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Keep up with the latest art and adventures from Rene Shoemaker Art!

San Francisco / Paris / New York City - The SF exhibition is now open!

My exhibition opening was a roaring success!! It was so wonderful to meet so many San Franciscans, and many friends from Athens, GA arrived for the celebration.

I'd love to introduce you to Michelle Thomas, the beautiful lady in the coral dress, who is the curator and owner of the gallery.

Michelle Thomas & René Shoemaker . July 21, 2024

I loved every minute of the reception, and talked until I had no voice left.

Today I'll begin a guided tour of the exhibition for you.

My journey begins with this painting from 2014, Leaving Paris, Heading East. I chose this painting to open the exhibition because it is very much about exploration and discovery.

This body of work, San Francisco / Paris / New York City, is the story of a journey. Yours and mine. Ours.

My husband Harvey and I were off to discover the country of France in 2014.

We had spent a month in Paris, trying to live life as Parisians.

Then we packed up our bags and bicycles, and rented a Renault Kangoo that we could sleep in if need be.

Our first day out, we drove into this landscape.

Soothing, peaceful. Beautiful & calm.

Inviting.

Beckoning us with a curving road to move into our dreams.

I did not know at the time we would be living in France soon.

That journey in France is now connected to this exploration of San Francisco. What led me there, led me here: a passion for adventure and discovering new cities.

This silk painting of the interior of Michelle's gallery is this rich color for when asked what her favorite color was, Michelle answered without a moment's hesitation : "Coral!", and I wished to share her bright spirit in the artwork.

I love the large windows that populate San Francisco architecture, and here the sunlight is streaming in the gallery through the wall of windows, welcoming us to sit in the quiet and to enjoy the artwork on display there.

-René

San Francisco / Paris / New York City: néw work by René Shoemaker
July 21 - October 25, 2024
Michelle Thomas Fine Art Gallery
40 29th Street
San Francisco, California 94110

https://michellethomasfineart.com/reneshoemaker

A Street Named Desire

Returning to France now is like returning home.

There was snow, and there was cold.

There was space and light.

Long walks watching the changing colors of the fields under the mid-winter sky.

And now we have a dog!

Thibault has come to live with us; he is a 10-month-old English setter.

Thibault has added another dimension to our lives in France - and that has to do with a dimension of never-ending love. And lots of walks. It is nice to have another being around so that I'm not so much in my head; thinking about art, and work, all the time.

(The pronunciation of his name is "tee-bo".)

*Place + Names* on exhibit at Galerie des Marches, Aubusson
photo:J-M Gargantiel

I also returned to find my artwork installation still hanging at the Galerie des Marches, which made me very happy.

In mid-January, I also discovered that its companion artwork is hanging once again in Columbus, GA!

*A Ribbon Runs Through It*, Illges Gallery, Columbus State University

The Columbus Museum, which holds two of my works in its permanent collection, has included them both in an exhibit titled, “A Ribbon Runs Through It: Textiles from the Columbus Museum.” How appropriate, for that is exactly what I wrote about when describing the artwork in Aubusson, intrigued by the way the works from two countries are connected by the image of the river: "The work conveys a sense of continuity through the symbolism of architecture and rivers. Our lives flow, the currents merge, then break off again for new investigation and discoveries."

A Ribbon Runs Through It is on exhibit at the Illges Gallery, CSU Corn Center for the Visual Arts at Columbus State University while the Columbus Museum is undergoing renovation. I’m including here a few photos the curator, Jonathan Walz, and other friends, sent to me. My silk paintings are hanging from the ceiling, in good company!

Kristen Miller Zohn, seen smiling here, is the person responsible for the entire Columbus, GA collection being created. Thank you, Kristen, from the bottom of my heart!

These original paintings are available for purchase, and if you or someone you know would like to own one, please contact me for details.

I realize it is not possible for everyone to own a 6 ft to 10 ft original painting, so I wanted to make this work easily accessible and shareable with you. So I am also now offering prints of the entire collection of large paintings, in at least two sizes, in my online shop. You can see the collection here.

During the pandemic, the Columbus Museum created the “60 Seconds with the Artist” series. There you can see my artwork in the Museum and hear me discussing it, all in 60 seconds! Click here for the video.

To see a video walk-through while I discuss the exhibit at the Galerie des Marches, click here.

And a nice presentation of "The Doors of Athens" collection of prints can be seen at The KA Artist Shop here.

And why did I title this - ‘A Street Named Desire’? Because I love that street scene of 12th and Broadway and I am so very, very happy that it is in the permanent collection of the Columbus Museum!

Leave a comment below and let us know how you like the exhibit(s)!

Many thanks,

-René

How did February get to be so busy?

Do you feel as busy as I do? Not only is it the month of love, but apparently it is the month of art, too! Here is a list of the upcoming events I am participating (or teaching!) and I wanted to be sure you had the chance to add them to your calendar:

Shoemaker-SitHereDarling_andRestYourFeet-StayAwhile.jpg

Love in All It’s Many Forms
KA Artist Shop

February 14 - March 31, 2017
Reception: Thursday, March 16th, 2017 7-9pm
127 N Jackson St. Athens, GA 30601 / Phone: 706-850-1224

Shoemaker-LoveOfTheHighestOrder-TabernacleBaptistChurch-MonroeGA.jpg

Love On the Side
Creature Comforts Brewing Company

February 14 - Feb 25, 2017
Reception: Wednesday, February 15th, 2017 5-8 pm
271 W Hancock Ave. Athens, Ga 30601 / Phone: 706-410-1043

Solo Exhibition
Heirloom Cafe & Fresh Market

March through April, 2017
Reception: TBA
815 N. Chase St. Athens, Ga 30601 / Phone: 706-354-7901

Let There Be Art 2017
Invitational Art Show & Sale at Columbus Museum of Art

April 6-13, 2017
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, GA 31906

Solo Exhibition
Ville de Felletin, France

June 21 - August 19, 2017
Reception: TBA
12 place Charles-de-Gaulle 23500 Felletin, France / Phone: 05 55 66 51 11

Workshop - Silk Painting
KA Artist Shop

Saturday, March 11, 2017 1-5 PM, KA Artist Shop
127 N Jackson St. Athens, GA 30601 / Phone: 706-850-1224

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO SIGN UP!

Gratitude, Thanksgivings, & Plans for the New Year

I love the New Year.

I love New Beginnings.

I love the anticipation of something marvelous just around the corner, and I love setting goals for the new year.

In 2017, my goals include entering a number of juried shows, both here and abroad. I plan to contact art galleries with the intention of finding one to represent my art. I intend to make art all year long, while keeping a schedule and finding a work/life balance that allows me to do what I love and minimize stress. And I intend to become financially stable as an artist, selling enough art to keep buying supplies for my new work – and to fund travel, of course.

As much as I love looking ahead, I also love looking back: reflecting on the year that has ended and taking stock of what worked, what didn’t, and what happened in my family, my art, and my relationship to the world. Reflecting allows me to express gratitude for all that I have: my family, my friends, my health, and the ability to share my art with the world. I am grateful for my team, those who support me and help me pull together the many strands of the life and career I am trying to create. I am grateful to live in a beautiful house in a beautiful place, and to call the woods my home. And I am grateful and excited to have purchased a modest house in rural France that will become a satellite home and studio for Harvey and I. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >

So, you may ask: 
 What HAVE I been doing all year? 

This, my dear reader, is my artistic year in review:

MUSEUM PERMANENT COLLECTION

1a+b. My art is now in the permanent collection of the Columbus Museum, Columbus, GA

EXHIBITS, AUCTIONS, FUNDRAISERS, & RECEPTIONS

Clockwise L-R 2. The year-long exhibit of Discovering the Chattahoochee Valley: Silk Paintings by René Shoemaker continued through July 2017 at the Columbus Museum, Columbus, GA 3. Columbus Museum Discovering the Chattahoochee Valley closing party
4. Unveiling party at a collector’s home celebrating her acquisition of work from the Columbus Museum exhibit
5. Exhibited prints on paper in New York City at Grand Central Terminal, NYC, and Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
6. Invited to exhibit at the 10x10 Art for Education exhibit and fundraiser at the Columbus Museum, Columbus, GA 7. Exhibited in the Portrait exhibit at KA Artist Shop Gallery, Athens, GA
8. Invited to exhibit at The Cultural Landscape Foundation annual fundraiser in New Orleans, LA
9. Invited to exhibit at the All About Art fundraiser for the Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA

SALES, COMMISSIONS, & SPECIAL ORDERS

Clockwise L-R
10. Large Columbus silk paintings purchased by collector and patron
11. Holiday cards commissioned by Columbus resident
12. Nano, a bird portrait commissioned by his human "grandmum"
13. A Double Bass instrument portrait created for a Professor of Double Bass and his special family

RETAIL LOCATIONS

Clockwise L-R
14. Columbus Museum gift shop, Columbus, GA
15. Aurum Studios, Athens, GA
16. Avid Bookstore, Athens, GA
17. KA Artist Shop, Athens, GA
18. Jittery Joe’s Coffeeshop in 5 Points, Athens, GA
19. Jittery Joe’s Roasters, Athens, GA
20. Treehouse Kid & Craft Handmade Artist Market, Athens, GA
and always: reneshoemaker.com/shop

PUBLICATIONS

Clockwise L-R 21. Compendium of Craft & Creativity included my artwork with an interview, Uppercase Publishers, Calgary, Canada
22a+b. Published art review of Scott Pope exhibit, Flagpole Magazine, Athens, GA; with the artist Scott Pope
23. Published blog posts all year, the most popular being about travel and adventures, i.e. Brooklyn Bound!, Bonjour de France!, Why I Love France, Part II, and A Sense of Place: The Completions of a Museum Exhibition

TEACHING, ARTIST TALKS, AND PRESENTATIONS

Clockwise L-R
24. Featured artist at Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance for High Museum members, Atlanta, GA
25. Reading at Avid Bookshop from Compendium of Craft & Creativity, Athens, GA
26a. Professor Spooner, host of my visiting artist lecture at the University of Georgia’s College of Environment & Design: “Ways of Seeing”
26b+c. Me lecturing and an image from the presentation
27. Taught Silk-Painting Workshops at the Columbus Museum, GA
28. Taught quarterly Silk-Painting Workshops at the KA Artist Shop
29. Taught private Silk-Painting classes
30 (left). Taught Silk-Painting at the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art, Athens, GA

GATHERING OPPORTUNITIES

31. Co-founded a new hand-sewing club
32. Joined a new artist studio round-robin information exchanging club

OTHER CREATIVE ENDEAVORS

33. Designed and hand-painted a silk dress, delivered to a patron in Paris
34. Created a beautiful hardcopy portfolio in French (with help from my friends)

Opportunities for Which I Applied But Was Not Selected

35. Cité Internationale des Arts Residency in Paris, France

36. Lyndon House 41st Annual Juried Exhibit, Athens, GA

37. World of Threads Festival, Toronto, Canada

TRAVEL

Clockwise L-R
38. New York City, NY
39. Asheville, NC
40. Paris, France
41. Felletin, Limousin, France

UPCOMING EXHIBITS

42. Scheduled exhibit in Felletin, France - Summer 2017 43. Scheduled exhibit at a museum in Mississippi, USA - Summer 2019

It’s been a great year, but this was only the beginning! Stay tuned for more events and news.

Wishing you a prosperous, creative, and healthy New Year,