France One Month Ago
On July, I landed back in Knoxville safely after an exciting painting adventure in France with other artists. I immediately had my eight paintings from my “French Escapade” framed by Tony Parton and his son at Artworks Custom Framing, and they look good as a collection, all with floating frames. I was so happy with them that the co-owner, artist John Adkins, hung them as a group on a wall in the gallery. They look like a creative adventure to me at a place I had never painted before.
I went to a Kathie Odom workshop to Monet’s Garden and the final resting place where Van Gogh died. This is as plain a description as I can write but I have been living my trip day and night since I came home. I was very nervous about going to France to begin with … not the painting but physically, could I do this? I wore support stockings most days and the heat without air conditioning was tough. I was a kid growing up again, not being able to sleep from a time warp and laying in 90-degree evenings (how did we do it as kids?) lol. The suffering artist was helped at every chance … with my suitcases, with my art supplies, and even a chair most of the time. Since being home, I got an even shorter haircut and was determined to wear more dresses in the heat!
I confess to being a poor student but really tried to follow Kathie’s demonstration on the first painting (Kathie works in oil and me in acrylic). She also draws first as most artists do. I did this too and forgot how much fun drawing was. I never did this before creating my paintings, but it has inspired me to draw on canvas. I drew on the canvas bag my friend Shannon, co-owner of Kountry Antics, made for me to take on the trip to carry my paintings. Since returning, I have drawn several more France inspired creations on raw canvas. I hope that the drawing will work out as an experiment that I haven’t shown yet.
Our painting group included Crystal Jordan and Kathie Odom, who are part of the plein-air group that I paint with weekly in the Great Smoky Mountains and East Tennessee area.
Artist Crystal Jordan and I adventured to Art Museums in Paris, which included the Musee d'Orsay, where we enjoyed Van Gogh's "Starry Night Over the Rhone", James McNeill Whistler's "Whistler's Mother", Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party", and Monet's "Water Lilies"!
We also ventured to see the art of David Hockney at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.
I had a wonderful time both painting and exploring!
While you are visiting the Gatlinburg area and the Great Smoky Mountains, you can slip away from the hustle and the bustle and visit the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community. This is an 8 mile loop road with over 80 artisans, including restaurants, coffee shops, bed and breakfasts, and so much more! Adkins Rollman Gallery, which is located at 600 Glades Road, Unit 9, in Gatlinburg, TN is a part of the Arts and Crafts Community. Please stop in and experience Charlotte's art from her France Escapade and the other beautiful art of John Adkins and Charlotte Rollman!