Published on
August 27, 2008 in
Fibers.
I decided to assign myself a photography project this summer so I would take some different pictures than my usual obsession with sunflowers, gargoyles and other architectural delights here in France. My subject was Mimes.
At many of the music and street festivals there are fabulously costumed mimes who change their pose as you drop a few coins in their box. I find them fascinating and fun to photograph. I captured these two mimes in Avignon.
And one special photograph (I’ll upload at some point) I caught the mime putting on his makeup at a cafe while having coffee and a cigarette.
Home soon, and I am really looking forward to some time in the studio, hopefully following through on inspiration from the la Belle France!
Published on
August 21, 2008 in
Fibers.
Les Cammazes is a little village about fifteen minutes from Durfort and I usually try to take the workshop classes there. They carry all types of pottery- decorative and practical. Beatifully painted tableware and those hardy (and heavy) rust or mustard colored cooking pots to make cassoulet and other French delights.
Outside there is large garden art which is a delight to roam through. La Cascade has a large stone pineapple on the gate leading down to the river. I love to photograph the many statues to use as transfers or inspiration for figures.
I’ll be posting updated info about the 2009 workshops in France in about 2 weeks and hope you will consider joining me!
Published on
August 14, 2008 in
Fibers.
I’m going to Gaillac tomorrow which is about forty-five minutes away. The drive there is through rolling hills of sunflowers and fields of hay and corn. Besides being a wonderful wine producing area, the town itself is an architectural delight.
Beautiful timbered houses with windowboxes spilling over with geraniums, great peeling-paint and colorful doors (I love deteriorating surfaces) and something I especially love- the painted walls and garage doors that some villages seem to specialize in.
Published on
August 7, 2008 in
Fibers.
I’m nearing the end of my camping trip in France, which has been a delight. On the way to Marseilles is this wild wonder! It has been created over several years by a local woman, an outsider artist (called Art Brut in France). Apparently the inside is as decorated as the outside but one can not visit the house. However she does have a studio where she works- we stopped by but she was not working today.
In Aix en Provence there are wonderful fountains around every corner. Its been very very very hot so in addition to providing great photo ops I have been experiencing the joy of cool water on the back of my neck!
Published on
July 29, 2008 in
Fibers.
I’m camping here in the french countryside which is a delight. The campgrounds in France are in general quite nice.  I wake up to the sounds of the birds, hop out of the tent and make my cup of cafe with a mini French presse. 
This area is known for the elaborate dovecotes that were created in the 1700’s called Pigeonniers. Pigeons were so valuable that these castles were built to house them. You can drive around the countryside here and spot them in fields. Beautiful and fanciful! Perhaps ideas for a new series of architectural inspired brooches?
Published on
July 19, 2008 in
Fibers.
My second workshop has come and gone and we had a fine time going to the markets, Albi, the local monastery, the flea market and a brocante (antiques) show. And of course studio time- the work created was really top notch and very exciting for me to watch it develop over the week.
I want to thank all the lovely ladies who made the long trip over to experience my little slice of life in a French village. 
This is one of my favorite fountains in the village of Revel- five minutes from the workshop. Revel is a center of furniture making, especially marquetry work, and there are alot of working artists in the area.
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Published on
July 10, 2008 in
Fibers.
My second workshop has arrived as of yesterday and I’ll write about what we are up to in a few days but while waiting I thought you would like to meet the wonderful artist and my friend Veronique who is a hat-maker extraordinaire using recycled materials.
Her creations are sought after all over France and she was profiled in January 2005 issue of Belle Armoire. That’s me getting a hat made.Enjoy!
Published on
July 3, 2008 in
Fibers.
Bonjour! I’ve been camping down in the Pyrenees inbetween workshops and besides my achy bones, it has
been a wonderful experience. We have hiked to several Cathar castles- look close at the picture and you can see Monsegur- one of the first castles we hiked to, perched way way up on top. Once there, the view is exhilarating and the feeling of history and the accomplishments of humans surrounds you and is literally awesome.
I’ll be back posting more about art and creativity next week. I’m looking forward to the arrival of the next workshop on Wednesday.
Published on
June 21, 2008 in
Fibers.
After taking my workshop ladies to the wonderful Saturday market in Revel, we hopped in the cars and took off for Albi, about an hour away. Along the way we pulled off to a picnic site and had a most wonderful pique-nique from the market- olives, cheese, bread, apricots, tomatoes,almond, spicy radishes and other delights.
Albi is a magnificent small city. The astounding fortress-like cathedral presides over a delightful pedestrian only city centre, filled with shops, boutiques, cafes, and beautiful architecture from the 14 and
15C. The cathedral itself is literally jaw-dropping. I am designing – or at least sketching- some new jewelry inspired by the magnificent gargoyles.
On top of this, the Toulouse Lautrec Museum is right around the corner and houses not only the fabulous posters, but his early drawings and paintings.
If one needs a rest, the small boats cruise- old wooden boats- are right there at the river behind the Cathedral to give a unique perspective of this magnificent city.
Published on
June 14, 2008 in
Fibers.
We started off the workshop by visiting our neighbor village Soreze- a medieval village filled
with photo-ops and inspiration. Many doors in the village have exquisite and unusual door knockers that I think can lead to some interesting ideas to link, hinge or combine parts together. Hmmnnn….. I need to get my journal out and start sketching some ideas.
I photographed several peeling paint doors- the look of the faded and deteriorating paint and patinas is a rich source of ideas for color and surface textures. We also visited the nearby monastery, En Calcat, which has an incredible bookstore filled with art books, icons and even jazz CD’s!
