(Photo Credit: Hôtel Elysées Mermoz)
Last Tuesday I had the honored pleasure to participate in a soirée at Hotel Elysées Mermoz. The evening was dedicated to a hand selected number of artists, bloggers, and gallerists to meet one another, share ideas, discover projects in process of unfolding and developping, and foremost learn of Hôtel Elysées Mermoz's growing project with Art Ensuite.
Meet Olivier Brueil, the owner and manager of 4 star Hôtel Elysées, but also, note, an artist himself, a painter, who yes, has his own studio and spends half of his time devoted to his art. In 2009 during the remodeling of his hotel, he decided to use the strategic space to display works of art by young emerging artists. In doing this, he began his project to support these artists not only through exposing their works, but further through collecting donations for them and presenting them to the public. Here the artists have a number of opportunities presented to them, one namely being that they are put into contact with a public they may otherwise not particularly encounter. Here their network is expanded where they may meet and follow into other public circles passionate about art, and ready to discover an emerging artist perhaps in a more personable encounter than a large prestigous gallery or a museum!
(Here you can see some of the gallery space used in the hotel to display the artists' work; Photo Credit: Hôtel Elysées Mermoz)
(Photo Credit: Art Ensuite)
Meet Art Ensuite! Olivier wanted to go further with his project than solely in his hotel. Art Ensuite has been born with the goal to grow this network between hotels, in particular, who would like to support and sponsor these artists in the same way as Hôtel Elysées Mermoz and contribute to developing and growing their network in such a way which benefits the artists themselves and not solely the space exposing them! Here there will be a genuine encounter between the observer and the art, a network will grow between the hotels exposing them, and most appropriately bring artists together and the discovery of them to the public.
3 on far right side, from left: Amyitis from Art Ensuite, Dominique Planche from Planche.com, Thomas from Darkplanneur
Jean-Marc Thommen, artist, and Olivier Brueil, painter and Hotel owner and manager of l'Elysées Mermoz
Dominique Planche from Planche.com, Olivier Brueil
(Photo Credits: La Frange)
(My two associates from left to right: Rosario and Ana; Photo credit: Dominique Planche)
This project inspires and excites me! At Un Artiste à La Table we desire to bring to light artists, whether well known, lesser known, or emerging, to a public they might not otherwise know but who is nonetheless passionate for art. Likewise, we strive to provide the public with the opportunity to meet these artists in a more relaxed, personable environment. In a world where so often the artists are hidden behind their works and we have little chance to meet them, hear and see who they are, what inspires them and why they do what they do, it is a delight to get to meet an artist and hear they themselves explain their art. This, in my mind, changes everything!
(Attempted miniature Eiffel Tower brochettes: Cucumber, Apple, Persimmon, and Crystallized Ginger dipped in a Cinnamon, Mint Syrup; Photo Credit: La Frange)
A small side note to this point, a friend of mine who does Street Photography is currently exposing at another supper club I am involved with from time to time (Jim Haynes' Sunday Dinners), his name is Jonathan Daniel Pryce of Les Garcons de Glasgow.
(Photo Credit: Jonathan Pryce)
Looking at his photos alone is interesting, however he has provided a small story to each of the photos he is currently exposing at Jim's place, and these stories bring to life his photos! Cap that with meeting Jonathan and what he does comes to life! THIS is what we strive to do at Un Artiste à La Table!
(Photo Credit: Dominique Planche)
Meet Elodie Boutry at Hôtel Elysées Mermoz last Tuesday night. Charming and warm, her works are playful and incredibly creative; have the chance to talk with her and they take an even more lively form! (Elodie's works can be seen currently on display at the hotel)
(Photo Credit: Art Ensuite)
This is unique about the project at Hôtel Elysées Mermoz, Art Ensuite, and Un Artiste à La Table. Unimagined spaces are provided where one can discover an artist in a more personable manner, artists can meet one another, the public can meet the artist, networks can be enlarged or new ones formed. Here at Un Artiste à La Table we are pleased to provide the combination of the discovery of such art and artists with the equal discovery, passion and enjoyment of gastronomy. Cooking in France, the world capital of cuisine, not to mention home to some of the greatest chefs in the world, there is nearly no limit to what delights one may taste in the restaurants in Paris! We are not amongst those in that list, we are off the beaten path, and in an unexpected place, yes, our own apartment, or even in the ateliers of the artists themselves! It is nonetheless worth discovering, and while behind supposed closed, private doors, we are none whatsoever exclusive or closed! At Un Artiste à La Table it is much more like participating in a small intimate exposition! We want to offer the public the chance to meet and discover an artist they do not yet know, we want to support our local artists in this great City of Light, and we also want you to meet our in-home artist and co-founder, our chef Kristi McIntosh, yes, me.
Inspired by the greatest cuisine in the world: French cuisine, but also born and bread in sunny California where the cuisine is colorful and fresh, I most enjoy creating playful taste combinations while supporting the other artists in my city, and creating a unique and kind atmosphere of discovery through the senses!
(Small Spoons of 3 levels: Citrus fruits and Cardamom, Fromage Frais, Pistachio Lavander Pesto; Photo Credits: Dominique Planche)
We look forward to forming a greater network with Art Ensuite and those we had the pleasure of meeting last Tuesday evening at Hôtel Elysées Mermoz, to name a few: Amyitis Filippi of Art Ensuite, Thierry Richard from Chroniques du Plaisir, Dominique Planche from Planche.com, Elodie Boutry, Jerome Boutterin, Jean -Marc Thommen, Soo-Kyoung Lee (artists), Thomas Mondo from Darkplanneur, Guillaume from Carpe Webem, Laura from La Frange, Camille Poirier from Arts et Regards, Benoît Blanchard from Oeuvres-Revue, Noemie Roussel from Zest for Art, Vincent Gaillot from Le Blog de Vinz, and Pauline Daniez from the Galerie Daniez et de Charette.
