After my late husband’s death, I decided to go to France to paint.  My kids thought I would be gone for two weeks or so and were very surprised when I stayed for 7 months. As I was in my studio in Richardson, I got a call from a Dallas man who wanted studio space.  I told him I would be gone for a half a year and he could use my space.  When he came to look, he asked where I was going.  I told him I had decided on St. Paul de Vence.  He said, “What? You can’t paint there!  It’s expensive and hot and crowded with tour buses.”  He then took a piece of paper and wrote out the name Les Cerqueux-sous-Passavant, with a name and telephone number.  As it turned out, he had lived there for five years, studying with an artist from NY.  He told me I also needed this because my French was really bad.  Serendipity led me to the Loire River Valley of France.  I packed very few clothes and lots of paint.  The mayor of the town convinced people in the town to put artists up in their homes, and they did.  I began painting everyday from 7 am to 11 at night, when it got dark, making friends with other artists and just standing somewhere in or around town to paint.  One could even paint In the middle of the street, as cars just slowly drove around you.  So I have done a plein aire series. One does not just reproduce nature, or, copy it like a photograph.  We try to create the sensation nature makes on us. 

                                                                                                       ----  The Artist

 Plein Aire paintings