In Honor of Love...

          ...my exhibit at Ciné in Athens was extended, and all art is 14% off! The sale goes on through midnight on Valentine’s Day. Not local? Don’t worry! You can choose your painting and purchase your choice from my website, or feel free to text, phone or email me directly at rene.shoemaker@gmail.com, 706.424.4739, or just hit 'reply' to this email! All art is framed and ready to give as a gift to your loved one - or to yourself!

                                                               Orange Sky Over the Plain, painting on silk

                                   La Rentrée exhibit at Ciné in Athens, GA, USA

Here is the complete collection of the work in the exhibit. Which one speaks to you?

Thanks for your patronage -- I love sharing my work with you!

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Chartres-A Magical Town

Wandering Through Chartres

Recently I highlighted one particular building in Chartres, France: St. Aignan Church, because of its innate beauty, inspiring shape, light, and color. Today I have more images to share with you from Chartres, photos that I took while exploring the town. I found that one of the good things about staying at the Auberge de Jeunesse—the Youth Hostel—in Chartres is that you cannot remain there during the day; they close the hostel to clean and prepare for new guests, and this forced eviction (no sleeping late!) gives one a wonderful opportunity to wander the town.

Chartres, west of Paris, is home to the famous 13th century Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres. It is a magnificent building that sits on a hill, and when approaching the city one can see it from many miles away. Chartres is known for its stained glass windows, and they are beautiful. But my favorite detail, located at the west end of the Cathedral—the King’s entrance—is “my” lady. There, next to the entrance, is a statue lined up with the rest of her coterie, and she is special to me. She is known to be Charlemagne’s mother, Bertrada of Laon, and she is “mine” because a few years back I made a print of her.  It was her smile that first made me fall in love with her; I have always loved that smile, and her elegance.

Come wander the streets with me, and tell me about you own favorite street scenes.

Returning from France - "La rentrée"

                                                                                        Christina's View. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Paris.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE ART OPENING AT
CINÉ
ATHENS, GA

Thursday, December 14, 2017
5 -7 pm

La Rentrée, 
René returns from France to share with her friends what she saw there

                                                                                                       Le Grand Café. Felletin, France

 La rentrée, René returns from France will be on display at Ciné at 236 West Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA from December 14, 2017 to January 31, 2018.There will be an opening reception on Thursday, December 14, from 5-7 p.m. The event is free and all are invited.

 I welcome you to this exhibit of paintings on silk and prints on paper of the architecture and landscape of central France. Much of the work was exhibited at the City Hall of Felletin, in La Creuse, France during the summer of 2017.

 After living in France for the better part of this year,  I now return to my Athenian life, friends and loves. But the experience of living in France was transformational, and I wish to share that feeling, the sites, and the adventure of being there with you, my Athens community. 

                                                                              L'eglise et la ville, Felletin, France.

La rentrée, in France, is the time at the end of the summer when people return to their “normal life” - school & work - after the summer vacation. But I noticed that what I experienced at the time of La rentrée was not just busy highways as all of France traveled on certain days, but a whole-country feeling and an attitude of excitement marking the end of the summer. At lawlessfrench.com, they describe it best: “…but la rentrée is much more than that – it marks the entire country’s return to normalcy after the summer break. It’s time to go not only back to school but also to work, as well as catch up with friends and clubs and choirs and teams. La rentrée refers to returning home and getting back to real life.”   

 As I settle down to my real life in Athens, I remember that daily life in France was challenging but also very rewarding. The landscape was beautiful, the skies large, the architecture inspiring. While planning my return to Georgia, I knew that I wanted to share my experiences through the artwork I created while in France. I had the feeling La rentrée was the perfect title for this exhibit, as I was returning from a sojourn overseas to reacquaint myself with my Stateside home. This exhibit is a way of bringing my two worlds together, and, hopefully, of sharing what I saw, experienced and enjoyed while overseas. 

For more information, contact the artist:

 rene.shoemaker@gmail.com
 706.424.4730

  reneshoemaker.com

                                                                                                                                                              Eternit, Felletin, France

St. Aignan Church in Chartres, France

If I were to share one travel tip with you, 

     this would be it:

When you travel to France and visit Chartres, yes, go to the Cathedral - it is truly magnificent.

But DO (and this is the advice part)...

   ...visit St. Aignan Church.  It is tucked away in a small street and is easy to miss. In fact, I am sure most people do not even know it exists.

 This most ancient parish of Chartres is a true architectural gem, and a tactile connection to the past. It is a visual artist's true point of inspiration. Once you arrive, you will most likely be alone in the light-filled structure, standing in this magnificent space by yourself; free to wander and inspect and marvel with an uninterrupted view of the space, light, and the exquisite details all around.

I tend not to offer travel advice because I feel new places are best discovered on one's own for a memorable adventure, but this experience so inspired me I just knew I had to share the beauty of the space.