SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

didn't i have the great pleasure recently of meeting the new owner of studio 7 finearts, mr. dirk christiansen, the new public relations director, greg cross, and a most pleasant and intriguing artist:

florence de bretagne. originally from paris, she currently lives in palo alto with her husband and two young children.

you know.. or at least i know, that when you stand in front of a painting; any painting.. you either respond immediately or not

it either makes your heart smile; or it doesn't. it either calls you to look and linger, or else you continue merrily along

and i want to share that the very instant i set my eyes on florence's paintings, my heart did smile. they are instant mood elevators: colorful, fun, alive.. moving and making way for something new

perhaps an attitude.

and so, how fun to get to talk with her, and learn a little more about her story.

and here i must cut write to my favorite part! -count her among the countless artists who tried to override their creative instincts by studying business, and worse!

law.


i don't mean to offend. actually it is just as entertaining to witness a person born with instincts for law n' business try to thrive as an artist, as it is an artist try to thrive in business

when will we learn, huh..

how many times does God have to tell us? /and, yes, yes, i recognize there are those rare few who master both, plus others, but you know my point:

it took a back injury to redirect florence toward the canvas, where she so obviously belongs.

when i met her at studio 7, i thought -well, she looked exactly like the stem of a flower to me.. she was wearing soft~greenish attire, and is thin and on the tall side

and then as she stood in front of her beautiful, colorful, painting -full of circles of life, and stories, and memories

i thought: exactly. -she is the stem. life flows threw her body and hands onto to the canvas.. and that is where her garden blooms for all of us to enjoy

bold. certain. playful. and happy despite it all.

i admit to being a tiny bit concerned she was repressing her dark side to assuage her fans, -but then after our conversation, and inquiring about the sad face near the bottom left of her in the countryside painting

i left our visit convinced that, like me, she doesn't necessarily ignore the truth of negative experiences or emotions -if they come out on the canvas, she yields the write of way

but she is determined to be happy. determined to let happiness, and happy memories, claim the lion's portion of her canvas, and her life

she honors sadness but places it in perspective.

i am reminded when i look at her work, that we all have our own unique canvas. our unique experiences, and unique stories to communicate

and while we can and should determine what time/attention we give to light and darkness on our journey; we can't and shouldn't try to override our God-given instincts.

what great evidence her life & art provide for this truth.

the other thing i found quite intriguing and mystifying, really, about florence as an artist, is that she

"NEVER!" -abandons a painting project.

that is to say... if she gets started and doesn't like the way her painting is coming out, she will...


well, one time she waited FOUR YEARS -before returning to an unfinished painting in waiting.

i haven't met an artist like her before in this regard. -most artists i know choose from a multiple choice quiz i adopted many years ago

when something goes wrong during the creative process, you either:
"
a) call the mistake a gift and use it to move forward
b) trash it/start way over
c) sell it /for cheap [or extra expensive because "it's a one of a kind mistake!"
d) donate it
e) gift it to someone you will never see again.


florence just a) paints over or b) finishes later. -no canvas has ever, or will ever, see the inside of a trash can or recycle bin. there is something so cool about that

brings me back to determined, as a core quality of this magnificent, lovable artist.


florence will be @ studio 7, on the corner of main st & angela in downtown pleasanton
saturday, june 5th, 10a-4p
painting, teaching, visiting, & lifting our spirits with her colorful, happy art.

and that's a great way to spend a saturday afternoon.

God bless you florence! -see you soon.