With the arrival of the second session students, it is time to finally bring the first session to a close. On last Sunday, everyone got dressed up for a final banquet in our nearby town of Saint-Pierreville.
During our three-course classic Ardéchoise meal featuring goat’s cheese, lamb, and chestnuts, the instructors presented gifts to a few of the students. Tara and Maria João received sketchbooks and drawing pens for winning the Drawing and Painting three-day sketching marathon.
Soon after, Fernando and Alyssa recognized Maria Valderrabano as a double major of Architecture and Drawing and Painting for the incredible quality and quantity of the work she managed to produce in both areas during her time at Les Tapies. Fernando gifted Maria a book about the history of architecture in the Ardèche region of France, and Alyssa printed a copy of her own linocut carving of a raven that was created during the session.
The culmination of the evening, however, was the beautiful toast that Frøya delivered, thanking the instructors and her newfound friends for such a lifechanging experience. We are just as grateful to you, Frøya, and the rest of the students, as you are to us for the impact you had and the inspiration you sparked.
Finally, after a wonderful meal and many commemorative photos, we all headed back up the mountain to our hamlet for one final night together.
Early the next morning with bags packed in the vans, we all gathered for our final goodbyes and last-minute promises to visit in the coming year. First session—you will be sorely missed, but we hope you have an incredible rest of your summer. And, please, keep creating wherever you go!