Au revoir, Marnay-sur-Seine...

At the end of August it was hard to believe my residency at Camac had come to an end. Those few weeks had gone extremely fast and, since most of the artists lived in other parts of the world, it was strange to think that I wouldn't be seeing their familiar faces again any time soon. The value of a place like Camac and what it can offer artists is so important. Having the space to create, be inspired by your surroundings and interact with others from around the world certainly means a lot. I'm very thankful to have had the opportunity to come here.

I'll never forget the little village of Marnay-sur-Seine and the locals who were so lovely and welcoming. The sights, sounds and tastes will forever be tucked away in my mind. Here are a few leftover photos from my time in Marnay...

Open studio...

On August 30 Camac hosted an Open Studio for members of the public to come and check out some of the work that had been produced by the artists in residence over the past month. It was a great opportunity to talk to locals and people from neighbouring villages as well. A group of artists from another residency program in the region also attended and showcased some of their work too.

Thankfully the weather was kind and we all gathered in the courtyard to eat, drink and chat throughout the evening. Pictured below are the directors of both residency programs as they addressed the crowd and thanked everyone for attending...

How good is goat cheese!!!

If you ever find yourself in the Champagne region I would definitely recommend a trip to La Chevrerie de Nesle La Reposte. It took a couple of detours and bit of back-tracking to find, but oh was it worth it! This little gem boasts an exceptional goat cheese farm and a fabulous creperie is tucked away behind it. Three of us shared a cheese platter and bottle of champagne. Needless to say I now have a new-found appreciation for real goat cheese. All three selections were particularly good, but if I had to pick a favourite I really liked the one coated in ash. (It's said this brings another flavour to the cheese.)

We even got to meet some of the four-legged residents during feeding time. They certainly have good appetites!

There were feathery friends ready to greet us as well...

La Creperie du Moulin was also popular with the locals that night. Be warned - you need to make a reservation in order to secure a table! After all the cheese, bread and champagne I went straight for dessert... a mint chocolate crepe! Mmmmm...

And all that jazz...

The late Frank Tenot was instrumental in helping to set up Camac as a place for artists to create and be inspired. Back in the day Tenot was one of the biggest names in the French jazz music scene, thanks to his radio programs and establishing a music magazine empire. The buildings that now house Camac in Marnay-sur-Seine were owned by the Tenot family and, as the story goes, he used to bring jazz greats out here to stay like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington. There is still an impressive record collection stored at Camac and here are some pictures of Tenot that decorate the walls...

Champagne in Champagne...

The Champagne houses get a little quiet during August and most shut down for a holiday. However, we were lucky to find a couple still open one day for some tastings and shopping...

Where there's smoke there's fire...

One sunny afternoon I was working away on my laptop when all of a sudden I heard a crackling noise. I got up to see what was going on and could soon smell smoke. The crackles got louder and I figured it must be a controlled fire somewhere nearby... I was certain whoever it was must have a good reason for doing so. Soon afterwards, black smoke started to billow up over the high orchard trees (pictured in my entry on August 8) and orange flames could be seen every now and then dancing in the wind. I wondered if I should go take a closer look but I also felt I was close enough (it was all unfolding about 20m or so from my bedroom window)! Two of the Camac staff tried desperately to connect the hose to douse the flames and help later arrived from the local fire brigade. What I didn't realise until much later was that we were all very lucky it was brought under control, especially since it was such a hot and windy day. Those flames could have almost spelt the end for Camac!

When I sat down at dinner time I asked the other residents if they'd also witnessed the fire, but everyone at the table seemed oblivious. They joked and thought I was making it up. Here's some proof for the non-believers:

Introducing Griselda...

Visual artist Griselda Rosas hails from Tijuana, Mexico, and it was such a pleasure that our paths crossed during our residencies at Camac. She is one of the most generous people I've met and has a wicked sense of humour. She splits her time between the US and Mexico, all the while creating and being inspired by her surroundings. Below are some of her intriguing sculptures that she worked on during her residency.

A road trip to Provins...

Provins is another village in the Champagne region, with a population of approximately 12,000 people. We spent a couple of hours exploring the town, checking out the markets which were mostly clothes and food...

 ... and later we walked to the Caesar Tower - a famous medieval fortification and now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The animals of Camac & Marnay...

Here is Kibo the dog...

Freida the aptly-named cat...

Pierre the rabbit who lived in the garden...

And some other random wildlife from the area...