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You are here: Home / Travel / Paris Casts Its Spell…and Melissa Payne Baker gets Inspired

Paris Casts Its Spell…and Melissa Payne Baker gets Inspired

July 15, 2014 by Huff Harrington

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What happens when a talented Huff Harrington artist goes to Paris for the first time?  A gorgeous collection of new work, all inspired by the City of Light, is magically created and has us all swooning.  And Melissa Payne Baker‘s timing couldn’t be more perfect because this coming Thursday marks one of our favorite holidays to celebrate at Huff Harrington Fine Art.  It’s our annual Bastille Day fete and we’ll be pulling out the stops with bubbles and nibbles, music and of course, gorgeous new art inspired by all things French.

Melissa recently took her first trip to Paris and the inspiration she found there sums up all the things we love about the City of Light.  She’s an abstractist so she’s always looking for subject matter that can be manipulated and transformed by composition, palette and texture.  She made sure she didn’t leave without her camera – and we just love the Parisian images she captured for future inspiration in her studio.

An old door, painted in the most heavenly shade of blue, caught Melissa's eye.
An old door, painted in the most heavenly shade of blue, caught Melissa’s eye.

This is what happens when Melissa Payne Baker finds inspiration.  The blue door becomes this:

The rich blues, pale grays and touches of gold find themselves reincarnated as "Accueil" (mixed media on canvas, 36 x 36)
The rich blues, pale grays and touches of gold find themselves reincarnated as “Accueil” (mixed media on canvas, 36 x 36)

Melissa’s enthusiasm for Paris is limitless and infectious.  “The pops of colors in the flower boxes, gardens and boutiques around the city were breathtaking.  My first trip to the Eiffel tower was a dream.  We walked up to that massive beautiful steel structure and a gorgeous rainbow appeared over the sky.  My plan was to take in everything the city had to offer – and it inspired me with color.  I couldn’t wait to get in my studio to paint the grays with pops of color.”

With that in mind, Melissa busily snapped one afternoon as she strolled beautiful Parc Monceau.

An afternoon stroll through the serene Parc Monceau led Melissa to a vibrant bed of foxgloves....
An afternoon stroll led Melissa to a vibrant bed of foxgloves….

Back in the studio, those sweet blooms inspired this beautiful vertical painting:

Pure perfection!  Parc Monceau, mixed media on canvas, 24 x 8.
Pure perfection! Parc Monceau, mixed media on canvas, 24 x 8.

Melissa explored the entire city armed with her trusty camera and her keen eye.  We love  that she could look at the most ordinary Parisian scenes and find fodder for her paintings.  We especially gravitated to the rich, lively images that came to life that afternoon at Parc Monceau:

We can't get enough of the reds and yellows in this completely charming photo Melissa snapped in Parc Monceau.
We can’t get enough of the reds and yellows in this completely charming photo Melissa snapped in Parc Monceau.

Et voila!

Melissa simply nailed the glorious marriage of color, tonality and texture in her take on "Carrousel" (mixed media on canvas, 40 x 40)
Melissa simply nailed the glorious marriage of color, tonality and texture in her take on “Carrousel” (mixed media on canvas, 40 x 40)

Even the neighborhood flower shop became inspiration for a magical painting:

We're just like Melissa: we can't pass the neighborhood flower shop without stopping and drinking in the simple beauty.
We’re just like Melissa: we can’t pass the neighborhood flower shop without stopping and drinking in the simple beauty.

Here’s the flower shop on Melissa’s canvas:

"Jardin" (mixed media on canvas, 40 x 40)....just another visual stunner on the streets of Paris. Oooh la la.
“Jardin” (mixed media on canvas, 40 x 40)….just another visual stunner from the streets of Paris. Oooh la la.
Melissa in Paris.
Melissa in Paris.

Our gallery artists (including Andrea Costa, Amy Dixon and Charles Ross and others) have donned their figurative berets and have gotten into the spirit with a lovely collection of work that incorporates that French je ne sais quoi into their paintings.  And, in preparation for the show, the gallery has been a-buzz with boxes arriving daily from our French artists, like Christian Nepo, Andree Thobaty, Ewa Rzeznik and Lyliane Coiffard. We’re happily  spending a lot of time ooh-la-la-ing over their lovely paintings that range from classically elegant to edgy portrayals of heavenly French landscapes and the iconic images we all adore.

Christian Nepo is one of our favorite wrists and is a lovely and polite gentleman. His new black and white mixed media pieces are based in classicism but we love the edgy medium he's using these days.
Christian Nepo is one of our favorite artists and is a lovely and polite gentleman. His new black and white mixed media pieces are based in classicism but we love the edgy medium he’s using these days.
French artist Lyliane Coiffard always gets it right: the light, color and palette of Provence come alive in her paintings.
French artist Lyliane Coiffard always gets it right: the light, color and palette of Provence come alive in her paintings.
Ann and I both "discovered" Andree Thobaty one summer (we always both insist on taking credit!) and she's been a dream to work with.  We love her modern and abstract take on flora, fauna and the Provencal landscape. (Fleurs en Jaune et Blanches, 16 x 14, oil on canvas)
Ann and I both “discovered” Andree Thobaty one summer (we always both insist on taking credit!) and she’s been a dream to work with. We love her modern and abstract take on flora, fauna and the Provencal landscape. (Fleurs en Jaune et Blanches, 16 x 14, oil on canvas)

We’re also showcasing works from a group of emerging guest artists: painters who accompanied painting pro Nancy Franke to Provence for a week of intense instruction, painting and yes, maybe even a drop or two of rose.  These ladies are hard-working, enthusiastic and excited about participating in the show.  (Big bravos to Dawn Douglas, Suzy Dmetruk, Sandy Cox, Ann Currey, Martha Elder and Dianne Williams.)

The effervescent and extremely talented Nancy Franke paints her magic in Provence - along with groups of lucky students.  (Wine Time, 26 x 20, oil on canvas.)
The effervescent and extremely talented Nancy Franke paints her magic in Provence – along with groups of lucky students. (Wine Time, 26 x 20, oil on canvas.)
Dawn Douglas was inspired by this gorgeous Provence vista.  French Hillside, 24 x 18, oil on canvas.
One of the Provence painters, Dawn Douglas, was inspired by this gorgeous Provence vista. French Hillside, 24 x 18, oil on canvas.

So, we’re looking forward to seeing you chez Huff Harrington Fine Art this coming Thursday, July 17th from 6 to 8 p.m. (If you haven’t visited us before, click here for directions.)

Berets and espadrilles:  optional!

A bientôt…

 

Comments

comments

Comments

  1. Andrea says

    July 16, 2014 at 2:57 pm

    Absolutely beautiful my friend! loved it. Im jealous tho. I so would love to go to paris one day.

  2. Sidney says

    July 17, 2014 at 9:59 am

    Loved running into you at market. Only sorry we headed home before the Bastille show. Wishing you a very successful evening.
    Sidney

    • Huff Harrington says

      July 17, 2014 at 10:29 am

      Thanks, Sidney! It was so lovely seeing you as well, can’t wait for next time…

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