Paris Residency at Cité Internationale des Arts
When preparing for my residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, I sought to step outside my usual studio rhythms—exploring subject matter and processes adjacent to my established practice. I’ve long been drawn to geometric abstraction, and have experimented layering graphic structure with elements of landscape. For this residency, I recalled the unusual architectural forms of Père Lachaise Cemetery and set myself the challenge of weaving geometric forms into the organic language of the natural world.
Père Lachaise fascinates me on many levels. Beyond the beauty and eccentricity of its hundreds of gothic mausoleums, the site’s purpose—to honor life’s transitions—felt timely. At 68, I find myself in a new phase of life, curious about its challenges and transformations. Are these small stone chambers simply graves, or are they alchemical vessels, converting us back to our essential selves? Many are the size of phone booths; it’s easy to imagine them as portals, teleporting spirits to another dimension.
At the Cité, I worked to translate the cemetery’s ethereal essence into a series of small oil paintings, engaging with the liminal space between life and death, nature and structure. My aim was to explore the porous boundaries of these dualities, pushing my work in new and experimental directions while retaining precision and intention.
In the final weeks, I collaborated with my daughter, sound/video artist Miranda Elliott, to create an immersive Open Studio installation titled Transitions/Transmissions. Her field recordings, layered vocals, and projected imagery from Père Lachaise intertwined with my paintings, inviting visitors into a contemplative, multisensory space shaped by both landscape and lineage.
