I will be starting my drive across France again on Saturday, stopping in Montemboeuf to see my friend Janet and her amazing house where we will be having the Charente Paint Provence with Tess trip July 6th – 13th. Janet and Tom bought their house two years ago now and I have always been too busy to visit. Janet has threatened me horse riding which I haven’t done for a few years so I hope it doesn’t cripple me before the end of my journey to London. I am glad to be visiting Janet and Tom as I will be able to visit a few old haunts. I lived in Saint Emilion in 2010 for 8 months and grew to really love the area.
Janet and Tom’s House
Bordeaux is a stunning town which we will visit on this trip. We will also visit Angouleme with its river running through it and the fabulous market there. Of course this area is renowned for it’s world famous wines and still to many wine connoisseur the finest wine in the world. So on this trip we will be visiting ancient Chateaux, do some wine tasting and paint in the vineyards and paint some of the beautiful buildings.
Just before I tell you about the art fair, I would like to mention that I have two places left on my Lavender field trip. Valensole is the largest area of lavender fields in Provence perhpas even in Europe, seas of lavender and sunflowers and corn fields bring you the very essence of Provence. The lavender plain stretches to the horizon of mountians and their ever changing hues.
Back to the Art Fair. I am participating in The Parrallax Art Fair at Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road Chelsea on Saturday and Sunday 23rd and 24th February. It opens at 11 am and closes at 5pm on both days. so if you happen to be in London and would like to visit me there it would be lovely to see you.
Here are some of the paintings I will be showing there.
Wier at Clairac.
On the left Rosy Squire’s Flower Garden on the right Waterfall
On the left Les Flaments Rose, on the right Sur les Marais.
Painted in Sally Harker’s Garden Fig Tree Gallery, Antigua.
I have found the most beautiful Villa 20 minutes drive north of Roussillon in Vanosque and hopefully will also be able to rent it for the September and October trips.
It is a freezing cold and sunny day in my mountain retreat in Graissessac. Thomas (my dog) and I have made friends with the majority of the samll town now. Especially Thomas as he flies down the narrow streets fully in charge of his own destiny, whilst I run madly behind him, scarf unraveling in the wind, hat blowing off, Thomas losing his harness and me the wild English woman from Provence who obviously has no control of her own destiny and is completely ruled by a small white dog! Everyone know his name, but they can’t remember mine. So it is always ‘Bonjour Thomas, comment tu va pere-pere. I think pere-pere is the equivilent of old boy in english.
A bientôt Tess