Embracing the spirit of getting outside of our comfort zones, my sister Kate and I embarked on a great adventure last spring.
We were accepted to a residency where we could concentrate completely on our art. Surrounded by the elegance and beauty of a 17th-century chateau in the Champagne region of France, we would have our meals prepared for us and be in the company of 25 other artists, musicians, and writers for two weeks.
Kate and I are both full-time artists, living 2,000 kilometres apart. We decided to use the opportunity to collaborate on something brand-new for both of us. We visualized an immersive and experiential installation that would be activated by the viewer walking through it.
Preparing for our residency in Paris
We arrived in France a couple of weeks prior to the residency so we could soak in the culture, explore options for materials we could use, and get more focus on our installation.
We embraced the city’s artistic heritage in the arts and crafts district of Paris, with its studios and workshops. Navigating through Parisian hardware stores in search of materials for the installation became a comedic highlight as we attempted to communicate our needs in broken French. (Words for items like rebar, wire, sheet metal, buckets, and drill bits aren’t at the top of anyone’s vocab list.) We awkwardly carried our purchases on the bus as we went to pick up the rental car for the next part of our adventure.
An unexpected stay at a 16th-century chateau
We were on our way to stay with a Canadian couple who had bought a 16th-century chateau in Saint-Germain-des-Prés during COVID. We had been encouraged to reach out to Steve and Sara by a mutual artist friend, and had gratefully accepted their generous invitation to spend the weekend with them at their castle.
Steve and Sara’s hospitality and passion for art was a testament to the power of following our instincts and embracing new connections. They took us to a local brocante (flea market) and flower show, where we discovered they were minor celebrities by the approach of excited fans. On their YouTube channel, Maker and Manor, they share stories about their move, restoring the chateau, and the creative friends they’re making. It was fun to talk about our art practices on that weekend’s episode.
Developing our artistic concept: The Butterfly Effect
Steve and Sara’s enthusiasm and camaraderie helped us develop the groundwork for a collaborative venture that would redefine our artistic practice. As Kate and I made our way north, we visited historic art and architecture locales, making notes and drawings, processing ideas. Paper seemed a perfect material to use. It’s lightweight and moves easily in the slightest breeze. We loved the idea of making paper from the plants in France and had brought with us paper we’d made in Canada incorporating maple leaves, birch bark, seeds, and flowers.
We wanted to talk about climate change, and how, just by moving through time and space, we all influence our immediate environment. Gradually, our concept, The Butterfly Effect, came together. Our goal was to create sculptures with paper that the viewer would interact with and cause to move—a reminder that our actions have an effect on our environment.
Life and creation at Chateau Orquevaux
Chateau Orquevaux was a whirlwind of artistic exploration and bonding. We were immersed in a vibrant tapestry of creative expression. The meals prepared by Chef Marie became a cornerstone of the experience as we discussed art and life with the other artists in residence. We sang together at bonfires, swam, hiked, and enjoyed movie nights and art talks. Our studio was in a courtyard that housed five other artists, including a songwriter, and it was lovely to hear her playing and singing while we worked outside, making paper from grasses and flowers, assembling mobiles and conducting weird experiments. Against the backdrop of the chateau’s historic grounds, we toiled away, fumbling toward new ideas and innovations. There were some epic failures, but one day’s “failed” objects would become fodder for a new idea the next. Things began to take shape.
Sharing our work and lasting impact
On the final weekend, we all presented our work. The group had grown close, and the safe environment allowed us to be very vulnerable and personal with our work. The studio tour was quite emotional.
It was a joy to see the artists engage with and explore our installation. We had asked each of them to create something with their choice of our handmade paper, and their contribution to the installation made it even more special, marking a time and place that could not be repeated.
As the residency drew to a close, we felt a profound sense of pride and fulfillment, knowing that our journey had not only brought us closer together as sisters, but had also left an indelible mark on the artistic landscape of the Champagne region. Sculptures from The Butterfly Effect are now part of the permanent collection in the Diderot Gallery in Orquevaux village. (We went on to install a larger incarnation of The Butterfly Effect at Art San Diego in November and won the Director’s Award!)
As we bid farewell to the chateau and our newfound friends, I felt closer to my sister and excited about our new collaborative art practice. We share wonderful memories of the time we spent following our noses and exploring the unknown, guided by the simple belief that growth lies in embracing the unfamiliar. Our adventure in France is just the beginning of a new chapter in our artistic journey.
