Personal Provence
Maija's "Very Special Trip"
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“Andrew picked us up at the airport, and I knew right away that this was going to be a very special trip.
We were all from the US. Every morning we had a very French, very fresh, very delicious breakfast made by Marcia, and were in the field by 9AM. At lunchtime, we came home for a Provencal meal, went back out after a rest and painted until dark, when we came home to another fabulous meal. We talked until midnight, too invigorated to sleep.
We painted in hilltop villages—Roussillon, Bonnieux, an LaCoste. We painted at the Roman necropolis of Alyscamps in Arles, where Van Gogh, and Gauguin had painted together. We painted sheep on the Plateau de Claparedes. Andrew even took us out in the rain. We stood under the Pont Julien, a Roman bridge, to paint. He said oil and water don't mix, so we painted. I sold that painting.
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We visited the asylum at San Remy where Van Gogh committed himself, and we stood where he painted Starry Night and other famous paintings. In Les Baux we got to see the multi-media Van Gogh show at the Cathedral D'Images, a converted Bauxite mine. Images were projected on every surface and the music was incredible. It was very close to a religious experience.
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In all I made 14 really nice paintings. We had our gallery show at the end, and I sold some work, which I priced in Euros. It was so exciting.
Andrew is one of the most delightful people I've ever met. He was always "up", had a great sense of humor. He’s a great mentor; the word "No" is not in his vocabulary.
It was absolutely the most incredible trip of a lifetime. I'd go back in a heartbeat”.
Maija Baynes
