Madeleine Vallier "Garden Party"/34" x 40" Framed /Watercolor On "YUPO" Paper/ Circa 20th-21st Century

I've had my eye on this painting for a couple of days at the Habitat for Humanities "Restore" thrift shop. The price was a bit steep and they wouldn't take an offer so I bit the bullet and bought it. I'm hoping it was a good investment. Matted and framed in simple brushed aluminum behind plexiglass, it measures 34" x 40" and is titled "Garden Party" which is written on the back in pencil. I really love the life size abstract image of two women conversing in a garden setting behind their fans. The painting itself is done on a synthetic (polypropylene) paper called "YUPO". Painting or drawing on the ultra-smooth surface is different than regular watercolor or drawing paper. With Yupo, you can capture nuances, patterns, and shapes that were previously impossible to achieve on conventional watercolor and drawing papers. The surface may be rinsed or wiped clean to restore the original white of the sheet. So a finished painting has to be "fixed" before framing. At least I hope this one was. It should be fine even if it wasn't as they still stand up to moderate handling without "fixing". Just never get it wet !
Madelaine's description of her work is a follows:
“For me, watercolor is all about edges. My use of shifting edges implies the changing of light and the passing of time. The lyrical quality of the work is inspired by a lifelong love of music. I work with remembered shapes and places and as the work evolves, the subject is transformed and becomes a contemporary experience. I create an abstract pattern through a realistic statement. "
One of her paintings also appears on the cover of the Chelsea artists group's book “Chelsea Painters Celebrating Their Art ”(pic #3) which is also dedicated to her, published in 2011. -Mike-

Madelaine Blanche Vallier
Courtesy of
Muehlig Funeral Chapel dignitymemorial.com

Born November 20, 1925 in Paris, France, she lived her early life in the difficult times of WWII. Later she immigrated to Detroit, where she married Michael Papo M.D. She spent her years raising her two children, while developing her artistic passion. Madeleine Blanche Vallier, 86, passed away on March 20, 2012 in Ann Arbor, MI. .
In her early life in Paris, Madeleine developed her interest in art through visits to the Louvre and other museums and galleries. Early in her painting, she worked with oil and acrylic paints but has settled on watercolor as her preferred medium. Her most recent paintings are executed in Yupo paper, a plastic surface well suited to her use of shifting edges to imply the change of light and the passage of time. As a founding member and contributor of the Chelsea Painters, Madeleine was instrumental in developing the local art community. For the past 38 years, she has helped to organize the Chelsea Painters Art Fair at Chelsea Community Hospital,Chelsea Michigan. Madeleine has exhibited in many juried shows including the Michigan Watercolor Society and received numerous art awards.