Biography – Pascal Lecocq, The Painter of Blue

Explore Pascal Lecocq’s Biography

– ARTIST STATEMENT
– LIST OF SOLO EXHIBITIONS
– LIST OF GROUP EXHIBITIONS
– LIST OF STAGE AND COSTUMES DESIGNS
– MUSEUMS OF ART
– AWARDS
– PRESS COVERAGE

Introduction

This biography of Pascal Lecocq highlights his surreal underwater art and opera designs.

Pascal Lecocq, born June 4th, 1958 in Fontainebleau, France, is internationally known as The Painter of Blue®. Since 1977, he has exhibited his work worldwide, with over 350 solo exhibitions. His art blends hyperrealism, surrealism, humor, and poetry, often set in underwater dreamscapes featuring divers, horses, and architectural elements.

🎓 Education & Early Career

Studied under Mrs. Yvonne Bouisset-Mignon at Ecole Comairas – Fondation Taylor, Fontainebleau (1973–1977)

Ph.D. in Arts, with a thesis on Opera Stage Design (Paris VIII University, 1985)

Moved to Normandy in 1982, opened his studio in Honfleur in 1988

Professionnal painter since 1986,
licensed and registered at La Maison des Artistes (France) and listed at ArtistesContemporains.org

Since 2001, works from his studio in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

🎭 Opera Set & Costume Design

From 1985 to 1996, Pascal designed opera sets and costumes in collaboration with stage director Philippe Godefroid. Productions included Tosca, La Traviata, The Ring, Parsifal and The Magic Flute in France and Belgium.

Discover the full list of Stage and Costumes design by Pascal.

Pascal Lecocq portrait – underwater art biography, Pascal Lecocq at the DEMA Show – underwater art exhibition 2001
Pascal Lecocq at the DEMA Show, January 2001 (photo by Ph. Lachot)

🖌️ Artistic Career

Pascal has exhibited regularly since 1977 in France and abroad, including:

  • All major dive shows since 1992: BTS, OWU, SEASPACE, Ocean Fest, Antibes, Kiev, Paris Dive Show
  • Official artist of the DEMA Show every year since 1998 (Artist of the Year in 2001)

Discover the full list of solo exhibitions , group exhibitions, Museum exhibitions presented worldwide since 1977.

📚 Publications & Lectures

Pascal has authored hundreds of articles and lectures on painting and opera, especially on Old Master techniques and anatomy.

  • Contributor to Techniques des Arts and Artistes et Techniques (1986–1990)
  • Co-author of several collective books on painting techniques

Discover the full list of Articles, Lectures & Conferences

🌍 Awards & Environmental Commitment

Pascal has received numerous distinctions for his artistic and environmental contributions, including:

  • Pascal Lecocq Award of Excellence – presented annually since 2015 by Ocean Geographic Society in the Creative Vision category of the Pictures of the Year Competition.
    This award celebrates imaginative and surreal underwater imagery that opens minds, touches hearts, and inspires action for ocean conservation.
  • Diploma of the Ministry of Ecology of Ukraine (2003) for his personal contribution to raising public awareness of the underwater world and environmental protection
  • Artist of the Year – DEMA Show 2001

→ See full list of awards and distinctions

🧠 Artistic Style

Pascal’s work is deeply inspired by Van Eyck, Vermeer, and Dali. His technique is smooth, luminous, and delicate. His characters evolve in surreal yet dignified underwater settings — from bullfighting divers to ballroom dancers beneath the sea.

“The frogman becomes as charming as Chaplin’s Little Tramp.”

🌐 Affiliations

Pascal is a member of:

  • Ocean Artist Society (USA)
  • Society of Art of Imagination (UK)
  • SAFIR – Société des Arts de l’Imaginaire et du Rêve (France)
  • Historical Diving Society
  • Fondation du Festival de l’Image Sous-Marine
  • Fondation Taylor

❤️ Causes Supported

  • Pascal actively supports:
  • – Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
  • – Coral Restoration Foundation
  •  – DAN
  • – Diveheart
  • – Kayak Against Cancer
  • – Lighthouse International
  • – Ocean Watch
  • – Ol Lentille Foundation (Kenya)
  • – Our Underwater World Scholarship Rolex Foundation
  • – Reef Environmental Education Foundation
  • – Sharks Angels
  • – Shark Research Institute
  • – SPES (Togo)
  • – Aide à l’Enfance Tibétaine

Press coverage

📰 Discover decades of international press coverage featuring Pascal Lecocq, The Painter of Blue®.
From art magazines to dive journals, newspapers to cultural reviews, explore how Pascal’s surreal paintings and opera set designs have been highlighted across the globe.

📰 Découvrez des décennies de couverture médiatique internationale consacrée à Pascal Lecocq, The Painter of Blue®.
Des magazines d’art aux revues de plongée, des journaux aux critiques culturelles, parcourez les articles qui ont mis en lumière ses peintures surréalistes et ses scénographies lyriques à travers le monde.

→ Read press coverage and interviews