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Keep up with the latest art and adventures from Rene Shoemaker Art!

Paris / Athens / New York / Toronto: Returning Home

In my early twenties, I went to see my sister who lived in upstate New York.

Before I arrived, her daughters asked, “Where does René live, Mama?”

My sister said to them: “René doesn’t have a home.”

Ouch.

Those were during my wandering years.

Athens, GA: 1.Morning mist in the woods of Georgia 2.Sam Sutlive at Jittery Joe's 3.René art in an Athens collector’s home

Where is your home? 

Now I have a home. Or three. Maybe four. It's not that I own houses in all those places, its just that the feeling of 'home' comes to me strongly when I am there.

I happily traveled this past month to three locations:

1. Athens, GA, USA

2. New York City, USA

3. Toronto, Canada

Then back home again to:

4. Aubusson, France

New York, NY: 1.Manhattan rooftop inspiration 2.René art at the Shade Bar in the Village 3.Kate Sutlive in SoHo

What is the sensation of home? 

I felt perfectly at home in each of those locations. I felt the sense of peace that we have when we feel like we belong. Like we have a place there. That we have friends, and relatives, and locations that mean the world to us.

I realized it is perfectly okay to have more than one home.

A place where our dreams are formed and realized.

What place makes you feel really good? How do you share it?

Toronto, Canada: 1.Royal Ontario Museum 2.Downtown Toronto 3.René & Yvonne as twins

I like going away, and I like returning home again.

And why is Paris in the title above, you may ask?

Because that is where it all starts. A day and a night in Paris, a good coffeeshop visit, and walking along the Seine, and visiting my favorite street, rue de Bièvre, on the Left Bank, just across from Notre-Dame.

Comment below, and let me know; where do you feel most at home?

A Lesson in Resiliency : Learning How to Live the Good Life

ShoemakerRene-Yvonne+ReneGoingOut

Last week I traveled to Toronto to celebrate the 90th birthday of my dear, sweet Aunt Yvonne.

What a joyful experience it was!

I am close to Yvonne and I enjoy visiting with her whenever I can, usually once a year. She and my cousin Marie even came to see us in France last year. Yvonne had never been to France before and she figured, well, now or …

L-R: Marie, René and Yvonne

L-R: Marie, René and Yvonne

I was super excited to be with Yvonne and her children—all 11 of them! Yvonne and Uncle Gene, who sadly passed away in 2014, have 43 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren continue the family line. What a fulfilled life!

Many of the Power clan gathered on the golf course

Many of the Power clan gathered on the golf course

Yvonne is one of the strongest women I have ever met.
She was born in 1930, grew up during the Great Depression, and watched the world change dramatically during her life. She gave birth to and raised 11 children, and after seeing a century almost all the way through, celebrated her 90th birthday with 150 people, danced until 2 a.m., THEN went to the after-party party at the local hamburger joint. That MUST make a person feel pretty darn good! Yvonne has undoubtedly known plenty of sadness in such a long life, but boy, does she know how to enjoy her life and live it to the fullest. The event space has already been booked for 2030 to celebrate her 100th birthday! Yvonne golfs, plays badminton, and practices yoga. She tells me stories about her brother—my dad—and the rest of the extended family that I would never know otherwise. And she helps guide me to be a better person.

Living the life she has takes a great deal of resiliency, as life constantly presents us all with unexpected challenges.
But the rewards of the way she has lived her life are so great, her attitude towards life is so open and positive, and her family has such unmistakable love has for each other that it is so incredibly inspiring to me. She is such a centered human being and a fantastic role model for the way I want to live my life. It is a joy to spend time with Aunt Yvonne. I love her very much, and I look forward to many, many more opportunities to share our lives together in the future.

Aunt Yvonne with a version of herself at age 17 - Isn't she beautiful? . . . . .

Aunt Yvonne with a version of herself at age 17 - Isn't she beautiful? . . . . .

. . . . .

ACT NOW!

My silk painting workshop is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, February 8th and 9th
at the KA Artist shop in Athens, GA.
As of this writing, there are only 2 seats left.
You can find more information and sign up at the KA Artist Shop.
The format of the class has changed to offer you more time to wok with silk and explore your creative ideas.

Looking for a gift for a loved one or for yourself?
My online shop is open 24 hours a day and is awaiting your visit at: reneshoemaker.com/shop

I truly hope that the beginning of 2020 has been good to you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Please share this email,
and leave a message below to send me questions, comments and new ideas.

I love hearing from you!

A bouquet of beautiful white flowers celebrating Yvonne's 90th birthday.

A bouquet of beautiful white flowers celebrating Yvonne's 90th birthday.

Now on Exhibit

Sharing the Magical Landscapes:
affordable archival prints of Japanese inspired paintings
December 2 - February 4, 2020
Jittery Joes 5 Points 1230 S Milledge Ave Athens, GA 30605

Silk Painting Workshop
February 8 & 9, 2020
Silk Painting Workshop with René Shoemaker
K.A. Artist Shop Athens, GA

Upcoming Exhibit
June 2020
Floral Heritage of Central America
La Caféothèque de Paris
Paris, France

Expanding your art collection?
My studios in Georgia and France stocks lots of art in many sizes & price points!
Contact me for a private tour.

In Athens, GA,
my cards, postcards, prints and magnets
are carried by the KA Artist Shop