Atelier de Versailles

I will be going to France this summer to take a course or stage with my teacher's teacher. C. has always said it would be great to take a class with Pere Sendler if I had the opportunity. Well, usually we travel in the summer, but this year A. had no plans, so I thought here is the opportunity. I will going on my own, but meeting up with my Italian friend, M. in Paris for a week of museum and a little food binging. Then I head off to Versailles for the course which lasts 8 days.

I can tell I am in for a cross-cultural experience big time with the class which will be in French (although Pere Sendler speaks passable English). Registration itself has been a little crazy. Any SJ would be crawling the wall by now. Everything is done by post and by hand with no prices or detailed information whatsoever. I made my flights and Paris hotel reservations in faith. I still don't know the actual cost of the course let alone what kind of currency they take. Also, answer to prayer, I have housing in Versailles. Somehow, they had not made a reservation for me for housing and were full at the beginning of last week. Pere Sendler gave us good advice to call the establishment ourselves as they might make room for someone coming from the US. So as of last week, I am housed in Versailles where all the other students will be. My sense is that everyone will be French but me. I have given up trying to find out anything specific about the course- I am just going to show up with my brushes, clean underwear and some snacks.

I am feeling a little ill-prepared. I am trying to go through a rosetta stone French program and get in studio time. For various reasons, most of them in my control, I am not getting to the studio part which I think is important. I hate to go all the way to Versailles and be all thumbs. We will be painting St. Jean Baptiste. I am excited about the subject! Please keep me in your prayers.