Keep up with the latest art and adventures from Rene Shoemaker Art!
The last time I posted here I was in France. Now I am safely at home in rural Georgia - dreaming of rural France.
Why do I love France? Rather than tell you, I will show you. Here are additional photos* of my personal impressions of France. Let me know what you think -- comment below or contact me. I hope you enjoy my survey!!
* see my last blog post if you missed the earlier posts about traveling in France.
My Parisian friend Etienne asked me a few years ago, “Why France?” What is it you like about France, that you come here so often and want to spend even more time here? What is it about France—especially Paris—that interests you? Why is it so important for you to exhibit your artwork here in France?
I thought it was a good question. I reflected on my answer for about 24 hours, then went back to Etienne and replied:
“The aesthetics in France speak to the aesthetics of my soul.”
He then said he understood.
And for you, dear friend, rather than share more words about what this place means to me, I will share photos that I hope will convey—more profoundly than words—why I want to spend more time in this beautiful place.
Merci beacoup, et à bientôt!
-René
The One Thing You Need to Know to Get Started in Silk Painting
Painting on silk is a joy.
It is not difficult.
It is quick.
And it is rewarding.
The thing I like best about silk painting is the swiftness of seeing results – the colors, the beauty, and the immediate gratification. You can paint a scarf one day and be wearing it the next! Or hanging it on your wall for all to admire.
Personally, I love to take an image or design and simplify it down to a few lines and shapes. The color then becomes the main focus of the design. Silk soaks up the dye like magic, and it is a beautiful and stunning process to watch.
I'll be teaching a Silk Painting class in Athens in April, and I will send out more details in a few days.
Oh – and that one thing you need to know to get started in silk painting? It doesn’t take any special talent or skill. I will guide you through the process in our class.
Take care,
-René
"…the artist appeals to that part of our being which is not dependent on wisdom, to that in us which is a gift and not an acquisition- and, therefore, more permanently enduring. He speaks to our capacity for delight and wonder, to the sense of mystery surrounding our lives: to our sense of pity, and beauty, and pain…"
…Thank you to my friend Terry C. for sharing this Joseph Conrad quotation with us this week.
