And as a painter, to have physical injuries on my hands, or eyes. But I guess I would find a way to adapt and go beyond !
What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Managing all the self promotion stuff. One day I wish to be helped with this so that I can just paint and create.
When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Any moment I’m creating ! When I feel the urgence and immediate need to paint. I have not found any other powerful release to free myself from everything than painting. And also, everytime a person had a heart crush on one of my paintings, when I could see stars in one eyes who felt something special about my work that couln’t be explained.
If I could, what would I change about myself? I would love to be able to resist temptation more. My hedonism, spontaneous taste for life and curiosity could use to be tempered sometimes !
What is my greatest achievement in work? Being creative every day. I am very proud to live from my art and it is a wonderful feeling, yet a day-to-day personal challenge. It is not just a dream I try every day to transform into reality, but also a declaration of independence, the will to start from oneself and the courage of doing it. It is and has always been a need, a necessity and to finally allow myself to be a full time painter, be where and who I am today, is my greatest achievement.
Where would I most like to live? So many places ! But for now, after ten years in Paris, I decided to impulse a change and live in a small village by Les Cevennes, in the south of France, where I’m happy to experience a slow lifestyle, surrounded by a wild inspiring nature.
What is my most treasured possession? My life experiences. The persons I love. All in one : life, time, freedom, family and friends. Without it I would not enjoy all the other things.
What is my most marked characteristic? My passionate optimistic energy, joyful playfulness and creativity. I can’t stop my unabashed enthusiasm in wanting people feel good and smile.
What is my most inspirational location, in my city? I come from the atlantic coast, and the ocean has always been a great inspirational partner. But now, in the village of Sauve I live in, that would be La Mer des Rochers, a beautiful hiking spot where the view is so wide that I feel tiny and I love it. Maybe because it is a recent change, but anywhere around here anyway, the light, the different kinds of blue and green, is inspiring.
What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city? I just moved in, I still have to check out all the places to tell ! But I hear good things about La Cantine, where they make day to day “cuisine de marché” in a beautiful old house.
What books influenced my life and how? Several books, I pass on naming them, sorry ! I am variable in literature (music and art ) things. Each one for a different reason marked important moments in my life… I oriented my readings depending of what I needed to learn, feel or find. Like I do for music or cinema, which have too big roles in my daily life.
You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Nina Simone, “Ain’t got no, I got life”. Or wait ! That would depend on how my last day would look like as I choose music I listen to depending of my humor and state of the moment
Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Here a few, each for specific qualities I admire : “Thelma and Louise, Indiana Jones’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and many others
Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? Those who have the courage to act, to believe in oneself, to engage and fight for what they want, yet giving heart, kindness and empathy. Mandela, Martin Luther King, Nina Simone, Gandhi, Erin Brokovitch, my partner, my parents, some great friends… Well known or not whatever, it is the cause or values they defend and how they do it which matters and inspire me.
Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime? Eternal Sunshine or the Spotless Mind by Michel Gondry
What role plays art in my life and work? Art is completely linked to my life, it is everyday around. It can be a movie, a painting, a family, a garden, a landscape, a good meal.. whatever rises ourselves.
Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? Not only one person but I would say everybody, directly or not, involved in my life plays a role. Everybody who believed, or believe, in my work, helps me on the way to my realisation as an artist and reminds me how to be true to myself. I’m thankful and lucky to be that well surrounded by day-to-day great supporters !
Whom would I like to work with in 2017? But I would love to work with a galerist or a curator to challenge myself and work more and more. And a collaboration with musicians or artists in different areas could be fun.
Which people in my profession would i love to meet in 2017? I would love to have real talking with artists such as Cecily Brown, Jules de Balincourt and Prune Nourry, among others.
What project, in 2017, am I looking forward to work on? Looking forward to something in 2018. Will let you know soon ! Now for what’s left of 2017, I’m focused on painting new series of work.
Where can you see me or my work in 2017? In Paris you can see some paintings in the Artotheque ECLA of Saint-Cloud, in Montpellier at galerie Samira Cambie and my studio, open to anyone who wants to visit !
What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? I totally agree ! These words sum my life up, it’s a lifestyle. Not much more to say.
Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story? Julie Coustarot, Justine Lecouffe, Adelaïde Potherat, Carole Bouvier, Véronique Lafont, Myrtille Lancelle and many others… Everyone has an interesting story to tell.
How can you contact me?
And it you want to follow up my studio life, get in touch on
Facebook and
Instagram (@juliesusset)
As a bonus here a video to see the process of wall painting project I took part of in Paris in 2015 :
What follows is a message of Peter de Kuster, the founder of the Heroine’s Journey
What is Your Story?
Two Day Tour with Peter de Kuster in the greatest bookstores of your favorite city. In Paris, Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Berlin, London and Amsterdam we offer this unique What is your Story? experience. To (re) write your story about yourself and your work. In the process transforming your capacity to successfully have the creative life and work you love.
In this journey, Peter de Kuster, founder of The Heroine’s Journey explores with you the way we tell stories about ourselves to ourselves — and, most important, the way we can change those stories to transform our creative business and life.
“Your story is your art, your art is your story,” says Peter. As human beings, we continually tell ourselves stories — of success or failure; of power or victimhood; stories that endure for an hour, or a day, or an entire lifetime. We have stories about our creative challenges, our art, our clients, our money, our self promotion, our time, our families and relationships, our health; about what we want and what we’re capable of achieving. Yet, while our stories profoundly affect how others see us and we see ourselves, too few of us even recognize that we’re telling stories, or what they are, or that we can change them — and, in turn, transform our very destinies.
Telling ourselves stories provides structure and direction as we navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and helps us interpret our goals and skills. Stories make sense of chaos; they organize our many divergent experiences into a coherent thread; they shape our entire reality. And far too many of our stories, says Peter, are dysfunctional, in need of serious editing. First, he asks you to answer the question, “In which areas of my creative life and business is it clear that I cannot achieve my goals with the story I’ve got?” He then shows you how to create new, reality-based stories that inspire you to action, and take you where you want to go both in your work and personal life.
Our capacity to tell stories is one of our profoundest gifts. Peter’s approach to creating deeply engaging stories will give you the tools to wield the power of storytelling and forever change your creative business and life.
Become a great Storyteller
That’s why I set up What is your Story? service in the great cities of the world and their great bookstores. A new way to use the power of your story. To guide you to life-changing, eye-opening but often elusive works of literature, both past and present, the books of fiction that truly have the power to enchant, enrich and inspire.
In two days with Peter de Kuster you’ll explore your relationship with books so far and your unique story identity will be sketched. You will be guided to books that can put their finger on what you want to rewrite in your story, the feelings that you may often have had but perhaps never understood so clearly before; books that open new perspectives and re-enchant the world for you.
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire in advance of your session and you’ll be given an instant story advice and books to read to take away. Your full story advice and books to read list will follow within a couple of days.

OLD STORIES
- What is your Story?
- Are you even trying to tell a Story?
- Old Stories (stories about you, your art, your clients, your money, your self promotion, your happiness, your health)
- Tell your current Story
- Is this Really Your Story?
YOUR NEW STORY
- The Premise of your Story. The Purpose of your Life and Art
- The words on your tombstone
- You ultimate mission, out loud
- The Seven Great Plots
- The Twelve Archetypal Heroines
- The One Great Story
- Purpose is Never Forgettable
- Questioning the Premise
- Lining up
- Flawed Alignment, Tragic Ending
- The Three Rules in Storytelling
- Write Your New Story
TURNING STORY INTO ACTION
- Turning your story into action
- The Story Effect
- Story Ritualizing
- The Storyteller and the art of story
- The Power of Your Story
- Storyboarding your creative process
- They Created and Lived Happily Ever After
RESERVATION AND FEES
The “What is your Story?” fee is Euro 2.495 excluding VAT for a private tour with a small group of 1 or 2 people.
Questions? Contact Peter de Kuster at 0031 6 33661772 or mail him at peterdekuster@hotmail.nl