An interview with new figurative artist Lemon Fee

Introducing our new artist, Lemon Fee. 

We had the honour of asking our new artist Lemon Fee a variety of questions about herself and her practice. If you want to learn more about her and her fashion-forward figures, keep reading.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself, who you are and your practice?

My real name is Feline Pessey and my artist name is Lemon Fee – Lemon a passion, Fee a nickname. 

I am a German illustrator living in beautiful Paris since 2016, where I started my career as an illustrator. I create feminine, dreamy and playful art, combining joyful colours with earthy tones and greens. 

The main themes are womanhood, mindfulness, fashion, beauty and the connection between individuals. The characters in my illustrations are women of all colours, ages and shapes.

At the moment, I mainly work on digital art with the programs Procreate and Photoshop. As digital art creation is directly stored on my devices, it is easier to share my work on my website and through social media instantly. But from time to time, I pick up pens and brushes when I feel like it. But more for personal projects than for client commissions.

How did you first get into making art? 

I was born in a small town near Frankfurt. No one in my surroundings was making a living by doing art. It was just seen as a hobby for people there. So I never really thought that it would be possible to be an artist as a full-time job. But ever since I was little, I've been passionately drawing women and their clothes. 

It was only when I moved to Paris and got to know many inspiring people who earn a living by doing what they love, I wanted to try the same. First, it started as a personal project, then a side job and now it’s my main professional activity.

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process?

My goal is to start drawing every time I feel inspired or if I have an idea. This could happen late at night, after a sunny city stroll, or after a museum visit … If it’s a portrait, I start sketching the contours of the person. And then I draw the person and the clothes with colour. Then I imagine a possible background. 

Sometimes this process takes a long time because I have a hard time deciding how abstract or detailed I want the result to look. The final decision for the colour palette comes at the end and I usually create at least two different colour combinations per illustration. Some illustrations take me 3 hours to finish, others days.

Where do you draw inspiration for your art?

Like many artists, I simply express how I feel and who I am - my aesthetics, my favourite colours, my style. It’s always fun to draw something you can identify with. You can’t believe how many hours per week I am on Pinterest looking at beautiful stuff – art, decoration, architecture, fashion. Or more specifically: art nouveau doors, collections of vintage parfume bottles, imaginary architectural dream spaces, and creative Vogue photoshoots. I have way too many pin boards! This influences me quite a lot, I guess. Anything can be an inspiration, consciously or unconsciously.

Some of my all-time favourite artists are John William Godward, Lawrence Alma Tadema and Henri Rousseau. But also modern-day artists like Ana Leovy, Yuliya Yg or Jai Vasicek are highly inspiring. There are so many great artists out there – still a lot to discover!

Also, I surround myself with objects and their inspiring energies. In my home, I have art all over the walls, illustrations by other illustrators that I love, large and small paintings, but also sentimental objects from my grandmother and great-grandmother. They're important to me because they stimulate me and awaken my inspiration. It's easier for me to create in my little cocoon than elsewhere.

Have you got any other exciting projects coming up?

Recently, I got contacted by a French filmmakers' association. They wanted to know if I would be interested in participating in an illustrator competition and give them my ideas for their 2024 poster. So I sent them a mood board and some sketches and…I won! 

It’s very special for me because it is the first time I ever participated in a competition of this kind. So I am currently working on the poster design, which should evoke independent cinema, creation, movement and softness. The posters will be distributed all over France - Cannes, Paris, Lyon, Marseille. Pretty excited to see the end result.

Out of your collection, have you got a favourite print? 

Working on the fashion illustration « Plissé Bleu » was super enjoyable, as drawing as many lines had a calming meditative effect on me. Also, I just love the intensity of cobalt blue, it’s modern and so relaxing to look at. So guess this one is my favourite print.