Adding New Dimensions to My Art

I'll keep this newsletter short today with just three items of note. My artwork and art career have taken on some new dimensions, and I couldn't wait to share them with you! Music, video, and audio recordings are all in store:

1) Ed Cashin of Atlanta, GA was inspired to compose music to accompany my tropical flower paintings. I invite you to click on the links below to listen to two examples.

Orchid Riot

Aechmea Caudata

Which of the two compositions do you like best? I'm intrigued by the different energy that is captured in each piece. They each have their own personality!

2) The Columbus Museum's program "60 Seconds with the Artist" for their virtual museum invited me to discuss the "12th and Broadway, Columbus, Ga" large-scale painting I created for my exhibit "Discovering the Chattahoochee Valley" there in 2015-16. Click here to listen to that interview.

I'm proud to be included with so many accomplished artists in this audio visual series.

12th and Broadway. Columbus, GA

Included here is your invitation to our Vernissage (art reception) in Paris:

Exhibition invitation for you, designed by Alejandra Paz

3) AND last but not least: You can watch a video interview with the curator of the Paris exhibit and me regarding the exhibit that is on display through October 15th.

Christina and René discussing the premise of the exhibit in the video.

Included here is also the interview with Christina and my co-exhibitor Anne Buxerolle; her interview is in French.

All of the  "Les temps de la forêt" artworks are for sale except for Coffee Arabica #3 and #4, as they were purchased last week by a collector in Oklahoma (Thank you, Tom!). Contact Christina or me for purchase inquiries. 

Thank you for taking the time to look at (and listen to) these links. And please let me know your opinions on all this new work - I ALWAYS appreciate hearing from you!

With gratitude,

-René

Now On Exhibit:

August  28 - October 15, 2020
Reception: October 1st
Les temps de la forêt:
de l'écorce à la fleur
La Caféothèque de Paris
52, rue de l'Hotel de Ville
 Paris, 75004, France

Expanding your art collection?  Contact me for commissions and/or a private tour of my art, which is available in many sizes & price points.

In Athens, my paper goods and small gifts are carried by:
 KA Artist Shop .

Sustainable packaging courtesy of 
noissue .

Thank you for supporting the arts in Athens, in France, and beyond.

With gratitude, 
-René

Seeking advice

It was mid-March, our bags were packed, and the dog’s paperwork was in order. It was the day before we were to fly to France, and we were watching the news very closely. The EU borders had closed; we thought our visas would get us into the country, but who knew for sure? We certainly didn’t want to arrive at the Paris airport only to be detained or sent back to the States.

So here we are. It’s mid-April now, and we are watching Spring arrive in Georgia. We live in a rural location, we don’t go out much anyway, and we don’t need to try too hard to social distance, since our nearest neighbor is ¼ mile away. Our family is here, safe, and watching out for us.

Make no mistake about it; COVID-19 is a catastrophe. But don’t you think the world is going to change, somehow, when this is all over? I think so, too.  

I now have a vision for peace: if everyone in the world can agree to work together to stop the spread of the disease—if we can all agree to  wash our hands, social distance, shelter in place, and work from home—then certainly everyone worldwide can decide that peace is possible. What if we all, collectively, said “No more war!” Couldn’t we do that? We are already proving that we are all humans who can work together to bring this tragedy to an end. 

For the past month, you may have noticed that I’ve been very quiet. No texts, no emails, no newsletters, no Instagram or Facebook posts. Personally, I’ve been in a hibernation mode of sorts. 

I was supposed to go to France and my mind was already in a “no contact” zone. 

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A quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, shared from a previous post.

I’ve been sequestered in my home and studio-in-the-woods, and I’ve been focused on getting some work done, discovering what the new reality of not going out would be. Although I may not have been communicative, please know that I am thinking of you, and I am moving forward. 

For the last six weeks I have also been focusing on a program to better this business of art, and it’s been fun and stimulating to be in “school.” At university, I studied art, not business. As you can imagine, being an entrepreneur is a little nebulous and the parameters of running a small business continue to change. 

My business model up to this point has been to produce beautiful creations, sell them, pay my taxes, and buy supplies to produce more beautiful creations. There can be more to it, and I am ready to take this business to the next level. I hope that I can serve you a lot better with care and compassion as I grow as a person, an artist, and an entrepreneur. 

I am in B-School with Marie Forleo, and she and the program are changing my life for the better. I am coming to the end of the coursework and I am about to graduate—with your help. If you are willing and have time to help, I have one simple question to ask you.

Marie has challenged me to identify my three strongest, best qualities: my Superpowers, if you will. It’s so hard to recognize one’s own strengths, and I need this information to move forward and better serve my community. What do you come to me and my website for, and where do you see me offering substantial value to the community? If you’re able to share any ideas, it would help me tremendously. 

If you would, please leave a comment below (or you can contact me directly), and respond by filling in as many of the headings below as you can: 

René’s three superpowers are:

#1 Superpower :

#2 Superpower

#3 Superpower

Thank you! I deeply value your opinion and appreciate your time. 

Again, thanks for being here with me. We will certainly get through this pandemic together, and hopefully create a better world built upon our collective experiences.

Sending love your way,

-René