More Paris Dreamin'

This is a Mixed Media collage I made a few years ago to remind me of Paris.  As if I needed reminding!!!!

Parfum et Ladurée 

I had surgery about a week ago, and while I'm not in awful pain, I still don't have the energy or desire to be creative right now.  So instead, I'm taking time to catch up on my reading, movie watching, and net surfing. I've just finished a wonderful book, Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky, which I highly recommend, as it was written in France during the German occupation. The  author died at Auschwitz before it was finished, but the first two parts that she completed are excellent.  Now I'm just getting into The Girl Who Played with Fire , the second in Stieg Larsson's trilogy. As soon as I finish it we'll rent the film, as the first one was excellent.  Also saw a great French film the other  night, MicMacs , directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the director of our all-time favorite, Amelie. [ Which I watched for the umpteenth time again last night!].   Also watched a very sweet French Rom-Com, Heartbreaker  [L'arnacoeur] which had my DH fleeing to his office to work on his computer, but mom and I loved it.

I've also found a few great French blogs.  I subscribed to French Word-A-Day, written by Kristen Epinasse, and caught up on many back issues of  ParlerParis.com/issues/readpastissues.html.

AFor

And I found

Au Revoir mes Artistes!

Last night was the last night of a Mixed Media class I have been teaching this past month.  I taught 9 lovely women, who made so many beautiful works of art that we could have had our own art show.  My big thanks goes to Cheryl Baldwin, director of the Georgi Museum, who wrote the grant, and to Larac, the local arts council who granted it, thereby making this class very affordable for all.
Below is a finished piece by Dee Romack, using an avian theme for our Nature assignment.  Now, I'd hang that in my home, wouldn't you?

To see more works by these artists, click on the "Workshops" tab at the top of the page.

A Virtual Visit from an Old Friend

I had the nicest surprise yesterday. An old friend from my online art days, Lloydene Cook, found my article in Somerset Digital and contacted me via Facebook. It was so great to hear from this lovely lady who was the creator and moderater of my favorite virtual Salon, BELLE PAPIER. I did many mixed media swaps with the members of that group, and have that artwork, which I received in trade, to this day.  I also fondly remember the "zines" that Lloydene and her friend would hand assemble, with photocopied pages of our artwork, and very special "inclusions" ranging from snippets of pretty ribbons and fibers to stickers and sprinkles and tiny charms.

I went looking in my my old files and found a couple of pieces of artwork that I did during that time 10 years ago.  The Via was a cover for our  Belle Papier Address book and the collage was sold in 2000.  The Travel card was made as a thank you to the Bigelow Foundation, who awarded me an all-expense paid month in Paris. Those were some good, creative days!