My silk painting workshop will be held Sept 12-17, 2024 at this beautiful castle embedded in a small village in the Dordogne region of France.
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Keep up with the latest art and adventures from Rene Shoemaker Art!
Do you love travel & discovery?
After an 11-hour flight from Paris, I landed in the yet-unknown-to-me city of San Francisco.
What a treasure!
The experience was everything I hoped it would be: beautiful views of the mountains and city, sparkling lights at nighttime, fog rolling in over Twin Peaks, views of the bay, a studio to work in, a beautifully curated gallery to plan an exhibit in, a workshop to teach, and new people to meet.
I find that travel rejuvenates and inspires me; oh, maybe you already knew that about me? How about you? Do you love travel, too?
The memory of San Francisco, via René’s impressions:
the kindness of the people
even the dogs all seem content
and the HUGE windows that were on so many houses to let in the sun.
Sunrise view from my window., looking towards the Bay. Noe Valley, San Francisco, California
+ + +
After San Francisco I landed in Toronto, then New York. While walking In Manhattan, I happened upon this striking building I had painted in the past. The experience is akin to running into an old friend on the street in a strange city:
705-711 Greenwich St, NYC
I invite you to discover these historic doors and grand windows that dance with the energy and spirit of zen that inhabits these two connected buildings in the heart of the West Village in New York City.
René Art can remind you of places you have discovered, experiences you have shared, locations you may have found in a quiet moment, even in the midst of a busy day, when you can feel the energy of the city, the joy of adventure, and the delight in color.
Whether in your hometown or a distant city, observations can give you a lovely moment of happiness while walking down the street.
Enjoy your adventures today!
Dates to remember:
2023
December 3, 2023
Silk Painting 1 day workshop
Original Art on Silk
K. A. Artist Shop, Athens, GA
https://kaartist.com/products/original-art-on-silk-workshop
December 10, 2023
Business of Art workshop
Business of Art professional workshop
K. A. Artist Shop, Athens, GA
https://kaartist.com/products/the-business-of-art-workshop
December 14 and 15, 2023
Athens Holiday Market
Big City Bread, Athens, GA
https://www.visitathensga.com/event/athens-holiday-market-%40-big-city-bread/16434/
2024
July 21, 2024
Opening reception for San Francisco / Paris / New York City exhibit
Michelle Thomas Fine Art Gallery + Studio
San Francisco, CA
The exhibit will be on view through October 25th, 2024
https://michellethomasfineart.com/about-gallery-and-studio
July 22-24, 2024
Three-day silk painting workshop
Michelle Thomas Fine Art Gallery + Studio
San Francisco, CA
https://michellethomasfineart.com/about-gallery-and-studio
September 2024
Silk painting art retreat
Manor and Maker, the Château de Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Dordogne, France
https://www.manorandmaker.com/maker/2024-silkpainting
Spring 2024:
Paris, France
Exhibition in the planning phase in the 14th arrondissement
More information soon!
To purchase the painting above in my shop, click here .
With appreciation,
Reading in the Garden
Our house welcomed us with open arms, warming us with heated stone walls as the snow fell upon our arrival. The weather changes often, and when the sun shines here it is breathtakingly beautiful, then I am sitting in the sunlight, soaking up as much vitamin D as I can before the grey skies return. I stand basking in the sunlight, grateful that I have this opportunity to participate in a different culture, discover a sense of history different from that of my home country, and explore Roman roads, hiking trails, tractor paths and foot paths that lead me to unknown locales.
I feel a sense of freedom here that I don’t have in the States. I used to think it came from not knowing the language, but now I think it may be due to the lifestyle. My daily routines that I do are the same here—shop for food, go for walks, talk with my neighbors—but somehow it is also different. There is less sense of stress here. Certainly people still have problems, but as a community they seem to work together to solve those problems.
I find time has no real meaning and one can easily live in the present moment.
With gratitude,
Reading in the garden; basking in the sunshine
JE SUIS ARRIVÉ
Living in France
When am I allowed to say I live in France? Is it when we bought the house? (No). Is it when we arrived in April to move in? (No). Is it one week, one month, one year after we arrived? (Maybe).
L-R clockwise: coffee at the hearth on our first night here, a composition of flowers against a fresh white wall, our new home before the grass was cut, a break for coffee in the yard
As I rode my bike from my village to the next yesterday, zooming down the hill, on my way to draw the church and castle there, I had the feeling: “I belong here”. I sat up a little taller, looked more fully at the fields surrounding me, breathed in the fresh, cool air and I smiled. Je suis arrivé.
Coming home from a long ride on my bicycle
I have studied French for over 20 years - off and on - but never received the degree I sought as I found that studying the language consumed all of my time (no time left over for art!). It was very difficult for me (all those rules and exceptions to the rules - egads!). Now that I am here, though, I can tell that those years of reading French literature and fables, of taking the Conversation and Composition class a zillion times, paired with previous trips to France… the language is beginning to come together in my head. It is still difficult to speak - and comprehend when people speak to me - but I can tell there is a chink in the door, I can see a path towards understanding, and I know that with every day it becomes just a little easier as just a little more of the words I hear make their way into my brain.
As an artist, what is exciting me the most about my physical world is that there are no right angles here! Everything is handmade, worn with age, settled with years, and roads are created by feet, not by plum lines. The stone houses are created by the patterns of the stones; the interiors of the houses are molded by hand; the door knobs and furniture have been loved by hands for years.
L-R clockwise: the stones that make up our home, a nook for the most fantastic coffee break, a gift from a neighbor - goose eggs along with a chicken egg
Oh, and the landscape… Let me tell you about this beautiful landscape I have landed in. There are ubiquitous rolling hills. There are large skies. When the sun shines, everything is beautiful and green. These nights are filled with skies populated with dense stars, even more stars than our place in the U.S.! When the clouds prevail, it is beautiful in a cool, moist way. The greens get greener, the cows by the road more defined. The roads are narrow and curving here. It is also a fabulous area for bicycling - so much to see with enough of a workout to be a challenge.
Most of the houses are stone structures, as is ours. In Georgia, we live in isolation, in a wooden house, tucked into the forested countryside. Here we are in a hamlet, surrounded by friendly people who stop in to check on us, and give us our daily dose of French. We eat French baguettes. We drink French wine. We marvel every day at our good luck. We are here. Nous sommes ici.
The view! The view!
Click to enlarge and see the dolmen, likely from the Neolithic period
Sunset view from the house
We have the most incredible hearth
The back of the house. So much to discover! Such light!
I love the landscape here!
PS - A note about the election that just happened here… I wish that I had been able to vote, and am so very fortunate to live in a country where love prevailed!
PPS - In Athens, GA, USA, new work is up at BMA @ Home, just in time for Mother's Day! Click here to purchase!
