All Packed...Ready to Go...

Lots of planning and the day has finally arrived.  Chris and I are really organized (I think) ...I am sure we will be missing something, but its not like we are going to a country without stores!  Plane leaves at 10pm tonight.  Above is our art supply suitcase.  We are using loose rolled canvas and a few small stretched canvases.  Chris does a lot of watercolor so her supplies are more compact.  I have decided to use acrylics instead of oils since they take so long to dry and I would have to purchase there since I cannot transport on the plane.  We'll see, I may change my mind.
au revoir...next post from Paris...

Yikes!!

I'm not panicking!  Just a little stressed, but really, really think I am under control.  Suitcases open and being filled...last minutes items being taken care of...pay the bills, tell Art the passwords to the bank accounts and where the checks are kept!  Luckily we do have a "personal" banker with a staff that takes care of him...he likes to go to the bank as they know him by name and chat.  Good reason to move to a neighborhood bank.

Just want to get small items like gifts for the people at the foundation in France, small details.

Later....

It's All About Timing....

Since I have completed all the paintings I needed to do....I have a few days at the studio to organize my thoughts and supplies. 

When I applied for the opportunity in France, it was a whim.  I met another artist who had gone a few years ago and read an article she had published about her trip.  So, one day I asked how she arranged it.  Seems there is a foundation that was set up by an artist in Dinan (a small village in Brittany).  Her name was Yvonne Jean-Haffen and she willed her home and a cottage.  The cottage was to be used for visiting artists - each  to use the cottage for one month.  The foundation takes care of the cottage and choosing the artists who come from all over the world.  The deadline for the application is November 1st of each year and includes a formal letter (in french) about yourself and why you would like to paint there.  Also, photos of your work.  I received the acceptance letter two days before Christmas saying that I would have the month of September if I accepted.  And that's it.  The payment is to leave one of my paintings that I will do during my stay which they will choose.  All our correspondence are in French and have been mostly by mail, but recently have been receiving emails from one of the members to make arrangements to meet me with the keys to the cottage.

I have been thinking about "timing".  To be able to leave for a month to paint would never have occurred to me since there was always so much going on in our lives - work, the kids, life in general.  It has been strange planning for this adventure.  In the beginning, I assumed Art would go with me since he is retired now, but he felt I would try to keep him busy instead of concentrating on my work...and he was probably right.  So asking Chris to join me has been the best idea as we have the same interest in getting work done and exploring our creative process.  Then, in the mist of all this, Art and I bought a new house and moved...so maybe it is the best time to go!  We are moved in and actually pretty settled. 

Art has all types of projects he wants to do...so I won't have to worry about keeping him busy afterall.  The dogs - Sarah & Remy love the new yard.  Lots of space!

Eight Days to France

Busy, busy, busy...running here and there to make sure I have everything, double checking travel plans, triple checking art supplies with Chris...like they don't have paint in France?!  Don't want to waste time looking for things there.

Trying to finish up some paintings to have available for the studio while I am gone.  Below is a 20x20 oil of the Top View of a"Blue Morpho" butterfly.  I am going to paint a series with top and bottom views since they are so different on the same butterfly.  Interesting study.  Of course its all about color...and the butterflies have such wonderful colors.  So, I am moving from fish to butterflies!

Waiting on the final touches and glazing process....

If anyone living in N. Virginia or DC area has not been to the Workhouse Art Center at Lorton...do try to visit to see Josh's fantastic new installation in the front gallery of Building 10.  "Starving Artist, Please Feed" is unique and creative.

(Just a hint...it is a large exhibit....)

Now that I understand how to do this "blog"....I will try to be consistant with my postings.

Welcome to me! A brief introduction....

Welcome to my first blog...I promise to strive not to be boring or too self-serving in my posts..just to share ideas and thoughts!

The Basics:
Cheryl Parsons - Wife; Mother; Daughter; Sister; Contemporary Still Life Painter; Muralist; Kitchen & Bath Designer; and Volunteer of too many art organizations. My website: http://www.cherylparsons.com/

Live in Herndon, Virginia with my husband, Art Yavelberg and two springer spaniels - Sarah & Remy.  Two sons - Josh Yavelberg, a professor at the Art Institute of Washington, lives in Reston, VA.  And, Evan Yavelberg, owner of Alcove Bar (a craft beer and wine bar) in Gainesville, FL.

My studio is in my home as I like to paint all hours adn enjoy the flexibility of being at home.

The short of it is that I applied for a grant through a French artist foundation to paint in France for a month.  Thinking it was a real long shot, I didn't think too much about it after making the application.  BUT, two days before Christmas I was notified that I was accepted and would have the month of September, 2010 as a guest in their only designated cottage in Dinan Village in Brittany.  Sooo... I have a cottage for the month and the only payment is a choice of one of the paintings I will create during my stay. 

The time is getting close and of course a bit anxious..and excited. After six months of Rosetta Stone and Penslier French lessons...I am probably only at the "J'aimerais à boire du vin." But, at least I will get lots of wine and just be happy they don't understand anything else from me!  This trip will be the longest time I have spent in any one location (traveling) away from family; but looking forward to the opportunity of reflection and expanding my painting skills..since it will be without distractions...such as television especially Fox News.  Art, my hubby, decided that he should not go along since I would be trying to manage his time there (which is true!). So, in order to have a companion who has the same interests, I invited my dear friend, Chris Appleton, a very talented artist that I admire and cherish our friendship.  We have traveled together before and are compatible in our easy going attitudes toward situations and changes.  I'm a morning person and Chris is not!  So I get the fresh hot crossiants first!  Other than that, we are traveling compatible!!  She has every gadget imaginable - IPAD, Kindle, Translater, GPS...etc...so we are well equipped to take on any foreign country as long as they have electricity and we have adapters! 

So the next 19 days is all about getting organized.  I have been saving my pennies for extra spending money and had a fabulous week of completing painting commissions and selling some work. 
          
Sold my signature piece that I had sort-of identified with "Artist's First Tools".  I have this on my business cards as it
is all about my memories of those wonderful boxes of crayons.

Also finished and delivered five fish paintings as a commission.  These were the result of 14 fish paintings that I painted for a restaurant in Reston Town Center - named "Passion Fish".  Actually it was suppose to be a temporary exhibit at Passion Fish, but two weeks after the exhibit opened, they purchased all the paintings.  So, I have painted 19 fish paintings in a year.  The client is building a house on a lake in Ala.  So they are traveling fish!! "Big Red" is below...a coral fish with a big mouth!!

That's all for today!  The studio building is closing and time for me to close down too...later......