Exactly one year after getting the keys to this property (almost to the day) we welcomed our first three artist residents!
These artists were Leena Nammari, Louise Ritchie and Paola McClure who we selected for this year’s Studio Faire Student Residency Award. They are all studying for an MFA Arts & Humanities at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, Scotland and this was the ideal opportunity for them to step away from the college environment, and other work and family commitments, to take stock of their projects in the relaxed environment of Studio Faire.
To find out a bit about these artists backgrounds and their initial aims for this mini residency, visit: https://studiofaire.fr/studio-faire-student-residen…/
The sun came out for the majority of their week long residency and so they were able to make best use of the gardens here. It was great to see creative activity developing here at last (along with Leena’s cyanotypes, developing in the South West sunshine).
As Louise is exploring the Philosophy of Music within her humanities studies, she decided to use her residency to engage and challenge herself in that area through her drawings and by beginning to learn the guitar.
For Paola, inspiration came in the form of our tangled wisteria and some old slates, twigs and chicken wire found in the barn. Sculptural ‘stacks’ and constructions began to pop up around the grounds like characters in their own right.
It wasn’t all work and no play though, as we managed to squeeze in visits to two local villages that hold the accreditation of ‘plus beaux villages de france’, Fourcès and Larressingle as well as the farmers market and charity shop at Lavardac. We also visited a few local bars and restaurants in Nérac (the wine bar Gueuleton for their delicious balsamic raw mushrooms, La Taverne d’Henri for a Leffe and L’Escadron Volant because their burger s are fabulous!).
We all agreed that the week had been a great success and a perfect launch for the Studio Faire residencies.
We look forward to welcoming our next resident who arrives at the end of the month. The ceramicist Rebecca Wilson will be here for a period of research and development.
If you would like to visit us for a creative residency please apply now or get in touch to check availability.