There are still six days left in my Paris residency, but already, I can feel something shifting in me.
I came to Paris wanting to paint, of course.
But I’m beginning to realize this residency has been about something bigger than simply making paintings.
It has been about learning how to be an artist again.
Sometimes being productive just means being.
One afternoon, I found myself sitting downstairs at the wine bar, slowly nursing the same glass of Sancerre for an hour and a half.
I watched the light move across the stone outside and thought, Maybe I should be painting. Maybe I should be doing something productive.
Then I tried to paint a little gouache.
It went horribly. 😂
So I stopped.
Instead, I gave myself permission to simply sit there. To observe. To wander. To rest.
Because that’s part of being an artist, too.
For me, I think that may be one of my growth edges right now—not learning how to do more, but learning how to do less.
Paris is everywhere if you are paying attention.
Even the smallest experiences have become lessons in seeing.
We took a perfume-making class at Fragonard, and I was fascinated by how much the process reminded me of painting.
You begin with simple ingredients and a basic structure. One scent becomes the dominant star, while the others support and balance it.
Painting is like that, too.
I’m always looking for that balance between what is dominant and what needs to remain quiet.
And then there is simply looking.
The Louvre
One of the highlights of this trip has been returning to the Louvre and spending time with the work of Anne Vallayer-Coster, one of my favorite still life painters.
Her paintings are enormous, masterful, and completely absorbing.
And yes, one of them features a lobster. 🦞
If you’ve taken my Still Life: Classical Food Painting Masterclass, you may recognize the connection.
Standing in front of those paintings reminded me all over again why I love still life so much.
Through composition, light, color, and paint handling, ordinary objects become extraordinary.
That’s what I want to keep chasing.
A date with the Eiffel Tower
Monte and I painted the Eiffel Tower from Pont Alexandre III, surrounded by the usual Parisian bustle.
People taking photographs. People waiting for their perfect selfie. People trying to get that one unobstructed glimpse.
And we waited, too.
Because you can’t be greedy with the Eiffel Tower. 😂
She belongs to everyone.
You have to be patient and wait for those few seconds when the people move and suddenly—there she is.
We finished our paintings and I was completely inspired by mine. I wanted to keep going.
But I stopped myself.
No.
That’s enough.
And I packed up happy, content, and grateful.
Six more days
That’s perhaps the greatest gift of this residency.
I’m learning to pay attention.
To paint when I feel called to paint. To put the brushes down when it’s time. To look at an old master and let myself be inspired. To walk, rest, make mistakes, and try again.
Somewhere in all of that, I’m remembering what really matters in my ART LIFE.
The work. The seeing. The making. The living.
I still have six days left here, and I have a feeling Paris isn’t finished teaching me yet.
Come to Paris With Me
If you’d like to be part of this creative adventure, I’ve created a small Paris Artist Residency Supporter project.
For $75, you’ll receive The Paris Artist Residency Collection — a beautifully packaged, giftable set of 12 artist note cards featuring artwork inspired by my time in France.
And the fun part?
I haven’t painted them yet.
The cards will come from the paintings, photographs, colors, cafés, gardens, and visual discoveries that happen during this residency.
I’m creating no more than 50 sets, and the project will remain open through September 14, 2026.
Support the Paris Artist Residency →
Thank you for helping me make room for this creative adventure.
I can’t wait to see what comes home with me. 🇫🇷🎨
