American artist Renée French draws endearing portraits of bizarre creatures that look like dark versions of fairytale characters. First featured in an insert for Hi-Fructose Vol. 35, French considers herself a “graphite addict”, who keeps a child-like innocence about her adult graphic novelist and comics rooted works. Her fantastical imagery is in part inspired by Netherlandish painter Hieronymus Bosch, especially the macabre and nightmarish depictions within his fanciful world. She will debut her latest series at La Luz de Jesus gallery in Los Angeles on October 2nd. Drawn with a 0.3mm mechanical pencil, there is a lot packed into French’s two to three-inch sized pieces. Equally mysterious and disturbing as they are charming, French revels in the polarizing impact of her tiny renderings. Some of her fans find her images of bug-eyed puppies and baby dolphin embryos to be adorable, while leaving others horrified. Some drawings, such as “Steven Little Bunny With Tinnitus”, feature characters with ringing ears and exploding heads, referring to French’s seldom migraines. These are more than just pictures of cute animals. Underneath their whimsical exterior, French is exploring her own fragility and emotions.
Austrian-born 
Colombia-based illustrator 
