Chateau Days

C hâteau D ays

 BY KEN WALLIN 

Creative expression is an offspring of travel and experience. New experiences create an avenue for thinking differently. This is why travel has always been so important to me. It forces me to solve problems, communicate without words, meet new people, and see the world from a different perspective.

A couple of years ago, I began researching art residency programs. (Residencies are located around the globe and provide unique environments for artists in their quest for personal growth and artistic expression). There are hurdles for applying to residencies including presenting your portfolio for consideration. You can imagine my excitement when I received notice last January that I had been accepted to a residency in the heart of the Champagne-Ardennes region of France, in a tiny village called Orquevaux. The deal was sealed when I discovered that I had been awarded the Denis Diderot A-i-R Grant to help defray the cost (continues)

of the four-week residency at Chateau d’Orquevaux, and they would allow my wife, Judy, to accompany me.

Loaded down with paints, brushes and pallet knives, we landed in Paris, rented a tiny, standard shift car, and made our way to the heart of Champagne country. The history of the Chateau d’Orquevaux dates back to the middle 1700s when the original chateau was built. It was replaced in the 1800s by the current building along with two gate houses, stables, a boathouse, and a building for livestock. A picturesque lake fed by a mountain stream and home to several species of ducks and trout runs the length of the property. The owner of Chateau d’Orquevaux, Ziggy Attias, (continues)

DARIA CIPRIANI is a native New Yorker. Ziggy inherited the estate from his father, but it was his personal vision and love of art that led him to develop his property into a residency for artists from throughout the world to enjoy.

Each month, ten artists are chosen to come to Chateau d’Orquevaux and pursue their art, experience the creative process, and immerse themselves in the French country lifestyle. The beautiful estate offers artists a place to interact with each other distracted only by the natural surroundings. Most of the artists had rooms on the second floor and studios on the third floor in the chateau. Judy and I lived in the north gatehouse and I was assigned a studio in the picturesque remodeled horse stable.

We woke each morning to the ringing of the church bells that echoed through the village and into our open windows. Then, like clockwork, at precisely 8:00 a.m., coffee and fresh croissants were delivered to our front door. After a hike through surrounding farmland, I would go to my studio to begin the creative process of moving paint and see where the day’s inspiration would take me.

My studio was inspiration in itself. The atmosphere was created by the high ceilings, chipped plaster, huge French windows, and walls adorned with 250 years of relics, and expedited the flow of ideas and images to my canvases. While I painted, Judy would make short field trips to local villages to explore the food, wines, and way of life in the region. (continues)

WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

By mid-afternoon I had earned a break, and we would picnic on the lake near the studio with our basket of French cheeses, salami, and a baguette. Entertainment was provided by the goats of the chateau. We got our exercise chasing them around their “goat house” and taking hundreds of pictures of them as they posed for us on the nearby bolders. Before I returned to the studio, we collected fresh eggs from the chickens to make into omelets the following morning.

The village of Orquevaux is tiny, but, despite its size (about 80 residents), it not only boasts this gorgeous chateau, but a small castle and beautiful cathedral. The narrow lanes wind through pastures dotted with cows, goats, and ponies. Judy and I quickly became friends with the farmers in the area who heaped bounties of zucchini and apples in our arms when we hiked past their gardens. Our conversation with the locals was minimal, mostly “bonjour,” “merci,” or “je ne parle pas français,” but punctuated with lots of hand gestures and big smiles.

In the evenings, we would gather at the chateau around the candlelit 18-foot dining room table to enjoy the local wines and the bountiful spread. Maria, our amazing cook, was an artist too, creating edible masterpieces in the form of quiches, artichokes, roasts, fresh fruit tarts and crème brulée. Artists would discuss the day and share how they built on their creativity and what inspired them. Their passion and excitement were contagious and often carried over to my daily painting sessions. Dinner was usually followed by bonfires, sometimes with singing or storytelling, under a dark starlit sky. One could not help but think of how Van Gogh was inspired by the starry French evenings.

As an artist I am always looking to grow in my creative expression, and growth translates to stepping out of your comfort zone. This journey was an opportunity to immerse myself in new experiences, visit Paris galleries to appreciate the unfamiliar, and develop relationships with other artists from around the world. During my adventure I learned of new and exciting types of art that used materials I had never seen before nor even knew existed. The Chateau d’Orquevaux residency provided an undisturbed opportunity to implement new ideas and innovative techniques. The quiet French countryside allowed time for me to focus on art without the clutter of everyday life, robocalls or television to interrupt my thoughts.

I plan to exhibit my new paintings in 2019. My work can be seen on St. Simons Island at Wallin Gallery, 3600 Frederica Road, Suite 13, and at Parker Gallery, 600 Sea Island Road.