Friday 13 June 2008 found me at the Renoir Museum in Cannes sur Mer, with 41 other competition entrants under the same tree that shaded Pierre-Auguste Renoir, generations of his family and a circle of artists, including a couple of my all-time favourites, Bonnard, Matisse and Rodin (amongst others). No wonder it's one of the most magical places on the French Riviera - it really is thick with their presence. Not hard to understand why my creative juices flow when I'm there! The hillside gardens are simply beautiful with many hundred year old olive trees, gnarled and crusty, providing shade and inspiration. Not much has changed since Renoir took up residence.
I was especially pleased to have won Prix de Peinture (painting prize) this particular year, as the Museum is celebrating the centenary of Renoir's arrival in 1908. I was very proud to have been presented with the very first copy of the Renoir Museum Catalogue, which commemorates this centenary. Nobody else in the entire world has one right now - they only go on sale when the exhibition starts on 28 June 2008. It's a beautiful piece of work containing colour plates, source documents including letters in Renoir's hand and many wonderful old photographs of his family and friends. A real treasure!!
You spend a fabulous day under the trees in one of your favourite haunts, doing what you love best (painting!!) and then as a bonus you get praised and rewarded: life doesn't get too much sweeter than this!
Prize-winning paintings by Lynn Derriman: Hommage to Renoir 3 x (30 x 30) acrylic on canvas (click to enlarge)
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