I met Laurie and Blair Pessemier at a dinner party before the summer and took an immediate liking to them. They reminded me so much of another couple that were dear friends of mine in New York that I knew for over 30 years. They are artistic and quirky (not in any sort of cliched way) and have had interesting careers in the design business and in the art world, much like my friends in New York. Having lived on and off in Paris over the last 20 years, in the last few years they have settled here again and now teach painting workshops.
They invited me to the Jardin du Luxembourg one afternoon last month to checkout one of their workshops. It was a crisp autumn day filled with sun and clouds with the light constantly changing. I found Laurie and Blair next to the bee house in the southwest corner of the gardens with their easels set up, busily painting away. It looked like they were capturing the last leaves clinging to the trees and the ones that had already littered the floor of the garden on their small blank canvases. They looked so happy and cute. It turns out their student had gotten sick but they decided to come to the gardens anyway to paint. I watched Blair skillfully mix colors in what looked like a wooden round cover from a hunk of Camembert. Looking much like modern day Impressionist paintings, I was very impressed with their work. I asked them about how the classes work and the teaching process. Here is what they told me in a much more accurate way than I could write.
“Paint with Me” is a painting workshop, rather than a painting school. Although Blair and I can “teach”, most of the time we just guide people along their own path. We give artists the confidence to paint in public – a kind of “safety in numbers”. We are very organized, and provide all the supplies (acrylic paints, brushes, canvases, easels, etc.) needed to produce a painting in a beautiful French setting. Our students always leave with some painting they are proud of.
We usually visit sites where other artists painted. I provide pictures and art historical material about wherever we are painting, although all of our painters are most eager to paint, and could likely do without background material. I persist – one day someone will find Sargent’s painting of the Luxembourg Garden inspirational.
All of our sites are beautiful: whether it is the Luxembourg Gardens, the banks of the Seine, or Monet’s gardens at Giverny. We will also take our painters wherever they’d like to go. We’ve made day trips to Versailles and other sites outside the city. I’d like to plan a South of France tour in 2012.
We really enjoy working with painters from all over the world – we mostly lead in English, but of course, we speak French, too. Our painters have come from intensely different backgrounds – from abstract to realist and much in between. Maybe Blair and I have been the painters who have learned the most.
I love what Laurie and Blair do and if you come to Paris please take one of their workshops. I promise you it will be a unique Paris experience with two joyous, fun, and passionate artists.
For the full information about their workshops, click link below.
http://www.parispaintingworkshop.blogspot.com/
Laurie and Blair also sell their their wonderful Paris paintings. checkout their other site.
http://www.artnotesparis.blogspot.com/
I just launched a fun new daily Twitter post- Paris Photo du Jour. Every day I will post a photo of Paris. Follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/eyepreferparis
Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale
I am happy to announce the sale of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos. I am offering 17 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my courtyards, doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.
Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
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