Dear Friends and Collectors,
I am in the South of France. Summer is here and the Mediterranean is gently heating; I look forward to my daily summer swimming.
Immediately following my residency in Eze in March, the subject of the previous Monthly News, I painted in a famous garden in Menton, Le Clos Peyronnet. I had only a few days before packing up for an epic trip to Inner Mongolia and Tibet, so I set up on the front lawn of the villa and painted the peristyle covered in purple wisteria from two different views, adding some architectural features, somewhat rare in my work. Capturing that spring light was a sublime experience.
My solo show at the Musée du Cap d’Ail, Villa les Camélias was such a wonderful event for me! I taught a pastel workshop, so successful they want me back to teach again next year. Opening night was well attended and the weather was perfect. During a poetry evening, Sabine Peglion recited some very deep poems about my work; her work was featured in the show. The closing event consisted of book signings with authors from around France and two guided tours of the exhibition with commentary from Sabine and me. Overall, it was an immensely validating experience, and the work sold well.
What next? A solo show at the municipal library in Menton June 20- July 19, with the show open during regular library hours. This venue is in keeping with my vision of exhibiting in public spaces. Here is the artist statement for the show entitled, At Home in the Garden: “My paintings of native plants inculcate a desire to re-create and appreciate the splendor of a natural environment. The public gardens and landscapes of the world are my canvas to bring a message of sustainability, accessibility, and beauty.” If you are in the Menton area, please come to the cocktail opening next Friday, invitation below.
I am travelling to one of my beloved destinations in Italy, the island of Ischia to paint once more, this time in pastels, at the famed Giardino La Mortella. I painted there in 2015 and 2017, fall and spring respectively, and now will paint summer, before returning to California in late August.
Helen Frankenthaler said, and I am paraphrasing, “You can’t prove beauty, it is there as a fact, you can feel it. It gives no message other than itself, which in turn should be able to move you to some sort of truth and insight beyond art…”
Wishing you all a happy and peaceful summer,
In Art,
Gianne