I packed away my Vancouver studio in June and left for southwest France mid-July loaded with art supplies and good intentions. I was heading to Moulin à Nef in Auvillar to act as Resident Director of an idyllic artist residence owned by the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. I was eager to put my various artistic and administrative skills to use and looked forward to painting in the French countryside. I imagined returning to Vancouver with "The French Collection - Paintings of Southwest France".
Approximately 15 years ago, while in Nanaimo as Arts & Crafts Coordinator of a French Children's Festival I visited a tea house and had my tea leaves read. Sitting here on the terrace I'm remembering part of what revealed itself in the leaves: you expect everything to happen quickly, you put a lot of pressure on yourself.
Here I am resurfacing 2 1/2 months after my arrival in Auvillar. I have only a few paintings on my studio walls, some sketches and a fair amount of confusion as to what I want to be creating. Change is most certainly around the corner!
