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

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

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

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? . . . . .

. . . . .

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.

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

Holiday sales, and updated news

Happy holidays!

The year goes by too quickly,
but I am honored to be on your screen today--we've been together for a while now!

Here are 5 quick items of news I wanted to share with you:

1) I'll be in Decatur, GA selling my wares on Sunday, December 15th at the annual Hollyday Sale hosted by Treehouse kids & craft of Athens and Atlanta. Since we have a new baby in our family who is a source of constant inspiration, I'll be selling beautiful and useful silk baby items along with my cards, prints and paintings. This is a great opportunity for me to meet up with my Atlanta peeps and to make new friends! Please stop by, and tell your friends about it if they live in the area.

2) Sharing the Magical Landscapes: my Japanese inspired prints are on exhibit and for sale at Jittery Joes 5 Points in Athens, GA.

3) My online shop is open and awaiting your visit at: reneshoemaker.com/shop

4) If you are in Paris for the holidays, my Paris dress is still on display in the Pompidou Center, as part of the exhibit Cosmopolis #2

5) And, to be sure you knew in plenty of time to plan ahead for a silk painting workshop in February 2020 at the KA Artist shop in Athens, GA.You can find more information and sign up here: KA Artist Shop. We have changed the format of the class to offer YOU more time to wok with silk and explore new creative ideas.

Have a lovely holiday season, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please share this post, and leave a message here to send me questions, or leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

Charlie poses with our new Silkies that will be for sale in Decatur. Isn't he adorable?

Now on Exhibit:

December 2 - January 31, 2020
Sharing the Magical Landscapes: affordable archival prints of Japanese inspired paintings
Jittery Joes 5 Points
1230 S Milledge Ave
Athens, GA 30605

Until December 23, 2019
Cosmopolis #2: Rethinking the Human
Centre Pompidou
Paris, France

Save the Dates:

December 15, 2019 10am - 4pm
Hollyday Market
Treehouse kid & craft Decatur
533 W Howard Ave
Decatur, GA 30030

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

Expanding your art collection? My Studio carries lots of art at many sizes & price points! Contact me for a private tour.

In Athens, my cards, postcards, and prints are carried by: KA Artist Shop



SEEING INTO THE FUTURE

I’d like to share with you a pivotal moment in my career as an artist.

In 1998 I was in Cortona, Italy for the summer with my family, working as the librarian for the University of Georgia School of Art’’s study abroad program. I was an artist myself, but didn’t believe I could realize my artistic potential while raising a family and pursuing my career as a librarian. 

Working with the art students, many of whom were work-study students for the library, gave me the opportunity to get to know and bond with many of them. Although I was admittedly a little envious that I wasn’t able to study abroad myself when I was in art school, I admired their hunger to learn and to grow. I also came to know the art professors and attended their lectures describing their careers, artistic endeavors, styles, and works-in-progress. 

That summer was the source of one of my most important personal insights. For it was then I first realized that the artists who surrounded me were really no different from me, no better than I was. We were equals, artists in community. In other words, I saw for the first time,

I WAS A REAL ARTIST, TOO.

That recognition changed my life. At the end of the summer I returned home and took action. I worked hard and started being not shy about pursuing my art, acknowledging my determination, and honing my ability to share and talk about my artwork. Now, I had a vision.

You may have heard this part of the story before:
In 1998 I embarked on a 10-year plan (which ultimately took 12) to launch my career as a full-time artist once I retired from my job at UGA. I would no longer sit quietly and wait for life to happen to me. In those dozen years, I had 24 solo shows, participated in 83 group shows, won 6 awards, and created 5 large-scale installations.

This past year I realized that year 10 as a full-time artist was quickly approaching, and I knew that was a magical number. I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew it was going to be exciting!

Fast forward to 2019. Last week I attended a program at the Pompidou Center in Paris for the exhibition opening of “Cosmopolis #2” because one of my creations is on exhibit there! I was immensely excited, pleased, and proud. The dress I designed, painted, dyed, sewed, and styled is just a small part of one installation; although the exhibit was not mine and my name was not on the program, I was able to take part knowing that my art was in a MAJOR world museum. As I listened to the artists present their Cosmopolis #2 work in front of windows that looked out on the bustling Parisian life, with the citizens and architecture of Paris as a backdrop, I knew in my very bones that 
 

I COULD DO THAT.

I COULD BE SITTING IN THAT CHAIR

BEHIND THAT MICROPHONE

IN FRONT OF THAT ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE

AT THE POMPIDOU CENTER

IN PARIS.


YES, I COULD.

Seeing my dream take shape before my very eyes, I know success is on the way, speeding towards me like a French locomotive, driven by determination and belief in myself.

Many thanks to Christina Chirouze Montenegro, who made it happen. Here she is, above, modeling the dress when I first presented it to her.

We all have fears to face and obstacles to overcome. It’s hard when you have a vision and don’t know where to start. But I am happy to report that a motto I have believed in for many years has served me well:

Perseverance furthers.

Thank you, as always, for your time and your gracious support, and for following me on this adventure called life.

Simón Vega. Archipiélago de Intercambio (sketch), 2019

Save the Dates

Until December 23, 2019
Cosmopolis #2: Rethinking the Human
Centre Pompidou
Paris, France

June, 2020
Floral Heritage of Guatemala
La Caféotheque de Paris
Paris, France

August, 2020
Silk Works by René Shoemaker
Galerie des Marches
Aubusson, France

Expanding your art collection?
  Visit reneshoemaker.com/shop for original art and prints. 

My cards, postcards, and prints are carried by:
 KA Artist Shop  
where I teach the fine art of silk painting.
The next scheduled class is December 7-8, 2019.
Sign up now! 

FRANCE > US

Just left France.

It’s been a little crazy to think about the contrasts between the two places; I try to be aware of the differences without making value judgements.

Suffice it to say, we like it there.

Now I am back to the States with my family and Dexter, our dog. And it’s been a while since I shared. Hello!

My exhibit at Galerie AM’Carta in late August was a resounding success. I met a lot of good people, and interacted with a lot of other artists. Because of that exhibit, I was also invited to participate in an 4-artist exhibition the following month in Uzerche, France! This was an added bonus, and brought new connections and opportunities.

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A view of my beloved studio in France

Wilfried Celerian, Deputy Mayor of Cultural Affairs, Felletin

L-R: Thierry Roger, master framer and an expert yarn dyer for the tapestry trade + Nelly, owner of café L’antidote in Aubusson

I’m happy to share the images of the newly-created Aubusson art and the events that surrounded the Aubusson exhibit. I so look forward to seeing what the next year in La Creuse brings!

(Scroll down for more)

J'adore la ville, la fleuve et les bâtiments historiques d’Aubusson. En fait, le teinture que j’utilise pour crée mes peintures me relie, je sens, à l’histoire des artisans d’Aubusson.

Avec mes sentiments les meilleurs, j’offre mon oeuvre aux citoyens d’Aubusson.

I love the city, the river and the historic buildings of Aubusson. In fact, the dye that I use to create my paintings connects me, I feel, to the history of Aubusson craftsmen.

With my best feelings, I offer my work to the citizens of Aubusson.

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My process begins with a small sketch, which leads to a larger sketch, before I even begin on the silk…

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I sketch it out carefully on the silk before I even dream of painting on it. This is after many hours of research, planning, and work.

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It’s such a satisfying experience to go from a tiny sketch to this! Prior to this step I set the colors and steam away any wrinkles. I also stitch a loop for the dowel at the top.

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In it’s final form. La Rivière Creuse + Galerie AM’Carta. Aubusson. 2018

NEW EXHIBITION in athens, GA OPENS THURSDAY, Nov. 8

AND, I am excited to announce a new exhibit (closer to my Georgia, USA friends) at the Lyndon House Arts Center in Athens, GA. The Lyndon House is a beautiful space and I am honored to be exhibiting there with the very talented Judy Bales in a collaborative exhibit titled, aptly, “Call & Response: Works by René Shoemaker and Judy Bales”. See Judy’s work here: www.judybales.com

Our exhibit opens on November 8th with a reception that encompasses three fascinating exhibits opening that day. The talented team of Sara Parker and Simon Hunt have mounted “Perennial Pattern: Works by Sara Parker and Simon Hunt,” and the delightful seer St .EOM of Pasaquan, a 20th Century visionary whose spirits encouraged him to build a new community in South Georgia.

I was lucky to have visited St. EOM’s home mere months before finding out I would be exhibiting with his work. Talk about synchronicity!

René Shoemaker

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Judy Bales

I hope you enjoy these new French artworks, and I look forward to sharing the Lyndon House installation soon. Hope to see you at the reception on November 8th!

Much love,

-René

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