59 Rue de Rivoli - Studio Envy

I’ve tried really hard not to start the “When I went to Paris” thing that I know both bores and aggravates people but I just can’t keep it in any longer!!

When I went to Paris I came across this amazing Gallery/ Studio/Artist Community space at 59 Rue de Rivoli and I experienced the most powerful studio envy ever.

Like most creative types and cottage industries I work from home and although I am pretty Ok at being motivated the singular nature of what I do sometimes gets me down. Having no input until I have finished something is a blessing and a curse. There have been times I have over worked something or handed it over and thought I don’t think that was quite finished. Having another creative set of eyes would be amazing. But this space offered so much more than the obvious compatible alliances, I was really captured buy the idea of a separate space to work, a haven from washing up and that scary looking bill. A place to go to everyday that means I’m working on my art. As pretentious as that sounds I think it would help me take it seriously.

So, 59 Rue de Rivoli, just a hop, skip and a jump from Notre Dame and at the end of a busy looking commercial area is a magic door. Or rather a door manned buy an artist welcoming you to come and have a look. There are six floors of the most eclectic work ever and without biogs, publicity and the shine of a gallery you feel almost voyeuristic looking at the beginning, middle and end process of these people working. It appeals to me on every level, nosing through other peoples stuff (love that), day dreaming I could have one of the studios (the biggest one at the top with the most splendid light and the view of the city and meeting the artists who might just be round the corner. Actually meeting the artists was my least favourite part, my rubbish French and the celebrity factor of “you painted that” generally rendering me speechless apart from the customary “Bonjour”

So take a little look at some of the work, some of the spaces and if you, like me, dream of a space to create remember mines the one at the top with the view and we shall get along just fine.

Click on the door for a Little video of the space as it was two years ago

Further Reading on the Space - http://cristiana-bedei.suite101.com/chez-les-artistes-a201022