This November, I was fortunate to have a residency in
Auvillar, France in the south west of the country. Part of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, this residency is only available to past Fellows of VCCA. It had always been my dream to do a residency in Europe. Though it is challenging to make art while also trying to absorb a new place that strongly beckons you to engage with the culture and history, I did manage to respond to my surroundings.
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| Auvillar's famous granary, built in the 1800s and now the site of the Sunday market. |
Auvillar itself is a charming, medieval village once famous for painted pottery and goose quill pens. Now it is a sleepy, magical village on the pilgrimage trail, known as the Chemin de
St. Jacques de Compostelle.
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| The view from the top of Auvillar, overlooking the Garonne River. |
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| Novelist and ceramicist Betty Joyce Nash, left, and Sabine, who lives in Auvillar. Fantastic photographer! |
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| Random beauty: seedpod of Chinese Lantern plant. | | | |
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| So much exotic food at the local markets. |
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| The cheese guy. Le frommagier. |
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| My fellow Fellow, Marilyn Kallet, poet, purchasing her favorite cheeses. |
