GOURDES FRANCE
A beautiful village built on the side of a hill in Provence. At every turn, this village delights with shops full of unique treasures, quaint restaurants, a cathedral, hotel, views from every vista, and winding streets full of surprises.
Shop windows in France display curiosities and are works of art themselves. I find myself stopping to taking photographs, meandering inside the shop, and wishing I could take it all home with me. Those who dress the windows make everything look lovely, and appealing, it is an art form unique to Europe.
PROVENCE
While walking to dinner in Provence, I glanced up and saw these beautiful shutters. They were the most amazing color of lavender and the perfect adornment in this land where rows and rows of lavender grow. The fields are full and the shops are too. Little sachets are plentiful, full of lavender buds, fragrant, and tenderly wrapped in muslin. The land in France is a living canvas, and the rows of lavender, cared for by gardeners, are like paintings. When the sun is setting, the shadows, and hues take on a captivating luster. It is no wonder many great masters painted the countryside in France. Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Pissarro, Morisot, their landscapes and images were influenced by the world around them. It is a reminder to keep our eyes open and behold the gifts of nature and also to…. look up!!!
ST. REMY
St. Remy has a Vincent Van Gogh walk through town and ends at the hospital where Vincent was treated. Along the path are signposts with his paintings, a brief description of a painting and where Vincent painted it. We walked this path in the late afternoon. The scenes and images were characteristic of his paintings and I could see how he responded to the landscapes with his unique creative language. His colors were vibrant yes, but so is the landscape he painted. How fortunate he was, to allow his creative intuition to guide the way, and use colors and shapes that came from within. After all, as artists, this is what we seek. Not to mimic another, but to find our own way of expression that responds to the world around us. Vincent Van Gogh was a true master, under valued during his time on earth, yet timeless. His body of work is a treasure and walking in his steps was special. It gave me a deeper appreciation of this artist I admire. If you have not seen the film, LOVING VINCENT, you must! It is a wonderful piece of art and tells a beautiful story about one of the world’s greatest artists.
