MEET THE ARTISTS? (Languedoc)
With great excitement I discovered a couple of weeks ago there was to be an open studios and gardens event along the valley. Hooray, I thought, an opportunity to meet local artists and glean some information on the goings on in the art world of the locality. It was to be an all day event but to save my non artist chauffeur the tedium I decided if we set forth just before 2p.m. we might just fit in all the locations I wanted to visit. Off we set, did I mention I was excited...
We've done open studios in Scotland, England and Ireland and was pleasantly surprized as we drove forth past the first 2 venues that the signposts were clearly apparent, these 2 places were just gardens, no art, so we progressed as there wasn't going to be time to fit everything in, did I mention that before?
So onto the third location, sign on the main road at the turning, good, up the twisty country road, sign outside the house, good, but no parking space so we proceeded on up to the next place on the list and would call back at this one on the way back down now knowing where the road widened to park rather than 'zooming' past. OK no.2 artist was apparently in St.Vincent d'Olargues we stopped prior to the hameau and dandered the length of it - no signs. At this point may I say that before setting out I had googled the artists involved and had been very impressed by their quality and standing, it was an international bunch; French, German, Dutch and English. The St. Vincent guy I wasn't sure about, there was a graphic artist of the same name on the net but there was no evidence of a french connection on his website so I was intrigued to find out if it was the same fellow as his work was very clever and would probably appeal to the Hub. Well the search was fruitless, oh well I said when we get back down to the main road there'll probably be a sign up a different wee road, it's possibly better approached from a different angle. So we returned to the previous venue. It was listed as a botanic garden with works of art. We parked outside the house, followed sign around the back to - another sign, up a path, followed that, walked 5/10 minutes up the rocky dirt track. I was sporting a pair of espadrilles, I hadn't thought rambling was going to be on the agenda that day, after a fair walk UP we came across 'the parking' - there was no way on earth Michael would ever drive our car up here, also at this point we could see 2 houses on the horizon further up the hillside, probably another 10 minute walk. Sod it, I'm not dressed for this nor do we have the time, too many other artists to see - back to car.
To be continued.....
We've done open studios in Scotland, England and Ireland and was pleasantly surprized as we drove forth past the first 2 venues that the signposts were clearly apparent, these 2 places were just gardens, no art, so we progressed as there wasn't going to be time to fit everything in, did I mention that before?
So onto the third location, sign on the main road at the turning, good, up the twisty country road, sign outside the house, good, but no parking space so we proceeded on up to the next place on the list and would call back at this one on the way back down now knowing where the road widened to park rather than 'zooming' past. OK no.2 artist was apparently in St.Vincent d'Olargues we stopped prior to the hameau and dandered the length of it - no signs. At this point may I say that before setting out I had googled the artists involved and had been very impressed by their quality and standing, it was an international bunch; French, German, Dutch and English. The St. Vincent guy I wasn't sure about, there was a graphic artist of the same name on the net but there was no evidence of a french connection on his website so I was intrigued to find out if it was the same fellow as his work was very clever and would probably appeal to the Hub. Well the search was fruitless, oh well I said when we get back down to the main road there'll probably be a sign up a different wee road, it's possibly better approached from a different angle. So we returned to the previous venue. It was listed as a botanic garden with works of art. We parked outside the house, followed sign around the back to - another sign, up a path, followed that, walked 5/10 minutes up the rocky dirt track. I was sporting a pair of espadrilles, I hadn't thought rambling was going to be on the agenda that day, after a fair walk UP we came across 'the parking' - there was no way on earth Michael would ever drive our car up here, also at this point we could see 2 houses on the horizon further up the hillside, probably another 10 minute walk. Sod it, I'm not dressed for this nor do we have the time, too many other artists to see - back to car.
To be continued.....
Work by Steve Thomas - more than likely not the Steve Thomas residing near St.Vincent d'Olargues, but we shall never know.
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