Travel
Richard will lead a clay adventure to Auvillar, France in October 2008
Moulin A Nef Studios
Auvillar, France
This region, known as the Midi-Pyrenées, is studded with fortified villages, canal towns, stone and half-timbered houses, tree farms, and vineyards with medieval and Renaissance architecture at every turn in its enchanted undulating landscape.
Auvillar, a hilltop village in southern France with superb views from its promenade, is designated as one of France's 100 "Most Beautiful Villages". Its location between Toulouse and Bordeaux is four hours north of Barcelona. We will be working below the village on the banks of the Garonne River in a restored historic studio center called Moulin à Nef, run by the VCCA, the artists community near Sweet Briar, Virginia.
The large first floor fully-equipped studio –stocked by Joe Monk - the sculpture/pottery professor from Sweet Briar College - has 4 wheels, 3 worktables, a Ceradel Socor electric kiln, cone 05/6 clays and glazes, basic clay tools and ceramic supplies. An unusual treat is the black European stoneware clay that fires to a soft salmon color. Students will only need to bring their favorite personal tools.
The 10-day trip is scheduled to coincide with the Marché des Potiers [Pottery Exhibition] October 13 & 14, when 60 European potters [mostly from France, Belgium, Holland and Spain] will show their newest work on the cobblestone terraces surrounding the 1825 circular granary market. It is a major sales event with work from around $25 to several hundred dollars in price. All styles of work, tableware and sculpture in earthenware, stoneware, porcelain, raku, pitfire, oxidation and reduction, are available.
New this year will be visits to studios of local ceramic artists.J-P. Chollet at Bruniquel - high temperature porcelain and stoneware. Mostly sculptural or individual pieces with some domestic work.Francois Fletcher at Lacour de Visa - stoneware domestic pottery, glaze on glaze.Christian Pradier at St. Vincent Lespinasse - ceramic animal sculpture.
We will meet with our contact, Martin Barnsdale, is partner in the volunteer group, Terre et Terre, who help sponsor the Marché des Potiers. He is also a member of the Maison Céramique at Giroussen near Montauban which runs a high-end gallery and displays members' wares in a retail shop.
During our stay students will create ceramic works by handbuilding and/or wheel throwing and finish them in oxidation or raku firings. The raku ware will be fired on the outdoor patio in a pyramid Roderveld kiln built in Holland. We complete that firing by extracting the blazingly hot pots from the kiln and smothering them in paper in metal containers for the reduction effect.
Ample free time will be available to explore the region and sample gastronomic specialities in the company of like-minded, inquisitive travelers. We again plan to attend the Chocolate Festival in Moissac, visit and purchase wine at the Chateau la Bastide in Clermont-Soubiran, have delicious dinners at the Auberge de Bardigues, and go on a shopping trip to Agen.
We will fly out of Richmond and after two transfers [to be determined later] we will land in Toulouse, rent a vehicle and drive up the Garonne valley to Auvillar. Clay students will live in the renovated 17th century home next to the studio where we will will have a kitchen and clothes washer at our disposal. We will keep our vehicle for transportation on side trips and return to Toulouse for the flight home.
Intermediate and advanced clay students are welcome. Please ask about rates for for your travel companions who are not participating in our workshop.
Anyone wishing to join this arts adventure please contact Malinda Collier at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond:
(804) 353-0094.
For more information check out the links below...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alZ61Lncx7g - Auvillar - YouTube video 2007