When is a stick not a stick?

People often ask Ron ,my artist husband and former University Senior Lecturer in Fine Art,"what makes good art?" The majority of  us can appreciate the skill and take pleasure in the photo realistic images of the great masters, but find it difficult to take the leap between this and any of the less obvious visual arts. Then it becomes a degree of understanding, whether we can empathise with what is being communicated. Mostly we can appreciate the feeling shown in Lowry's  matchstick men and find acceptable the colour effects of Monet, but Picasso and Dahli now that's different. Even more some of the Turner prize winners; Tracey Emin or Damien Hurst, these become harder to follow,accept or rate.

When walking the randonee botanique, which passes Le Fresnay, one sunny shady summers day I bent to examine an unusual stick. Strange markings I thought and moved closer when to my absolute amazement, the said 'stick', reared up , inflated its head area in  menacing way and hissed loudly at me. Now you reaction to this depends on your attitude to snakes; from mild curiosity and surprise to distaste and phobia.

As our newest language guest, a doctorate student of French Law with research specialism in 'Proof'', explained, its not about reality or even truth its about what constitutes a body of proof. Example: in UK law the evidence of a husband or wife is not considered 'proof' where as in France it is. Perhaps here the answer to 'what is great art',its the provable & sustainable and a bit like the snake that depends on your perception.Indeed Turner himself, now accredited as  'the painter of light', was much criticised for his 'expressive treatment' of subjects. Fascinated by current technology his painting 'Rain, Steam and Speed' is now  viewed by many as great art,was once perceived very differently

So when is a stick not a stick? When its a snake. And Ron's answer to the continual question as to what makes great art, is simple. His retort," I know a lot about art, but great art, that's different, I know what I like"....

A picture paints a thousand words...

 So what motivates you to spend every holiday, all your energy and every spare penny you have in converting an ancient farmhouse/ barn into a working studio gite? Well a picture paints a thousand words so here is Le Fresnay in the glory of summer.

Added to this I had been an artist without studio all my professional life. Well that's if you don't count the 7,000 sq metre university studio that I lectured in for so many years. As a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art (Staffordshire University), I had for over ten years,been the field trip organiser both in the UK and France and loved every minute, well most.


What better way to achieve several dreams; the pleasure of teaching art from the basics, the delight  in having an amazing painting / art studio and living in France. This was not just living the dream it was being the dream and is the dreamer

Before the paintbrush came the hammer...

First renovation at Le Fresnay  focussed around the permissions to return the barn to its original farmhouse status, a process made easier by the fact that the remnants of the hearth & old chimney inside survived 

Built 1650's it seems its impossible to get an accurate time scale in France; the response is always the same.. its an old French farmhouse...'ce'st tres ancienne'.

Summer 2006 son Tom & two friends, all skilled design / craftsmen came over to start the grand task. All that oak,all that history & all that work, we needed to asses priorities.

A little piece of French Painting Paradise

Where to start.... five years ago on a wintry February we fell in love with the group of buildings around the ancient farmhouse of Le Fresnay. We had been searching for this very combination for over 18 months, though the initial decision was made in 1980.

 

Nestled together, the newer farmhouse beautifully renovated and the grange with its pink granite ancient farmhouse and farmstead, just blew us away

 At the end of a bitterly cold weekend viewing properties in the area we arrived at the stark but striking Le Fresnay. Checklist of qualities we needed for a property in hand; one finished house, a second to renovate for our gite & art business plans and land,plus storage ; we had all the boxes actually ticked. The last box was the 'wow factor' and it certainly held that, so our very own grand design project began.

 It might have been the slim spring sunlight on those warm granite walls, it might have been the sad story of how Le Fresnay came to be for sale,perhaps it was the feeling of family within those buildings and history in that farmyard or maybe that somewhere on the land (with her fingers tingling with cold) my wife lost my gold wedding ring.

 

Whatever drew us, we were smitten and later that sleepless night the decision was made, we had found our little piece of French paradise.