Arrived  in the charming village of Durfort late on Monday and have been settling in, pulling weeds and nettles and planting lovely flowers on the  terrace and front window boxes to welcome the first workshop.  Yesterday Barbara Roth’s watercolor class arrived and I’ll be their host for the next two weeks.

Today will be the first Saturday market for us in nearby Revel- named one of the 100 most beautiful markets in France- a well-deserved title – they have had alot of time to perfect the market- it has been going on since the 14C!

I start off each morning with a little creative exercise in “looking and  seeing” by doing a line drawing of something in the house here at La Cascade.  Here’s one of my drawings and a picture of the market too.

If the fates, the sputtering volcano and the British Airways strike allows, I’ll be leaving for France in a few days.  I’ll be at the beautiful La Cascade, Gwen Gibson’s artist retreat in southern France. After “hosting” water colorist Barbara Roth’s two workshops, I’ll be teaching my workshops and sharing this beautiful art-filled area with the adventurous ladies who will join me there.  It promises to be a time of art-making, great field trips, good food and new friendships.

I’m looking forward to sharing with you what we do and see and how it translates into inspiration for art-making. So please check in once a week starting May 28th to follow me on this journey

A bientot (see you soon) right here!

I just returned from a most wonderful weekend spent with the Pittsburgh Polymer Clay Guild.  Thanks to the adventurous artists who joined me for our weekend of creating Messengers and Storytellers. You all were so joyful, inspiring, talented, enthusiastic, caring and fun!

We made so many figures that the table was a full village.  I estimate there were at least 50-70 Messengers and Storytellers- fantastic figures who seemed to pair off into couples and small groupings before our eyes- haha.

Check out the website for the guild at www.polymerclayintheburgh.org (sorry cannot get links inserted today) and there is a Flickr page link there also with some pics from the workshop.

Thanks again ladies!