Who and What are the Americans in Paris?

The Artists

Juliette Aristides is a Seattle-based painter whose work is deeply rooted in the classical tradition and driven by a desire to explore and express the human spirit through art. A respected educator as well as an accomplished artist, Aristides is the founder of the Classical Atelier at the Gage Academy of Fine Art in Seattle, where she taught for over twenty years. “She continues to share her knowledge globally, offering workshops across the U.S.  abroad, and online.

A passionate advocate for arts education, Aristides is the Vice President and Co-founder of the Da Vinci Initiative, an organization dedicated to bringing classical art training to public school educators nationwide. She is the author of four influential books—Classical Drawing Atelier, Classical Painting Atelier, Lessons in Classical Drawing, and Lessons in Classical Painting—all published by Watson-Guptill in New York and widely used as reference texts by aspiring artists.

Her writing contributions appear regularly in Artists Magazine and Artist & Illustrators, and her work has been featured in Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector, American Artist, and Gulf Connoisseur Magazine. Her exhibition history includes both solo and group shows across the country, notably a solo exhibition titled Observations at the Reading Public Museum in Pennsylvania (2014).

Aristides’ classical training began in 1988 under Myron Barnstone, studying Design Systems. She then went on to refine her skills at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, followed by intensive study at The Atelier in Minneapolis in the lineage of Richard Lack. Her education continued at the National Academy of Design in New York, where she studied with Jacob Collins for two years and received instruction from Carlos Madrid. She later joined a select group of students working closely with Collins in his private studio, becoming a founding member of Water Street Studio in Brooklyn.

Throughout her education, Aristides was awarded the Wilder Prize for Drawing and the Albert Hallgarten Traveling Scholarship. She is also a recipient of the Elisabeth Greenshields Grant, and her work is featured in the Living Masters Gallery on the Art Renewal Center’s website.

J Louis (b. 1992, Karlsruhe, Germany) is an internationally acclaimed American artist based in New York City. Known for his emotionally charged and technically masterful oil paintings, Louis has made a significant impact on the contemporary art world. He earned his BFA from the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design, and his work continues to captivate collectors and institutions alike.

At the heart of Louis’ work lies a powerful exploration of the female figure. Through striking compositions, he examines the strength, complexity, and vulnerability of women, blending realism and abstraction in a signature style that is both bold and intimate. His figures often appear suspended in surreal poses—simultaneously revealing and concealing themselves—within flattened, abstracted spaces that challenge traditional spatial perception.

Louis’ work transcends conventional portraiture, delving deep into themes of emotional resonance, identity, and connection. His use of vibrant color, textured surfaces, and innovative material experimentation pushes the boundaries of figurative painting. Each piece becomes a nuanced dialogue between form and feeling, drawing the viewer into a space where psychological depth meets visual brilliance.

Renowned for his acute sensitivity to gesture and perspective, Louis creates works that are as intellectually complex as they are visually stunning. His paintings serve as a commentary on the fluidity of human experience, making each canvas a timeless meditation on power, contemplation, and human connection.

With a growing international following and a reputation for innovation, J Louis stands as one of the most important voices in contemporary figurative art today.

Nicolas Martin (b. 1980) is a French artist originally from Paris, now living and working in Montreal, Canada. His artistic journey began at the esteemed Auguste Renoir School in Paris, and he later broadened his creative foundation by completing the Graphic Design program at the University of Laval in Quebec.

Martin launched his professional painting career in 2013 with a highly successful solo exhibition at L’Oeil du Prince Gallery in Paris, followed by a second show the following year. In 2015, he made his U.S. debut in the “Urban Life” exhibition at Abend Gallery in Denver. That same year, he was a finalist at the respected ARC Salon and was named an “Artist to Watch” by Southwest Art magazine. He was also featured in the book Tall Trees of Paris.

Before fully transitioning to painting, Martin built a strong career in design, serving as a designer for the iconic Galeries Lafayette in Paris and as an art director for several companies across Europe and North America. In 2003, he earned first prize in the “La Fondation de la Vocation” scholarship in Paris, a recognition that helped propel his career forward.

His third solo show, Cinemascope, opened at L’Oeil du Prince Gallery in 2016 to critical acclaim. More recently, his work has been included in international exhibitions such as “Realism Without Borders” and the Jetset Collection at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in California.

Now widely collected across Europe and North America, Nicolas continues to push his work forward with a focus on constant evolution. He has been a member of the Salmagundi Club in New York since 2017.

Vanessa Françoise Rothe grew up in the artists’ colony of Laguna Beach in California, the daughter to a fashion designer father and linguist mother. She studied Business Marketing and French Literature at the University of San Diego, and UC Irvine, graduating with honors. She was then awarded a Classical Art Education scholarship from the Laguna College of Art and Design achieving Dean’s list honors.

Rothe started out with three successful solo exhibitions at Wendt Gallery in Laguna Beach in 2002 and was listed among the ”Artists for a New Century” by the Bennington Center for the Arts in 2012. Her work has been included in important exhibitions at top galleries including: Arcadia Contemporary, The Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction, Abend Gallery, Galerie Prince de l’Oeil, Paris, Galerie DDG in Paris,The Salmagundi Club, J.WIllott Gallery and Coda Gallery Palm Desert, The Laguna Art Museum, The American Impressionist Society Annual Exhibitions, The Bowers Museum, the California Museum of Fine Art etc. Her fine art work now appears at in the Permanent Collection the Hilbert Museum of California.

She is a member of the American Friends of the Musée D’Orsay, a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society and served as its Educational Director for 4 years; an Artist member of the renowned Salamagundi Club N.Y. and serves as a curator and on its PR team. Rothe proudly served as West Coast Editor of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine for the past 16 years and is now a Contributing Editor for American Fine Art Magazine and the American Art Collector. She has her own column “ the Art Industry Insider” in International Artist Magazine and is author of “ An Art School Approach to Oils” published by Walter Foster.

In addition to her pursuit as an artist, Vanessa is also a curator, editor/writer, lecturer, and art dealer. She has owned Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in Laguna Beach California showcasing top international contemporary realism and impressionism for the past 12 years. It was Rothe’s initiative to create the Americans in Paris fine art project starting in 2015, with travel, workshops and bi-continental exhibitions at such venues as the Salmagundi Club in New York in 2015, 2016, 2023, at VRFA Laguna Beach in 2021, and at Arcadia Contemporary, and Galerie Prince du L’Oeil in Paris, 2018. This fine art project is currently in its eighth year, and thanks to it’s partnership with Workshops in France, the American in Paris workshops are now open to the public. 

Program and Itinerary for Americans in Paris Workshop
May 16—25, 2026