Our Secret’s Out: The Multi-Talented Scott Burdick
This coming October, we will be hosting world-renowned artist Susan Lyon in a masterclass in Provence, which is fantastic news for anyone who wants to study with a true master. But the best-kept secret of this masterclass is that Susan’s equally-renowned husband, Scott Burdick, will be joining us and painting right alongside her.
Rose Frantzen: A National Treasure
Rose Frantzen is a truly quintessential artist, personifying all that is unique and extraordinary about what it means to be a painter. Working primarily in oil, she specializes in figurative works, landscapes, still lifes, and thematic projects. We are very proud to be hosting a masterclass workshop with Rose Frantzen, which will take place in Provence, July 15-23, 2024. Portrait of Maquoketa After studying at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, with Richard Schmid at the Palette and Chisel Academy, and then with the late Deane G. Keller at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Frantzen returned to her hometown of Maquoketa, Iowa, making it the center and study of her artistic endeavor. One landmark project undertaken by Frantzen is entitled Portrait of Maquoketa, which focuses exclusively on the citizens of the town. The project consists of 180 individual 12” X 12” oil portraits, painted over the course of a year from a Main Street storefront, of anyone in the town who wished to pose for her. This is how she describes the project on her web site, “I wanted to paint my neighbors and fellow Maquoketans without any selection or choice on my part, attempting to capture a direct portrayal of the people around me. Together, we could democratize portraiture, allowing anyone to be painted just by showing up and participating.” From 2009-2010, Portrait of Maquoketa was shown for eight months at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Iowa Figge Art An expanded version of the project was shown in 2012-2013 at Davenport, Iowa’s Figge Art Museum. To complete her full vision for this exhibit, Frantzen painted a 315-square-foot landscape view of the town, which was broken up into 34 vertical panels. Seen from one end of the installation, the panels comprise what one would see if they were standing in the hills outside of Maquoteka. The 180 portraits of the townspeople are mounted on the reverse of the panels. Fritzen’s husband, Chuck Morris, assisted with mapping and engineering the landscape so that the panels coalesce from one point of view. John Frantzen, the artist’s brother, composed audio compositions to accompany the exhibit. The compositions include voices of the portrait subjects combined with the landscape’s natural sounds. Ultimately Portrait of Maquoketa was purchased by the Figge Art Museum, which alternately shows the installation in the museum, and tours it to other locations. In the Face of Illusion Another intriguing project undertaken by Frantzen is entitled In the Face of Illusion. This exhibit consists of portraits and figures that are integrated with optical illusions. Of the exhibit, Rose is quoted on her web site as asking, “Can we trust ourselves so much? Optical illusions remain persistent, even when we rationally know that we are seeing things incorrectly. If misperception happens with simple lines and shapes, why wouldn’t this also occur when we encounter something as complex as another human being or maybe even ourselves?” Frantzen’s other work has been widely exhibited at the Denver Historical Museum, the Butler Institute of American Art, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and she is a multi-award winner with the Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait Competition. In addition to showing her art at the Figge Art Museum, Franzen’s work is included in the permanent collections at the Brunnier Art Museum and the Dubuque Museum of Art. Frantzen’s paintings have also been pictured in international art magazines. Franzen frequently conducts art demonstrations, guest lectures, and participates in art discussion panels. In addition to their other work, Frantzen and her husband, Chuck Morris, operate the non-profit Maquoketa Art Experience on Main Street in Maquoketa. The Art Experience offers exhibitions of regional art, art classes, and a creativity café. Learn more about Rose Frantzen’s Workshop and sign up here.
Bonjour Decoded
To get the most out of your trip to France, you have to connect with the locals – and the best way to connect is to speak their language. Even if you don’t speak French, in large cities like Paris, most locals speak a good amount of English. But if you walk up and try to start a conversation in English, they’ll likely be a little less than willing to help. So, start with the one word of French you must know to speak their language! Fortunately, learning a few easy phrases makes a world of difference. It Starts With Bonjour Always, always, always start every interaction with a French person with “Bonjour”, or “Bonsoir” if in the evening. To do otherwise is considered extremely rude. Asking directions? Say bonjour! Buying a baguette? Say bonjour! If you’ve ever heard that the French can be rude, it’s probably because the person didn’t say bonjour! Oh, and resist the temptation to say excuse me (excusez moi) before you say bonjour. You’ll just make the person wonder what you did wrong! Then ask “Parlez-vous Anglais?” meaning, “Do you speak English?” Locals appreciate it when you at least attempt to speak their language, even if you’re terrible at it. Usually, they’ll answer with a smile and say yes or no. Head’s up – In smaller French cities and towns, locals often speak little or no English. In these areas, you’ll want to have a translator handy. Apps Help! Several smart phone apps are available for free downloads – Google Translate is one of the most popular. Using the app, you can download a language pack before your trip, so it won’t require data when you’re abroad. This is important because your U.S. phone plan likely charges exorbitant international data fees, and many phone apps require data. With Google Translate, you can type in anything and it will translate from English to French and vice versa. You can also use your phone’s camera to hover over signs and menus and see a translation. This feature is extremely useful when you’re at a restaurant reading through “Le plat du jour,” or the daily special. Speaking of food, you’ll want to check out these tips for eating in France. And when you’re ready to end with a thank you, say “Merci”, then “au revoir” which means “See you again!” Even if it’s someone at the train station who you know you’ll never see again! If you want to sound like a local, you can also add goodbye with “Bonne journée” (pronounced bon joornay) and wish them a good day! Where there is a plan to meet up again soon, you can really impress them with your French by casually throwing out “À plus!” (pronounced Ah ploose) which is short for “See you later.” Enjoy your trip and remember to sign up for our newsletters to receive insider travel tips and stories. Au Revoir! Blogger: Julie Snyder Julie Snyder is a professional artist and also the programs director of Workshops In France. A native of Scotland, she is a seasoned traveler who splits her time between California and France. You can learn more about her role with Workshops in France here.
Sorolla at the Hôtel de Caumont, Aix-en-Provence
For anyone attending one of our two Lavender Art Retreats near Aix-en-Provence this summer, there will be an extra special added event: the Hôtel de Caumont Art Centre in Aix-en-Provence will be presenting an exhibition of the Spanish painter Joaquin Sorolla, entitled Joaquin Sorolla, Spanish Lights.
Meet The Artists of Americans in Paris Paint Provence
Americans in Paris Paint Province was conceived to be a unique and historical, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a Château workshop with these five leading artists of our time. This workshop is a confluence of art, artists and learning that will take place September 27-October 6, 2020. It is a continuing program created by artist, writer and curator, Vanessa Rothe of Vanessa Rothe Fine Art and Workshops in France. Let’s meet these artists up close and personal! Casey Childs “My interest in the people around me comes from the idea that we look at people every day, but we never really stop to SEE them.” As artists, we can all take a lesson from this insightful statement made by Casey Childs, one of five leading artists of our time participating in our 2020 workshop Americans in Paris Paint Provence. Casey goes on to say, “The goal of my portrait work is to capture the soul of the individual–not just their likeness.” It’s certainly no surprise that Casey is an award-winning painter of figurative and portrait work, featured in galleries all across America and in many art publications. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more from Casey’s points of view, observations and techniques—from Casey himself. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshops 2020. Spaces are limited. Michelle Dunaway As any artist knows, there are compliments, and then there are compliments that have a deep, everlasting effect on our souls. Michelle Dunaway who, like all of us, has long admired the work of portrait legend John Singer Sargent, received such a compliment following her painting demonstration at the 2015 Portrait Society conference. Richard Ormond, Sargent’s grand-nephew, who had been in the audience for the demonstration, came up to Michelle afterward and said, “I have spent most of my life concerned about preserving the legacy of Sargent’s painting, but after watching you paint I am no longer worried.” Michelle is an internationally exhibited and published artist, who can list among her many accomplishments several commissioned portraits of famed actress Jane Seymour. Michelle is teaching at only a handful of places in the coming years since she is working on some big projects that require extensive studio time, but you have the opportunity of learning from her by signing up for our workshop, Americans in Paris Paint Provence 2020. Sign up here. Space is limited. David Gray You wouldn’t know it to see his breathtaking portrait work, but world-renowned portrait painter David Gray often finds himself ready to paint, but has failed to line up a model. It’s no problem—he simply turns to his own family. His daughter Lauren appears in an astounding painting entitled Blue Turban. He has also utilized his son Forest and his wife Jessica. No matter who is before him, he sees a quality in them well beyond the physical. “I’m not simply a ‘Realist’,” David says. “I find in my best work, my subjects hover somewhere between the visible natural realm and some place divine…” David has won many awards and has been published in major art publications, and his workshops are highly sought-after. He’ll be one of five artists teaching at our workshop. His focus will be on portraiture. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshops 2020. Spaces are limited. Olga Krimon “I take reality, I absorb it through the mill of my experiences and schooling, And then I produce a new carefully designed reality that evokes feelings and memories. This reality takes abstraction of strokes, edges, values and color relationships, and morphs them into a world that I imagined, that affects a viewer on a level deeper than words.” Anyone who has had the the serious pleasure of observing the paintings of world-renowned figure and still-life artist Olga Krimon will attest that she most certainly attains this ideal, again and again. Her paintings have been recognized with awards by the Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of America and Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition. Olga is one of five leading artists of our time participating in our workshop Americans in Paris Paint Provence 2020. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshops 2020. Spaces are limited. Vanessa Françoise Rothe You’ve probably heard by now of our upcoming once-in-a-lifetime workshop Americans In Paris Paint Provence. What you may not know is that Americans in Paris is actually the brainchild of world-renowned painter, author, designer and art curator Vanessa Françoise Rothe. The workshop is being presented by Vanessa in partnership with Workshops in France. Vanessa said that her inspiration for Americans in Paris “started out with the initial idea to inspire some of the American artists of today to travel to Paris where so many great artists had gained inspiration through the ages.” Vanessa is an art curator, writer and owns Vanessa Rothe Fine Art Gallery. She is one of five leading artists of our time participating in our workshop Americans in Paris Paint Provence 2020. Sign up here for the Americans in Paris Paint Provence Workshop, September 27 – October 6 2020. Spaces are limited. Learn more about Americans in Paris Paint Provence and sign up here. Ready to register? Sign up now!
Meet Vanessa Rothe—Founder of Americans in Paris
You may have already heard of our upcoming event called Americans in Paris Paint Provence, which will take place in September 27-October 6, 2020. This once-in-a-lifetime workshop is a co-presented by Americans in Paris and Workshops in France, and will feature instruction by 5 of today’s contemporary masters. Americans in Paris is the brainchild of Vanessa Rothe, renowned fine artist, curator, author and designer, headquartered in the famed art center of Laguna Beach, California. We recently sat down with Vanessa to learn more about this amazing program, how it came about and what it means. WIF: What was the inspiration for your creation of the Americans in Paris art project? Americans in Paris started out with the initial idea to inspire some of the American artists of today to travel to Paris where so many great artists had gained inspiration through the ages, to collect exciting new ideas for their works of art. Following in the footsteps of the great American painters before them, such as Sargent, Whistler, and Cassat, a group of American realist and impressionist artists would travel to Paris, the City of Light, architecture, and fine art and draw inspiration from all that the city offered. There they would copy in museums, study the masters, absorb the culture, share ideas and inspiration and paint together with the goal of reaching the next level of mastery in their work. WIF: How does a project like this tie in with the purposes of you and other artists? The main purpose is to create new exciting works with important and interesting subjects. Many great artists can paint, but a project such as the Americans in Paris inspires us with exquisite subjects. We learn from European masters not only for technique, but for subjects as well, and seeing European scenes and architecture Subject matter is a big part of sales and identity to an artist. Being French and having lived surrounded by these ideas, France is a big part of my works and my identity as an artist. It’s who I am, so it’s what I paint. My whole life. I always have ideas to paint, and they sell well since my subjects are as interesting, or as beautiful or as easy to look at as they are pleasing. Painting European scenes and selling them in California has made me stand out among other landscape painters here over the last 20 years. Americans in Paris allows me to share what I do and my recipe for success with friends to help them, and also to help raise the quality of art in America in general. These are top painters and they are benefit from this inspiration. For other artists, I’m trying to introduce them to more European subjects which are considered foreign and different and exciting. For collectors, the allure of the “ foreign” is always interesting, be it clothing, art, or food. WIF: Talk about your original Paris retreat, the Paris Seminar. In order to raise funds for the original retreat, I curated an exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York in 2016 for 12 select American realist and impressionist artists. Many works were sold and we were able to plan for the journey. The first trip to Paris was actually created as a workshop week in May of 2017 that I organized to give the artists valuable relative information about art history, as well as the humanities and group figure composition. The 12 American artists painted in Paris and the Grande Chaumiere atelier for one week together, and filled their sketchbooks and minds with new ideas, some inspired by the past. The group had lively evening discussions based on specific topics, just like creative groups of the past such as the Impressionists and Hemingway and Fitzgerald’s writing groups did in the Paris bistros and bars years before. Image Courtesy of Павел Котов. WIF: What do you feel attendees took away from that retreat? Tons of new ideas, subjects, and influences from one another. They all told me it was a game changer, and they were infused with new life and ideas! WIF: Why did you join forces with Julie Snyder for the upcoming Americans in Paris/Workshops in France joint retreat? I honestly needed hep with the organizational aspect—it’s too much for one person and Americans in Paris had grown with success. I decided then, that I wanted help from a workshop, and I felt that Julie was more than capable of helping make this joint venture great. It was the perfect choice. I’ve always admired and had been watching Julie’s workshops for years. I also knew her personally from our plein air conference, and we always got along. We’re like-minded artists and lovers of France, and I’m very excited that we are joining forces. WIF: This exclusive workshop-retreat is for both artists and collectors. What do you feel attendees will achieve? I feel they will walk away with the same inspirations as those on our 2017 retreat—infused with ideas and subjects. And with these 5 teachers, they will also learn to improve their technique. In addition to all that, they get to totally enjoy France. They can focus on their art and their inspirations, without the worry of where to eat and where to stay. We all can focus on our creating! It’s a huge win for us all. We are making art history. As writers and artists of the past grouped together to share ideas and common threads, we are weaving our ideas together and creating new art. I’m very honored to help the artists of today evolve new ideas, to inspire them in a way with what comes natural to me with my French history, to share the knowledge I have of art history, and to share the beauty of Provence. Learn more about Americans in Paris Paint Provence and sign up here. Casey Childs: Youthful Decadence.
Can You Hear Me Now? Staying in Touch.
You are coming to France, Italy or anywhere in Europe for a one-of-a-kind art retreat, and will be immersed in the color, sight, sensation and utter creation of the experience. You don’t want it marred by aggravation when you can’t easily reach friends and loved ones back home…
Indian Yellow: The Ethics of Color
Indian yellow is a strong transparent pigment favored by many artists for its tinting properties. This yellow-orange color’s most alluring characteristic is that it can be used to warm up a color. Added to pink it makes that color turn red. Added to Cerulean Blue it makes a vibrant green.
Experience more – extend your stay
Come to Paint, Stay to Explore. Your time with us will be full of wonderful painting spots, breathtaking views and charming villages. But why not take in more? Shouldn’t you extend your stay? Guests ask us “Where should visit?” before or after their workshop or art retreat. You have invested in an overseas trip and seeing more of what France and Europe have to offer just makes sense. It’s not hard to fall in love with France and here’s our advice on where to go. Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Paris Most of our guests prefer to stay in the South of France or to venture up to Paris, so that’s what we’ll focus on here. We use two principal locations for our workshops and retreats, a château near Avignon and another near Aix-en-Provence. It’s a no-brainer that if you come to one chateau and want to stay longer in Provence, you could simply opt to explore the area around the other. One château is about 30 minutes from Avignon and while there you can expect to visit some of the area’s most paintable places. However, there are other fabulous villages where we can’t paint due to the crowds or lack of facilities – in other words, they are not suitable for setting up painting gear. Since these locations are still a must-see, we usually squeeze in a drive-by and quick stop-off to shoot pictures on our Photo Safari, and they are well worth a return visit! This part of Provence is famous for its “perched” villages – villages built upon rocky hills, that leave the good arable land below open to farming grapes, olives, fruit and lavender in abundance. They vie for the Most Beautiful Villages in France designation. These locations are full of character with winding streets and jaw-dropping charm. Take loads of pictures to fuel inspiration for months, if not years. Turning back time Some of the villages perchés include Gordes, Bonnieux, Les Baux and Roussillon, each with its own character and flavor. A favorite is Lacoste, a hillside village that connects you to the past. Imagine it – a hilltop château overlooking the Luberon valley, with winding, stepped, cobbled streets that allow pedestrians to meander through the village below. There is a sense of both timelessness and anachronism in Lacoste. Made infamous by the Marquis de Sade who occupied the château in the mid-1700s, the village is now home to (SCAD) the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Study Abroad Program. You’ll often see art students in the village practicing contemporary art in the traditional surroundings of a medieval fortress village. The city of Avignon is one of the gems of Provence. It has a rich history and still boasts its walled, medieval center with the Palais de Papes (the Palace of the Popes) at its heart. The old city has great cafés and restaurants, charming shops and plenty to see. We don’t paint here as parking is a veritable nightmare due to the construction of a tram system around the walled city’s perimeter. But, for intrepid guests, it is virgin territory. Our other Chateau is outside of Aix-en-Provence, the home of Cézanne. Although we will be spending time in Aix, it is well worth another visit as there is so much to see and do in the ancient Roman Capital of Provence! It has some of the most impressive 17th-century architecture outside of Paris, with broad tree-lined streets, fountains galore (they say there are a thousand) and a thriving café scene. Oh, and Art Museums! The villages of Lourmarin and Cucuron are both visit-worthy, as are any of the other little villages tucked away in the nearby Luberon hills. Does a swim in the Mediterranean sound divine? Keep in mind that this is the South of France – so spending time by the Mediterranean Sea is a must! Our favorites fishing villages are Cassis and La Ciotat, and there are plenty more to explore. You can travel the coast all the way to the Italian border stopping to delight in Antibes, Cannes, Nice, Villefranche-Sur-Mer or Eze. Nothing compares to having lunch at one of these spots, watching the fishing boats unload their catches and of course, the seafood is as fresh as can be! Well, perhaps returning to a seaside bar for an evening glass of Rosé as the sun sets would be just as fine. From either Avignon or Aix-en-Provence, Paris is only 3 or 4 hours away by high-speed rail. Many guests love to explore the city of lights and love, France’s romantic capital. The museums in Paris are among the top rated in the world. Monet’s garden at Giverny can be reached easily from Paris. So different from the South, Paris can add another whole level of experience to your trip. As you can probably tell, we fell in love with France and could go on with more suggestions but part of the joy of this region is discovering it for yourself! Taking a diversion from your planned trip can often lead to you stumbling upon your own hidden treasure. Happy hunting! W.I.F. Blogger: Shirley Hambrick Shirley Hambrick is an award-winning stained-glass artist and painter. She has lived in Scotland, Spain and the USA. Shirley has been part of the Workshops in France team over the last few years and attended over 10 of these trips. Being Scottish, she was trained at Edinburgh College of Art and Design. Shirley teaches in the West Virginia area and you can some of her beautiful work here.
Workshops in France Scholarship 2019
Scholarship Recipient 2019: Kyle Ma Workshops in France is awarding a full scholarship to one of our retreats or workshops in 2019. We look at the artist’s work, his or her passion for painting, level of production and what he or she might attain by attending one of our Retreats or Workshops. Since the mission of Workshops in France is to impact artists beyond their actual participation at a retreat or workshop and to share our lives as artists and grow as a result, it seemed appropriate to create a scholarship program for young artists. We hope that by immersion in the world of artists, a younger painter might learn what is is to live a creative life and share the inspiration and wisdom that keeps us on our own creative path. Kyle Ma – 2019 Scholarship Student. Julie first noticed Kyle in 2017 in San Diego, when as a 16 year old, he was the youngest ever instructor at the Plein Air Convention. The young artist presented an on-stage painting demonstration which impressed the entire audience. Julie couldn’t help notice this remarkable talent. Kyle Ma is the artist to watch, a prodigy and a master in the making. Born in Taiwan, Kyle moved to Austin, Texas with his family at the age of 10. He started documenting the world at age 4, and transitioned from drawing to painting when he moved to Austin. His family traveled and he visited museums to look and study master painting. By 15 years old, he began to rake in awards and be featured in major national shows including being a finalist in Southwest Arts Magazine’s Art Excellence Competition and named the Plein Air Salon Best Artist Under 30. Solo Show – number three. Recently he had his third solo show. Yep, you read that correctly — his third one-man-show and at the age of 18! He had the first and the latest one with the Wilcox Gallery and the Second at Santa Barbara’s Waterhouse Gallery. This speaks not only to his talent but his ability and dedication to produce enough work for these shows. The latest show, aptly named Prodigious Prodigy was exhibited at the Wilcox Gallery, Wyoming. Owner, Mark Wilcox said of the artist “Most lifelong professionals would be happy to produce an average Kyle Ma painting. Professionals often comment that such talent shouldn’t come so early or easily. Kyle’s drive, focus, and hard work have made him an amazing artist at a young age.” Red dots attested to multiple sales. Capturing Beauty He was always captivated by art and the beauty of the world around him. His viewpoint is easily seen through his painting. “I just want to convey the beauty of what I see. People can go through life and never realize how beautiful the world actually is. I want viewers to realize what’s out there.” We are delighted that Kyle Ma has accepted the scholarship and chosen to participate in Quang Ho’s Workshop with our team at Châteauneuf de Gadagne in June 6 – 15, 2019. Kyle’s website. If you know of an artist who should be considered for the a future scholarship, please contact us with your recommendation.