Beauty In The Barn

These past weeks I have been hosting my dear friend Laurence Amelie and her lovely boyfriend Umbaldo Picasso in my home in Brentwood. They are both extraordinary artists from Paris.

Over the years from time to time I have sold Laurence's paintings in my stores but she is now quite famous in Paris, so it is difficult for me to get her work here. Every time she paints a piece it gets sold from under me.......... so I have been holding her captive in my barn and she has been painting every day........



On her way to the barn Laurence would visually and emotionally absorb the inspiration from my garden.





The goal of Laurence's visit was to host a show of her work at my Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture store in Santa Monica.



Laurence mainly paints flowers and tutus. Both romantic, frilly and feminine subjects. However, her somewhat abstract hand gives her works a modern edge.



Over the years Laurence and I seem to share a similar evolution of our palette. While always embracing white and pastels, Laurence too is stepping into a smokier palette of browns, greys and darker blues.



When I first met Laurence about 8 years ago she was only doing flower paintings.



Today the barn is packed up as though Laurence was never there. A few happy tears have been wiped away. I am grateful to have evidence of her beautiful work, hung on the walls of my store.

Do pop by and see them if your passing. They are in our Santa Monica store now and some will dance and float their way across the country to the New York store by the end of April.

And in time we will have them on the walls at The Prairie By Rachel Ashwell Bed and Breakfast.



And now off to London to put the final touches on my latest book (due out in October) and then to see the royal wedding. (not going but will watch in on the tele with my dad). But I will take lots of Buckingham Palace and spring cherry blossom photos.....