One Thing Leads to Another

Bonjour,

This month I completed my full body of work:  Brandi Hofer Artist Statement September 2011

 My work and contemporary process is the by-product of my life experiences. My thought process revolves around color, composition and the process of making the art.  Art making for me is dependent upon the immediacy of the moment. My process describes my mood and perception of self. As a result the work that I am creating is the outcome of my subconscious environment.

Female portraits have been the focus of my artistic practice for many years. Female portraiture I feel evoke a certain emotion that the viewer connects with.

 My primary mediums have consisted of acrylics oils, and mixed media, and now I have been combining all my mediums with encaustic waxes. Currently my process in France is a mixed media of Intaglio prints and highly pigmented chalk pastel on paper.

Studio

Earlier this year after I had spent a month residency at Red Deer College in Red Deer Alberta, someone there suggest I apply to CAMAC a residency in Marnay Sur-Seine in France. At this residency I have the opportunity to spend time with painters, writers, video artists, photographers, and people of the creative trade. I now have the time where their “life” does not interfere with my craft.  This residency is also a place where I can be influence or inspired by other artists and vise versa.

The body of work that I proposed to CAMAC and am now creating is a combination of mixed media female portraits and figurative work. I am basing my portraits on a series of interviews that I have had between Canadian women as well as women that I meet in France. Now in France I will look into why women live where they live, how they got to be here and their family info structures. I am also studying their female relationships with friends, family and how they communicate with one another. I then go on to form a portrait from each individual interview. So far my interviews have been extremely captivating, I am combining the audio interview media with the visual art into a final piece for exhibition.

The Dream Team

CAMAC

Finally this my time here has come to an end here at CAMAC in Marnay Sur Seine France.  How I am going to miss it here. Life has been so pleasant, just the fact the I am in constant company with creative minded friends has been a true pleasure.  I will miss the ease of waking up in the morning to a run through the french country side. To end my run I do yoga by the Seine River on the clover patch, how I will miss the soft feel of them between my toes. I will miss walking barefoot outside, the sun rays on my face, watching the river run slowly from my terrace with a cup of tea. I will miss taking a bike ride to the closest town Nogent to get a fresh baguette with cheese and wine. I will miss painting everyday, to have the release of selfexpression is so important to my daily routine, I did not know I needed it so much.  And most of all I will miss the people and our dinners together every night highlighted with constant conversation and laughter. 

Love and Miss you all,

Brandi

View from my Window

Last days in Marnay

I finally painted the wall!! 6x10 ft of FUN!!

I made a chocolate and pear tart from the pears on our tree at CAMAC mmm mmm 

Well life has been pleasant here in France. I am just getting geared up to go to Italy with my father soon, I am trying to paint as much as possible (which is pretty difficult given the great weather). I had a mini taste of Paris last week, it was weird to be in such a fasted paced city after being in the country for so long.  It will be fun when I am in Paris for a week after Italy I will do some gallery touring it will be fun (and I will get fatter from more baguette, I have NO will power)!

I am enjoying my last few days at CAMAC we have become a little art family, I am getting sentimental about everything. On tuesday I am making a dinner, maybe something that is traditionally Canadian, hmm I don't know, any ideas? I was thinking chicken and dumplings, yes, but, that is German...

I have had the chance to improve my baking skills as you can see in some of these photos, it is hard not to be inspired the bakery and patisseries they are truely AMAZING!! Vishwa has taught me a little about Indian cooking as well which is a great treat. 

My painting series is coming along and the audio combination with the visual is interesting. I am excited to apply to some galleries with this new body of work. 

I got close to a Chuck Close at the Pompidou in Paris

I made a Marble Fudge Crumb Cake with Nutella on top for Sara's going away

View of Paris from the Pompidou

My studio floor

Ahh Paris!!

Well I am going to go.. there are these creepy little bugs that keep coming in my window and I want to move ekk! I also should paint.

Love,

Brandi

At the Pompidou 

Artist's Just Want to Have Fun!!

Nick and Vishwa

GIANT MARSHMALLOW STAWBERRIES

It is funny how in life things can arise when you have time for them, or in my case are slightly bored (but happy to be, as far as not working in my non-desired field when at home in Lloydminster).  Last friday night we all dressed in something that did not belong to us and that we did not bring to CAMAC. It was very funny because somehow all of the women randomly dressed in a white dress shirt with no pants. I found my white tuxedo shirt in the basement and laundry room of CAMAC and gave it a fresh bleaching (it looked as though it had been hanging there for 10 years). My plan was to go all out "Risky Business", all the other women just wore the white shirt it was very funny!! The night all in all was a ton of fun, we also held a re-gift party. SO being bored has its rewards for a fun creative entertainment!!

Too Cool for School

LADIES LADIES LADIES









Tonight we had a dance party in Nicks (Australia) studio it was a great time everyone came (Mostly because we missed Techno Paris on Saturday, which I have total regret for now, I thought I would feel more guilty going but as it turns out I feel guilty for missing one of the biggest dance parties in the world). In conclusion though I am having fun, and am loving the other artist I am residing with. Friday night we will listen to Annie Mac on the BBC for the line up and have an electric dance party in the quietest town in France, be sure to join us!  Tomorrow I will be heading to Paris on the morning train from Nogent, it should be fun!! I will keep you posted on my journey. So take care.

Love,

Brandi

I Aim to Create

My new friends to share my lunch baguette

Well time is at a stand still here for me it almost seems surreal. Although, the church bells are a constant reminder of how the time is passing.  

Yesterday I took a bike to Nogent to pick up my daily baguette and indulge in my morning espresso. I have also made a new friend she speaks little english and I speak practically no french, but I like her. She has sweet dance electronic music on in the morning, AND I love all the old men coming in for their early morning cocktail.  I then went home to make another batch of Apple Butter and Apple Sauce for everyone. I also made a few loaves of Chocolate Chip Banana Bread for everyone (they have not heard of this, it may just be a North American thing).  I would also love to make some puffed wheat square. I don't know how lucky I will get with all of those ingredients. On Monday I plan on taking a loaf of Banana Bread and a jar of Apple butter to my new friend in Nogent. 

Down in the wine cellar

Yesterday one of the residence Diego planned a Champagne tasting for all of our group (seeing how we are living in the region we shall indulge). We had a ton of fun and the Champagne was delightful!! 

Path to Nogent

CHAMPAGNE!! 

This evening for dinner we are having a re-gift exchange as well as we are all dressing up in something that we didn't bring with us to France, in other words something else that we have found here at CAMAC. For dinner I plan to go as Tom Cruise's character in "Risky Business" I found some waiter shirts downstairs and Aliona has some sun glasses for me. This night should be a blast!!

All the best everyone!!

love,

Brandi

Champagne! Champagne!

Champagne in Champagne!!

Hot Fudge Mint Vanilla Sunday

Early today I was just staring out my window at the quaint little french village roof tops and thinking to myself how fortunate I have found my situation. I recalled back to a year ago and if someone told me I would be painting in France for a month I would probably not have believed them. CAMAC is a belle belle place It is just as you would imagine a french escape would look like. All the red wine has been delicious so far (huge bonus to any place). I went out for dinner tonight with Sara another resident here, it was just wonderful! We biked to Nogent, walked a little, and then sat down for some champagne and a snack. We had an After Eight sunday to finish the evening off with. We did have an interesting bike ride back, we did not keep in mind that biking through the forest beside a river would be scary in the dark LOL! The bike needless to say was twice as fast. The building that CAMAC is in is very old and can get freaky at night. The australian filmmaker nick keeps mentioning that he has to do a little horror film at CAMAC when he is here. 

The other night the wind was howling and you could hear the trees just swaying in the wind. I didn't sleep that well, but at least Freda the black chat was snuggling with me. So the next day at dinner everyone at dinner was discussing the previous windy night. I mentioned that I didn't sleep well. Then Diego this 32 year old taller man looked at me as said "I didn't sleep at all the wind was howling down my fireplace, I was so scared" I'm nodding my head like ya that would get scary, and yes, it would be hard to sleep. Then Diego says "I almost came over to your room". I laughed and said that would not have helped you"! I was thinking the only thing more frightening then the howling wind that night would have been a knock at my door at 3 in the morning!! LOL

Good night.

Love, 

Brandi

A Kucha I made for everyone

Paint Hard! Eat Hard! Drink Hard!

Dinner Time

So I have been working, drinking and eating hard here at CAMAC in France the last couple of days. Every night we gather for dinner at 7:00, on this particular night Vishwa cooked us an authentic indian meal, it was to die for.  The residence at CAMAC are from all over the world, so our evenings are filled with interesting conversation. 

15 Euro!! Heart

Today I biked into Nogent Sur-Seine along the Seine 5km.  I was on a mission for wine, cheese, beer and baquette (all things good for you). To my delight I got all these things for 15 euros!!! I even got a french Macaroon from a local bakery, the bakeries are absolutely amazing here. 

Portrait based on the interview of Michelle Classen

Now that I have arrived, I have the opportunity to focus on my painting and the business side of art. Although, now here, I have to adjust and get used to all this time to myself, as Marnay is in the middle of farmland on the Seine River with no stores, I will definitely have a new rhythm to my everyday life. The purpose of the residency is to have the time to create art and I will finally have that in France. I will hopefully be inspired by the French culture as well. 

The body of work that I proposed to CAMAC was to work on mixed media female portraits and figurative work. I am basing my portraits on a series of interviews that I have had between Canadian women as well as women that I meet in France and the figure drawings for some warm ups and hand eye practice. In France I will look into why women live where they live, how they got to be there and their family info structures. I am also studying their female relationships with friends, family and how they communicate with one another. So far my interviews have been extremely captivating, I am hoping to combine the audio interview media with the visual art into a final piece for exhibition.  The painting above is based off of the interview of Michelle Classen, Lloydminster Sk.

I am missing everyone!! 

Love,

Brandi

So Cliche

Field of Sunflowers

Nogent Bakery

Devouring Baguette on the Seine
Well I awoke to a nice sunshiny morning so I decided to bike into Nogent to get some odds and ends. I am starting to get into the rhythm of the french. I finally founds some stores where I could get somethings that I have been needing, it is a bit harder to find things here (there is no Walmart, weird). I had the pleasure of wandering around town I stopped to get some french cheese. Then I sat and had an espresso at at Cafe, it was filled with older men who were drinking this odd liquor which turned foggy when you added ice and water (I opted out of trying some). At the Cafe I had some time to observe the town folk only to find that everyone was wondering with a baguette. So when I left the cafe I stopped a the bakery and got a baguette and stuffed it in my bag. I then biked home with cheese,wine and a baguette sticking out of my bag, past the swans on the seinne, and down the tree covered trail. The whole morning I felt very cliche!! It felt wonderful! 

Love,

Brandi

Notice the nuclear reactor to my right. It definitely adds something to the scenery.

Livin' in a Small Town!!

Well turns out life is pushed into slow motion for me here!!  I may go mad!! 


Number one: I did not pack my runners, sure this does not sound like such a bad thing, wait, I will let you know more...
Number two, three, four...The T.V. has no sound (broken), I was like hmm not so bad I can just watch movies online, oh no no the internet cannot upload video fast enough. Hmm so work, exercise, art, eating, movie viewing and painting are the main things that fill my quota in a day.  So I have eating and painting... Oh dear!


This was today's solution: Yoga by the Seine, a walk, a nap, painting, and making cream of tomato soup. I need a book.


I have a couple of solutions for this problem, self taught piano and reading. Ah yes, I will be living a totally zen lifestyle, I will be a changed woman!! 


Here are some pictures from my walk today...

Belle France!

I am over exaggerating a tad... but it is a BIG180 in lifestyle for me you have to understand. The people are wonderful here and very intellectual and I value all of their eclectic creative skills. This whole experience I'm sure will be life altering. 

OH MY it is 3:10 in the morning jet leg? 

I bid you goodnight

Love,

Brandi

Marnay Sur-Seine in France

Last picture of the prairie sky 

Bonjour all! I have arrived in Marnay Sur-Seine at last! It is lovely here, absolutely picturesque. It is the perfect place for a painter. I am surrounded by other artists and like minded people, it is treat enough to have long conversations over a nice meal. 

This morning it was hot hot,  so a couple of us decided to bike to Nogent Sur-Seine along the Seine river. I was a wonderful day to be biking through french countryside, it felt like I was in a movie. There were tree covered paths, sunflower fields, corn, and then finally an onion field. The onion field was so fragrant that it felt like I had my head stuck in a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips (if there was a store near here that had some i would have totally indulged and now come to think of it I highly doubt there are sour cream and onion chips here). When we finally arrived in Nogent we sat down for a wonderful lunch, I had a poached salmon with hollandaise, salad, and a rice that was soaked in cream and butter and sprinkled with tarragon. To finish Nick and I shared a hot fudge sunday. It was nice to go for lunch,  where we are all living there is no restaurant or store. 

Seine River

Later in the afternoon I went for a lay down by the river where there where children playing on the beach and swimming. 

Seine River

My Balcony

View from my room

View from my room

View from my room

Attic Studio

Attic Studio

Today I set up my studio and got organized, tomorrow I will begin painting!!

Love,

Brandi