Artist Statement July 2010:

 

Art? I have beautiful, soulful shadow box constructions and am currently being shown at Atilier 24 on Lexington in Asheville  though the first of October.

In May and June of this year, I traveled to Soreze, France to paint.  Beautiful, beautiful countryside and being the extrovert that I am, I hardly painted at all.  We did a fun collaborative piece and I sketched a bit but no great output.  My vision had been that we would paint in the countryside over simple lunches of cheese and fruit and splendid wine but the studio in our home away from home was the setting for the group and I just had to play outside!  I hiked, rode with farmers to lovely surrounding villages, shot 509 photos, loved being with my cousin, Martha, and new friends.  We cooked, drank, laughed for nine days, loved the markets, and just had an incredible time. All of my companions suggested that I bring a group to Soreze next year for cooking classes and yoga each day as they loved my cooking! What do you think?  I even had a fun little yoga class and a nearly three hour massage by my Turkish yoga teacher, Nese.  We chanted and enjoyed our breathing.  It was so lovely that as each person entered the studio, they would offer French cheek kisses to each yogi.  It made everyone feel so at home and so European!

But paint? No.  Ever since my yogic path has led me to teaching folks who have lost their homes, I haven’t been making a lot of art.  It has seemed a little frivolous to me although I’m sure frolicking around Europe is as well.  My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by traveling to Paris, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, and Brussels before I headed to Soreze.  And oh, the art!  The Hermitage in Amsterdam, the Musee d’Orsey in Paris, galleries and museums in each country were extraordinary.  Our lodgings in each country were filled with art as well.

So.  We come back to “fluffy yoga” filled with cheese, wine and beautiful food from so many lovely chefs.  Or should I say, we come back to yoga fluffy and the struggle to get back in shape? Join us, won’t you?