The Guardians of the River
- Auriane
- Jun 1
- 3 min read
Hello dear friends, lovers of art and adventure,
This month, I’m taking you on a journey through the Préalpes d’Azur.Yes indeed — fresh from my trip to the Nièvre, I launched into a similar project for four school classes in the upper Grasse region, commissioned by the Préalpes d’Azur Regional Natural Park.
Art project commissioned by the Préalpes d’Azur Regional Natural Park
Following a visit from Rachel and Laura of the Baume Obscure Cave in Saint-Cézaire for the scientific side of things, I worked with the students of Pierrefeu, Roquesteron, and La Penne to explore the limestone landscape that surrounds them. A unique geology shaped by the Estéron river, which flows through several villages in the northern part of the Alpes-Maritimes.
So here I was in May, discovering this territory while developing a poetic project about guardians of nature.
Guardians of stone by children of La Penne
The children created beautiful works, taking time to observe the shapes and colors of stones, then recreating those hues with paint using recycled paper, cardboard, and handmade papier-mâché.
During my time there, I explored the surroundings — sketchbook, brushes, and camera in hand.
Exploration between rocks, river and flowers
I started with a walk along the Riou in Pierrefeu. The water flow, the canyon formed over time, turquoise pools… a gorgeous landscape, and surely a great spot for canyoning, especially with that waterfall roaring in the distance!
On day two, I headed to the riverbank of the Estéron in Roque-en-Provence, a village next to Roquesteron, separated by the very river we were studying. Sitting on the pebble beach, I faced stunning rock formations and watched the construction of a bridge with a beautiful view. I loved it. This is where I took photos of the children’s "guardians," backpack filled with pebbles and cardboard boxes full of fragile little creatures.
Wednesday, my day off, I followed Edith’s advice and went to visit Aiglun and its impressive troglodyte fortress. And wow — what a place. A trail carved along the cliffside… you can easily imagine the old fortress standing proud and protective. There were climbers scaling the mountain, which definitely made me want to level up my climbing game!
I ended the day with a short hike to reach the river below the village. No brushes this time, just my camera and the sound of the water — a moment of peaceful meditation.
Inspiration leads to creation
To wrap up the week, I stopped by La Pali bridge in the village of Cuebris on Thursday afternoon, after finishing the project in La Penne. The view from the bridge is stunning — I was struck by the shapes of the stones carved by the water. I hope this adventure will lead to beautiful new artworks. I'm still figuring out how to interpret it all; the project is still growing within me.
But! In the spirit of the "guardians," I found a giant hand during my visit to the Aiglun fortress — it’ll make a perfect addition to my collection (that’s number 3)!
The weather wasn’t always sunny during my wanderings — and honestly, that was a blessing! The stormy skies gave the landscape a mysterious, enchanting feel. I was in awe of the clouds trapped between the peaks and those deep, atmospheric blues.
So much so that they inspired my latest painting: "Contemplation".
An exhibition like no other!
And now it’s official — "Contemplation" will be exhibited this summer in Saint-Pons Church, and I can finally tell you more!
Looking for an excuse to visit France? Here it is.
🖼️ From August 8 to 17, 2025
Join me high up in Peyroules, at the Romanesque church of Saint-Pons, from 10am to 8pm.
Don’t miss the vernissage on Friday, August 8 — featuring:
A guided tour of the ruined old village "Ville"
A Corsican music walk with the Laskaskas duo
A friendly reception with drinks offered by the town hall to kick off the exhibition!
There will also be plein air painting workshops, plus original paintings and prints available for purchase.
💌 And starting Tuesday, June 10, I’m launching a crowdfunding campaign to help build a custom scenography for the exhibition. You’ll receive a follow-up email with dates and exclusive rewards — I can’t wait to share them with you!
Thanks in advance for your support, and I truly hope to see many of you at this special event, which means so much to me.
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