One bright early morning in April, I embarked on my very first trip to Paris, France with a childhood friend. Paris is one of those cities that is clearly worth the airtime, even if it means flying an extra three hours out of the way through Istanbul to find a less expensive ticket! If you have never visited Paris, be sure to go while the exchange rate continues to be favorable. If you have visited Paris, I hope that your visit was as enchanting as you hoped. I, for one, instantly fell pretty hard for la ville de’amour. And today, I am thrilled to share with you how this love affair began. But like any good love story, the best is yet to come. We’ll take it slow, post by post until we bid farewell. But fret not, this love story is one of many and kicks off Art Is Luv’s brand new travel series called The Crush. Join me! It's certain to be Luv-ly.
Chapter 1 – Butterflies
There are many landmarks that come to mind at the mention of Paris…the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Seine River, and of course the shopper's dream, the unforgettable Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is the largest antique flea market in Paris, perhaps even the world. Chalked full of vintage and global finds, Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is a collector's paradise. I, like many others, visited the market in hopes of finding an incredibly soft, worn tea towel or a pair of vintage earrings that would say, "You too can own a piece of the understated Parisian flair." Well to my surprise, my utopian stroll through the Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouento was less about the hunt for things and more about the interesting merchants and makers I met along the way. It all started with one talented and eccentric artist named Monsieur Jamin.
Source: Monsieur Jamin and Art Majeur
Monsieur Jamin and I met at the Galerie Claire Didon-Prince located in Marche Vernaison. The scene at Galerie Claire was a colorful one, full of beautiful art and lively people sharing bisous on the cheeks and champagne toasts. When I entered the space, I felt as if I had walked into a New Year’s Eve party with peopled dressed in stylish Parisian denim overalls instead of formal evening attire. Without hesitation, I was warmly greeted by Monsieur Jamin (what a name!) with a hug. I blushed. If I had to imagine the quintessential cool and artsy Parisian gentleman, a portrait of Jamin would come to mind. Despite his knack for being a spirited host, Jamin’s talent as artist extends well beyond charm. I was immediately drawn into Jamin’s collection of abstract paintings because like the artist, each piece evokes an extraordinary feeling at first glance, one that I think each person experiences all of their own. Jamin’s work is saturated in color, rhythm, nature and self-awareness and speaks to all who create, wonder, and love. See for yourself.
Monsieur Jamin, it was a pleasure.