Going Back to my Roots

Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair

I have been perusing design blogs the past week or so and have found such joy in reading about design as I did for my degree in Interior Design from Auburn University-20 years ago. Yes, my degree (with Honors) is actually in design and not art. How many of you knew that? Anyway, when I studied Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier--I always wanted to own their designs as art pieces. The lines are so simple and evocative. I will have pieces like these one day! But in mind is churning a really cool painting series! You'll have to wait and see what it is in the new year! I have too many commissions to do before years end to really get this one going, but stay tuned!

Le Corbusier sofa

Christine Keeler in an Arne Jacobsen chair

My sentiments exactly! Sexy design.

CHANEL NO.5 COMMERCIAL

5 of my favorite things!

Chanel No. 5

Audrey Tautou

Billie Holiday Music

Romance of Trains

Fashion

This commercial has all 5.

If you haven't seen Audrey as Coco Chanel in the movie Coco Before Chanel--you must see it. If you like fashion history, it should be your next movie to see. It is out in select locations only. I happened to see it on my flight back from Italy last month!

Paint Nights Coming Up!

Paint Nights:

November 3 at The Ledges, Huntsville, AL : Tuscan Landscape 8x8 Canvas

70% Reserved

Call Emily at the clubhouse: 256.883.0860 $85

November 12 at Carole Foret Fine Art, Athens, AL : Our Beloved Courthouse 11x14 Canvas

To benefit The Spirit of Athens

40% Reserved

Reserve easily thru Paypal in the Sidebar! $75

December 1 at The Ledges, Huntsville, AL : Simple St. Nick 8x10 Canvas

40% Reserved

Call Emily at the clubhouse: 256.883.0860 $85

December 8 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Florence, AL: Aubie

To benefit The Shoals Area Auburn Club $75

What is going on THIS weekend in glorious downtown Athens?

The Athens Storytelling Festival. Don't miss a moment of it!

The huuuuuuge tent is going up as we speak-so you don't have to fear rain. Grab a bite to eat at any of our downtown restaurants. Browse through gift shops and even my art gallery!

Here is the schedule of our awesome storytellers:

(Click to enlarge)

Thursday's & Friday's Schedule

Saturday's Schedule

Happy Big 50th Anniversary!!

Today is my parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary! This is their wedding photo after eloping on October 26th, 1959--and it was a Monday night, just like it will be tonight when we celebrate! I love my Mom & Dad and am so happy for them. God bless them with many more.

FUN Weekend!

What a weekend! War Eagle!! We are no fair-weather fans. How can you be when Auburn is such a special place filled with such tradition, spirit and a beautiful sense of family? It feels much like going "home" when I arrive there. I almost burst into tears at certain thoughts, like:

How long it's been since I was in school there. Ugh!

That my daughters might go to school there.

The sense of pride in the legends who have played and coached for Auburn. Including my father-in-law!

The great times I had while there and pride of being an Alum. :)

And what formative years those were being there.

Knowing the foundation of our team led spiritually by Chette Williams. Have you read his book Hard Fighting Soldier?

And more...

Pre-game field

War Paint :) on my daughter, Caroline

I hope you were able to feel such warm feelings over your weekend and that it was great! Fall is here, and I couldn't be more excited--my favorite time of year.

Latest Paintings!

Lately, I have done a lot of encaustic painting. You may have heard me talk about it before and not really know what it is. So here, I am hoping you'll post any questions you have about it. This is a shot of me using the torch on a finished layer that must be fused to the one beneath it. Below is a small body of work I showed at the Local Color show in Huntsville last night. "Dirty Red" sold. Yay! Thank you to all those who came and especially to the beautiful girl who bought from me!

Still Lovin' Satchmo!

From Wikipedia:

Louis^[1] Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901^[2] – July 6, 1971), nicknamed Satchmo^[3] or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans,Louisiana.

Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an innovative cornet and trumpet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence on jazz, shifting the music's focus from collective improvisation to solo performers. With his distinctive gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also greatly skilled at scat singing, or vocalizing, using syllables instead of actual lyrics.

Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and deep, instantly recognizable voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extended well beyond jazz, and by the end of his career in the '60s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general: critic Steve Leggett describes Armstrong as "perhaps the most important American musician of the 20th century."^[4] Flea once proclaimed that "Louis Armstrong was probably the greatest musician that ever lived...one note implies that if he wanted to he could play ten billion notes, but just one simple note is a beautiful thing."

Inspiration

As most people who know me know, I love music.  This week has been evidence of that in my painting as I am completing another jazz musician / singer--Louis Armstrong!  It's amazing how simply listening to a musician's music AS I paint them can really spark my painting.  I love when that happens, especially at times when my inspiration is lost, confused or in a rut.  Music helps me stay fresh!  See if some great jazz doesn't get YOU going!  Check my painting blog really soon to see my painting of Louis.

Courthouse Paint NIght!

On Thursday night, November 12th is a special Carole Foret Fine Art Paint Night! Join in and have a great time painting our beloved downtown Courthouse while supporting The Spirit of Athens! For a normal tuition fee of $75 per person, half the proceeds that night will support SOA and the downtown revitalization efforts.

All you do is call with your tuition fee, then show up at 5:30 that night! Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and mingle, then we'll begin painting at 6 and paint till 8. We'll shoot a group photo, then you leave with your own Courthouse masterpiece! Absolute fun! Reserving NOW: 256.232.2521

"Local Color" presented by Progress Bank!

You are invited to "Local Color"presented by Progress Bank in Huntsville.  Enlarge the invitation and read all about it.  Join me and several other artists as we enjoy great food, drinks friends while we exhibit our work.  What more fun can you have?  I am thrilled to have been invited along with other artists whom I love and admire so much!  So come on out.  Downtown Huntsville at 201 Williams Avenue next Thursday, October 15th, 6:30-9:00!

Wine & Paint At The Ledges Announced

Click to enlarge this flyer!

After tonight's Paint Night at my studio there will be one more in November, but I will continue to teach them in November and December at The Ledges atop Huntsville Mountain!  Plan to join me!  It is a beautiful, relaxing setting to paint and, as usual, we'll have a great time! Read the flyer for all the details and fun painting themes!

Tour the Place!

Gallery

Next time you visit caroleforet.com you will see some changes.  They have been undergoing for a while without mention, but I'd like you to visit and let me know what you think!  One feature is that I have a photo tour of my gallery and studio!  Take a virtual walk inside and see what my place looks like.  THEN, take time to come in for a visit, for a class or just to take a tour of my building and many other buildings that are cool in downtown Athens!

Studio

Surprise!

Today was a great day in the gallery!  I love meeting people that come in--especially when they are so interested in my work, are Auburn fans AND they buy something.  Yay!  That happened today and made my day.  It also made my day that I finished a project (on time!) that is a secret!  I painted something that will not be unveiled until Spring 2010.  It's tough to keep secrets, but here is a photo of me with it for all my blog readers! ;)