Catch-up....

This blog was set up in 2010 and it sat with no entries until today.

I am a printmaker and mixed media painter

and

today I have my own Artist's Blog.

I have the most loving, patient, caring and knowledgeable daughter.

Michelle is visiting me from Chicago and she is educating me

on the ins and outs of blogging.

I like this photo of Michelle and me.

I am going to do a bit of catch-up here with posts of photos from
TWO MEMORABLE ARTIST RETREATS.

The most recent retreat was at Le Vieux Couvent
in Frayssinet, France
in July of this year with
Dreama Tolle Perry
and 17 of my new friends.

I have a Life Goal List!

I have had it for many years.

On my list was to have tea with a woman I had never met....

Dreama Tolle Perry, an artist,

who lived in Paris, Kentucky.

It wasn't her art that drew me to her, it was her spirit.

I sent her an email telling her of my goal...

'to have tea with Dreama Tolle Perry'.

Dreama wrote back to me welcoming the idea.

That goal took me to France this past July.

I am not an oil painter and I had never expressed a desire to travel to France

but here I was traveling to France for a 10 day oil painting retreat

at Le Vieux Couvent....

to have tea with Dreama Tolle Perry.

There are times and events in our lives that are life changing....

that set us off on

a new and different path....my trip to France was one of these times.

One of the courtyards looking out onto the road and
 beyond to the church with it's bell tower.

The door to the door to my room.

I was so very thankful to have a desk in my room.
I sat here often writing and making additions to my journal.

It could not have been better.
Tea with Dreama in a little Tea Room
on
Suzie's Lavender Farm
in France.

China cups and saucers, small bouquets of flowers,
lavender cupcakes and friends!
I love china tea cups for it takes me back
many years
 to enjoying a cup of tea with my mother and Aunty Joan
at a table covered with a flowered table cloth.

Suzie telling us of the different types of lavender,
the uses, harvesting etc....and
how a ballet dancer from England came to
own a Lavender Farm in France.
Inspiring!

I have to pinch myself... that is me standing in the middle of a lavender field.
I have my purple tam to remind me...a gift from Dreama.
Anyone who knows me will remember
that I don a tam as soon as the temperature begins to drop in the fall.
and it remains on until the early spring.

...and now my attempts at oil painting.

I  found that I enjoyed oil painting,
so much so that I have purchased oil paints,
I have my James Coulter
easel and I am looking forward to en plein air painting.

The church steps ascended from the
lower village to the upper road.
This is the upper section of stairs.
When I had a free moment,
 I walked down by way of the road and
 I ran back up the stairs...from the bottom to the top.
Running in France!

The Village of Frayssinet

Curtains in the window
...everywhere...
lace and linen

Hollyhocks of every colour
...standing at attention...
along walls, fences, gate posts
...everywhere...
future paintings!

The central courtyard...a gathering place...
of friends.

This little fellow was sitting
on a ledge
outside my door.
He puts a smile on my face.

The food was magnificent....every meal
was a masterpiece in presentation.

Beautiful smile!
Dear dear Corinne, owner
with husband Bill
of Le Vieux Couvent.
 Corinne realized her dream of owning an artist retreat.
She shared her journey with us and it was so very inspiring.

OH....the countryside....
everyday at 9 am,
18 women gathered in the courtyard for an
excursion, a photo op, sketching opportunities and shopping
in villages near and far.

...my purchase...

Videos do not appear on ipad
I need to work on this
 

We came to love the sound of the

church bells...and

missed them when we left.

My first en plein air painting.

Our Studio

Rocamadour, a natural and religious site.
There are a number of websites where you can read about the
origin and history of this most interesting place.

 The view from one of the terraces.

_______________________________________________

The second retreat was at Rancho Relaxo Artist Retreat north of Orillia, Ontario with owner Mark Fletcher and many artists...musicians, poets, writers, photographers, fine artists, entrepreneurs, etc.

This was my favourite spots....
sitting in the shade overlooking the stream...
in complete silence!

I take a deep breath and my shoulders relax
...I sit down...
and just enjoy.

So many photos taken as I wandered
the one hundred acres
over nine days. 

An old sugar shack sits on this property,
converted to a cabin complete with a wood stove.

and so may discoveries!

Glorious....dappled sunlight!

...down low and up close....
a reminder
I am not alone out here.

We came upon this beautiful owl sitting motionless
in the stream....
sadly he was later found dead.




From sketches I created a number of linocuts.