DraughtsmanJérôme Phalippou

INSPIRE

Jérôme Phalippou

drawing artist

This comic artist has been drawing since childhood, and wants to bring out the history of the valley through his work. A way of telling the story of past events in the Portes du Soleil.

Published on 23 October 2024

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Jérome Phalippou

A resident of the Vallée d'Abondance, Jérôme used to work at the old customs office in Châtel, and chose to devote 100% of his time to comics, telling the historical stories of the surrounding villages. For him, drawing is a profession, but also a passion he's had since childhood.

We speak of

Passion dessin

Jérôme Phalippou doesn’t just draw, he tells stories. For him, comics are a way of transporting the reader into a story through powerful images. “The comics I make aren’t humorous, they tell a story,” he explains. His aim is to touch the reader as much through the drawing as through the story it tells. “It’s allowed me to look at something more universal,” he adds.

Episode 14

Jérôme Phalippou

Inspire by Les Portes du Soleil

From an early age, Jérôme Phalippou was immersed in the world of drawing. “My mother used to tell me I was always drawing,” he says with a smile. It’s a passion that has always driven him. For Jérôme, drawing is much more than just a hobby: it’s a means of expression, a unique way of seeing the world and translating the events that surround him. “It’s my way of translating an event, of translating current events,” he confides. For him, this art is part of his deepest identity.

THE INSPIRED

Jérôme Phalippou

the portrait

Before devoting himself fully to drawing, Jérôme Phalippou began his career as a customs officer. He fondly remembers his first steps in this profession in Châtel, where he spent long hours in an office filled with old documents. Among them were fascinating archives of frauds dating back to the 19th century. These discoveries awakened in him an irresistible desire to retranscribe these stories through his drawings. “I thought it would be great to draw what I saw in these fraud notices,” he explains. This period marked the beginning of his desire to create graphic narratives that capture the essence of events.

It was also around this time that a customs officer friend encouraged him to take the next step. “You know, you’ve got to go for it, because if you don’t, you’ll regret it all your life for not having dared.” Jérôme took this advice to heart and took the plunge into the world of professional drawing.

Inspire Jerome Phalippou By Litescape 2 Frame At 1m44s

For Jérôme, drawing is a spontaneous act. Faced with a story or an emotion, his first instinct is to illustrate it. “On occasions like this, I’ve always made drawings that come to me immediately, that come to me spontaneously,” he recalls. This visceral need to put down on paper what he feels is a constant in his life. It’s a companionship, a path he’s always followed.

Inspire Jerome Phalippou By Litescape 2 Frame At 0m50s

A deep bond with

The Abondance Valley

And these stories

Through his drawings, Jérôme is interested in human stories, moments in life, and anything else that inspires him on a daily basis. “Everything I read or learn from people, they’re sources of inspiration, but they’re things that are close to my heart,” he says. His creations are therefore deeply rooted in reality, in human experience, and in the stories he captures in his encounters. Local history is also a major source of inspiration for Jérôme. His connection with the Vallée d’Abondance, where he worked for many years as a customs officer, has shaped his artistic vision. “The link I have with the Vallée d’Abondance on a historical level came through customs,” he explains. By studying the lives of the region’s customs officers, he gradually became interested in its cultural, religious and agricultural heritage . This exploration led him to meet local people who are deeply rooted in their territory and the bearers of a precious intangible heritage. “These are people who are custodians of an oral, intangible heritage that you can’t grasp, but you can appreciate when they tell you about it,” he recounts with passion. These encounters constantly nourish his creativity.