Richard Ewen Art in the Gîtes

Richard Ewen's art is proudly displayed in the gîtes adding personality and colour to our newly renovated spaces. Richard’s work showcases his unique ability to capture the essence of French life through his paintings. Richard, who graduated with a Masters of Art from the renowned Cranbrook Academy of Art, spent years visiting France from his home in Los Angeles, and later Austin, Texas, taking photographs of Parisian landscapes and cityscapes. His work intricately combines the still life quality of store window displays or café tables with the reflections of the bustling streets behind the viewer.

This technique results in vibrant, complex paintings that reveal the hidden details of life in Paris. After relocating to Les Combes, Dompierre-sur-Charantes, France, in 2023, Richard fulfilled his dream of living in the country he loved to paint. His watercolors and oils, known for their strong colors and intricate details, are displayed throughout the gîtes, allowing guests to engage with a unique moment and perspective of Parisian life. The precision and attention to detail in Richard's work invite viewers into the captured spaces, making each stay at the gîtes a visually enriching experience.

“I think of a still life painting as equivalent to a string quartet in music, and a landscape or cityscape like a symphony. My work combines the still life quality of a store window display or cafe table and the cityscape reflections of the street behind the viewer as an interesting and sometimes complex composition.”

More about Richard:

Walking the streets of Paris with a camera and fortified with a croissant or two and a cafe au lait, Richard would take photographs of the magnificent store window displays and the reflections on the glass surfaces of the street life outside. Indoors Richard took random pictures of food and drink on café and restaurant tables. From these captured moments he created paintings, in watercolor and oil, in his studio that reveal the hidden details of life in Paris that many people experience but few notice. The paintings are colourful and complex and reflect the many facets of city life in Paris.

Celebrated artist Richard Ewen and his wife, Mary relocated from Austin, Texas to Les Combes, Dompierre-sur-Charantes, France. It was always Richard’s dream to live in France, after years of visiting the country regularly then returning to the U.S., to create his marvellous paintings of Paris shop and café windows. In 2023, he ultimately realised his dream of becoming close to the French life he loved to paint.

A rich process went into each and every piece this artist created. Richard’s precision and attention to detail invite one deeply into each space captured in his watercolors and oils. His paintings allow us to engage with a time and a place through one unique moment and from a unique perspective.

Watercolour painting is an exacting art, because unlike oil painting, you cannot just cover up your errors with more paint. And any artist can tell you how difficult it is to master the technique of painting reflections. To do so in such an unforgiving medium as watercolour makes Richard’s work even more impressive.

Richard’s art is in many homes all over the United States, England, and France.

For more information:
https://www.saatchiart.com/rfewen
https://sotag.is328.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Richard-Ewen-USA-Windows-of-Paris.pdf
https://woa-gallery.com/collections/richard-ewen

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