Normandy Trip

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May 2004 Chateau de Balleroy

I was honored to be invited to join a small group of distinguished plein air painters to spend ten days in May painting at Chateau de Balleroy, the estate in Normandy, France, owned by Forbes, Inc.

The trip was organized by Ross Merrill at the invitation of Margaret Trombly, the director of the Forbes Gallery in New York City.

The chateau, located southwest of Bayeaux, was designed and built around 1636 by Francois Mansart, who also designed the surrounding town. The chateau was purchased in 1970 by Malcolm Forbes. A portion of one of the former stables was converted into guest rooms and a museum honoring his passion for ballooning. Christopher Forbes oversaw the restoration of the estate, which features art and furniture from the 17th to 19th century, including paintings by Albert de Balleroy, an accomplished artist who shared a studio with Edouard Manet.

The grounds of the chateau and surrounding countryside were simply magnificent: stone walls with blooming roses, charming dove cotes, fields and pastures and gardens, farmhouses and ruins and the brilliant yellow fields of canola blossoms. The sounds of roosters crowing in the morning, cows mooing, church bells and the cheerful hospitable French "Bonjour, Madame!" gave me one of the most fabulous painting experiences of my life.

A great sense of camaraderie developed among the artists as we painted in all kinds of challenging weather-rain, wind, dense fog, bitter cold with dramatic stormy skies and brilliant sunshine, sometimes all in the same day! We gathered together in the old Guard Room over breakfast and coffee breaks and shared our stories. In the evenings, dining on fine food and good wine with our spouses, I delighted in the interesting conversations, the stories traded, and artistic inspiration. The sense of good cheer and humor and friendship was memorable!

On our last evening we had an art show and reception in the chateau with each artist displaying their paintings in the beautiful drawing room, and an elegant dinner with Christopher "Kip" Forbes in the formal dining room. The hot air balloon was up, the champagne was passed, toasts were made, and Charles Browning gave an acoustic guitar performance thanking our host.

I am incredibly grateful for this experience of a lifetime and the opportunity to paint with some of the best landscape painters in America.

:: EXHIBIT INFORMATION ::

"NORMANDIE EN PLEIN AIR,
PAINTINGS FROM FORBES CHATEAU DE BALLEROY"

:: Exhibit ::
September 9 - November 5, 2005

:: Private Reception ::
Monday September 26, 2005

:: Location ::
The Forbes Galleries
60 Fifth Avenue at 12th Street
New York, New York