About Anne Marie
Anne Marie Le Flohic was born in Benin (Western Africa) of Breton parents and trained there and in France. She originally specialised in medicine and for the last 35 years she worked at the Brest University Hospital (France) where she taught mainly tropical diseases and was the head of the Parasitology Laboratory.Five years ago she decided to learn stained glass techniques at first in the Andrieux's school in Paris and then in l'Iris Bleu school in Greoux les Bains. She decided to transform her hobby into a business and moved to Ireland because she says Ireland was and is the sister country of Brittany and I feel deeply at home here.
Her individual creations are characterized by unique patterns, and invite the viewer to enter a transformed world. Her stylised panels explore mythical themes while her modern ones stir imagination and a sense of wonder. To enhance the light is important for Anne Marie. She catches it and transforms it making the stained glass panel the most important feature in the house, around which the whole house turns and evolves all along the day. Stained glass panels should not be considered only as window or door panels but as the best way to magnify a table, ornate a wall, and even create a partition within rooms and/or the garden.
Ann Marie was recently featured on the RTE Nationwide TV programme. You can watch Ann Marie's interview online
Testimonial By Prof. Jean-Louis Jacquemin
Anne-Marie Le Flohic is an artist. She has ever been. Life long she was obviously fascinated by beauty around her and made the most of it. At spare times she used to commit, just for herself, surprisingly elegant and colorful scrap drawings. These were dreamlike creations more often than sketched scenes: volutes, arabesques and bright colors. Rather good, I can tell, and a promise for much more to come, one day.I was not really surprised she turned to art at the first opportunity and I am glad she made the daring bet of stained glass: no other choice would better fit her sensitivity and fulfill her handcraft skill.
Yet I am amazed of the originality and impact of her production. Anne is none of just a gifted and skilful designer in stained glass. She has a real talent and she delivers fine and valuable pieces of art of mature and very original inspiration.
Anne faced, as a young infant, the magic of wild Africa: opposition of contrasts, majesty of figuring and expressiveness of gesture, magnificence and glistening of colors. She never forgot. At the same time she was impregnated by cherished familial roots carefully transmitted by Briton parents.
She fell in love with mother and father's land as soon as she discovered it and lived in. No wonder she chose Ireland as her new artistic homeland: Anne-Marie has, definitely, a romantic and dreamy Celtic soul. The old symbolics emerge, beautifully revived, through the splendor of many a glass panel.
Anne-Marie's creative talent has reached maturity. She evades easily that strong background to very modern effects and compositions. The fluidity of her art perfectly fits to the ambitions of stained glass. I am impressed by the beauty and elegance of her original pieces. She is also capable of sensitive and delicate evocation of scenes: I am the very proud owner of "The Borie". The Pyrenees, my ancestor's land, are vividly present in it. The magic of stained glass makes wonder: this panel lives its own life all along the day and it is a pleasure to watch it every time you pass by.
Stained glass has no equivalent in a home. It is the hallmark of taste and refinement. More than any other picture or ornament it enhances its character and warm up its intimate personality. We are indebted to the few artists who perpetuate that superb and difficult tradition, away from the dull standardization of "modern" life.
Anne-Marie Le Flohic is evidence that one can perform more than one successful life. I have no doubt that she will encounter as much success and consideration in her Art as she has achieved in medicine.
Poitiers, France April - 9th 2007