Want to Know Why You’re a Superstar?

YOU are a superstar! I know that because I know how much you mean to me. If you weren’t there to read my blogs, I wouldn’t be writing them. I am your biggest fan, and I just want to say thank you.

Star Portrait. Pastel on paper.

You probably know that I love hearing from you and answering your questions, and I also love receiving new ones. You know me—I have an insatiable curiosity. Write to me! Tell me what you’d like to know: about what I do, what I create, what I write, and what I offer for sale. I’d love to hear your thoughts about how I can better serve you and which items you’d like to see featured in my shop. The sky’s the limit: What do you dream about that I should make? What art would you like to commission? How can I enhance your shopping experience in my online store?

Recently a woman from Michigan emailed me to inquire about my Globe t-shirts, which have been out of production for, well, five years. But I will now reintroduce them to my shop because I know there’s a demand for them. In fact, she said she needed not just one, but one for every member of the family: her husband, five- and three-year-old children, a onesie for the baby, and an extra for her husband’s friend!

Diane wearing her Globe t-shirt at Condor's Chocolate shop in Athens GA (Yummm)

I also have a friend here in France who has been asking for a Globe t-shirt for over a year because her daughter, who lives in London, pilfered it for herself. I’ve made other sales in London, so I was pleased to know that at least two of my tees would be floating around that city. Perhaps they’ll bump into each other on the street - wouldn’t that be fun?

I hope you’ll leave a comment below and let me know what comes to mind. Talk to me!

I promise - I write back to all emails and comments personally.

Boulangerie-Patisserie. Aubusson. Painting on silk

After a long winter, spring will come I am now sure. Do you know someone with a spring or summer birthday? A new baby about to enter the world? A wedding that will finally take place once the Covid restrictions are lifted? A graduating senior? With Mother’s Day less than a month away, do you need a gift for your mother, grandmother, or other important women in your life? If you’re looking to make any special occasion more special, may I suggest original art or a scrumptious baby silkie?

Cuddly baby gifts, a luxurious silk scarf for mom, a colorful painting to brighten your wall, or a print to give as a gift of friendship—all are available here. Congratulating a new grad with a gift of original art to accompany them in their new stage of life sounds like a perfect gift to me!

I miss seeing you; I miss interacting with my friends, but your smiling face is on my mind all the time. I’m creating new objects of art for you each week; please let me know what you’d especially like to see in the queue. Let’s do this together!

Thank you for your continued support and friendship.

Take care,

-René

P.S. As a coffee aficionado, I find myself musing on how much the sales of coffee machines and coffee paraphernalia in France must have skyrocketed as a result of the cafés being closed for so long during the pandemic. Stopping by the café for a quick shot of espresso on the way to work is practically a national sport. I have to wonder how the French are coping with this situation!

An evening in Paris with Art

I can't express how much fun it was to ride up to Paris on the train with 19 new artworks in my suitcase to hang in my new exhibit at La Caféothèque. Even more fun than riding the train was BEING in Paris, meeting with my colleagues, and HANGING the long-awaited show. It was great! The whole process was captured on video, and innumerable photos were taken. I met with my friend and curator, Christina Chirouze Montenegro, and the artist Anne Buxerolle, with whom I was shared the exhibit space. 

Exhibition catalog, designed by Christine Chirouze Montenegro

The sunrise that morning was strikingly beautiful, welcoming me a new day and a new adventure. Once I arrived at Gare d'Austerlitz, I walked along the Seine River to La Caféothèque de Paris where the exhibit was scheduled and... celebrated my adventure with the best café latte In the heart of Paris. The exhibit will be on display through October 15th and the reception will be held October 1st in conjunction with the 15th anniversary party for La Caféothèque. I am extremely excited to be part of this memorable occasion honoring a business I so deeply respect.

Sunrise over La Creuse from the train, August 2020

First course of business when arriving in Paris, enjoying a coffee at La Caféothèque de Paris (in the time of coronavirus).

We mounted the exhibit after the café closed. Les temps de la forêt: entre la fleur & l'écorce (The times of the forest: between the flower and the bark) is beautifully displayed, with Anne's detailed wood drawings mainly in the first room, and my flower paintings on silk in the tropical room - which made perfect sense as my flowers are  all TROPICAL!

The tropical room at La Caféothèque

All the artwork is for sale. You can contact me to check on availability, but sales are handled by Christina. You can reach her directly at christina@lacafeotheque.com or through Instagram at @coffeexhibits . The prices range from 120€ - 435€ ($140 - $515) each, and they would love to share their living space with you.

Scenes from the exhibit

It's been fun to share these adventures with you! Here are a few more photos of Paris for you to enjoy. Have you ever been to Paris? if so, what was your favorite experience there? Leave a note in the comment box below - I’d love to hear from you!

Sunset over Paris, a perfect ending for a perfect day

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

and 

August  15 - September 27, 2020
SPACE: 2020 Juried exhibition
ATHICA: Athens Institute for Contemporary Arts
675 Pulaski St, Suite 1200
Athens, GA 30601, USA

What I Am Looking Forward to this Fall (Hint: one includes Paris)

The upcoming fall season brings much good news. Listed below are 3 items I am especially grateful for and excited to share with you:

I am honored and humbled that AIR Serenbe has chosen me for their artist residency for the month of November. What an honor! I will spend an entire month in the wooded community of Serenbe located southwest of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I will be in my own cottage, with no assigned tasks except to explore, discover, experiment and create art!  This accomplishment would not be possible without your continued encouragement of my work and me. (Thank you!)

Nehi Cola. Front Ave and 10th St, Columbus, GA, by René Shoemaker

2) I'm also thrilled to report that the Paris exhibit is finally going to happen after many delays due to the pandemic. I will be hanging the tropical flowers themed exhibit at La Caféothèque de Paris next week. In the heart of Paris, La Caféothèque is situated in the 4th arrondissement, right on the Seine River with a view of Notre Dame Cathedral. The exhibit opens on Friday August 28th. The reception (vernissage) will be held in October and I will be sure to let you know the date so that you can plan ahead to attend (!). I am extremely excited to be part of this two-person exhibit, held in the heart of Paris, which includes the French artist Anne Buxerolle.

Begonia 'Raddi', 2020, by René Shoemaker, at La Caféothèque de Paris.

Lévitation 009, by Anne Buxerolle, at La Caféothèque de Paris..

3) Les toits d'Aubusson is included in an exhibit that opened this week at ATHICA, the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art. SPACE: 2020 Juried Exhibition "references SPACE which is found all around us . . . as a concept and a construct with many different connotations." I am proud to have been chosen in this competitive exhibition, which will be on view through September 27.

Les toits d'Aubusson, included in the SPACE exhibit, sold to a collector in Chicago this week

Finally, as you know, for a number of years I've been working hard to bring the best art possible into the world to share with you while seeking to reach a wider, global audience. In the service of this goal, I am raising my prices on original art effective October 1st. As my subscribers, collectors, and loyal supporters I wanted to offer you this window of time to buy original art at the original price. (Fine art prints will remain at their current price.)

In 2001 when I first exhibited at the Clayton Street Gallery in Athens, Georgia, a silk painting sold, unframed, for $100. Today, the cost of materials, upkeep for the studio and working every day to bring my best art into the world is not sustainable at my current prices. Adjusting the prices to more  accurately account for the value of time, labor, and skill I invest and the quality of the materials I use will insure that I can pay my monthly bills, allow my business to thrive, and enable me to continue to create art over the long term.

I appreciate your understanding, and as always, I am abundantly grateful for all the ways in which you continue to inspire and support me. 

Église de Notre-Dame de Montluçon, France

La Creuse, France

Upcoming:

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

Now On Exhibit:
August  15 - September 27, 2020
SPACE: 2020 Juried exhibition
ATHICA: Athens Institute for Contemporary Arts
675 Pulaski St, Suite 1200
Athens, GA 30601, USA