is sharing my studio with others. I teach monthly art workshops here, and watching my students play with color and texture keeps me constantly inspired.

Tell us about your art and the inspiration behind it.

I paint feminine silhouettes, but I usually leave out parts of the facial features—I want to paint feeling. I paint from imagination; it allows me to be more free in my brushstrokes.

I love working with my hands to build up rich layers and surfaces you can almost feel. I use a lot of different materials mixed together on wood panels or canvas. I build my pieces using ground coffee beans, limestone powder, machine-stitched paper, and gold leaf. In some of my work, I apply oil paint over these textures to really bring out and see that deep emotional feeling. In my recent Flora & and Threads series, I even glue real leaves and sewing threads directly onto the canvas. I am very drawn to warm, earthy colors like terracotta, saffron, and rust, mixed with deep night blues and teals.

Do you have any news you'd like to tell us about?

Yes, it is a very busy and exciting time!

 Viewpoints Gallery:

I am so grateful to be a permanent artist at Viewpoints Gallery (www.viewpointsgallery.com) since February 2025. This December 2026, I am having a featured exhibition there called The Weight of Silence, where I will be sharing a brand new series of mixed-media pieces.

 Harrington Gallery (www.firehousearts.org):

- In August – October 2026, two of my 36 x 24 oil pieces, Embrace Midnight and

Golden at Montmartre, were selected for the show Yesterday Once More, Scenes

from the Past in Pleasanton.

- Earlier, my mixed-media piece Muse Floral (36 x 12) was selected for the

exhibition Fresh Works XIII in March – May 2025.

 San Francisco Women Artists (SFWA):

- In February – March 2024, my paintings Urban Glow and Sidewalk Story were

selected for the show Street Life.

- In December 2023 – January 2024, my piece Autumn Embrace (36 x 24) was

selected for the show Being Human.

 Studio Workshops:

I am continuing to host full-day art classes right here in my Alameda Artworks studio every month. We explore mixed media, texture, and painting on wood panels, and I always love welcoming people into my creative space.

Contact Info

 Website: www.sylvielevesque.com

 Instagram: @syl_vie.levesque

 Facebook: VieFineArt