The phone rang…

Hello? After 10 years in France I still answer the phone in my best English accent to avoid being sold frozen vegetables and the like.

Errr, Bonjour? Libby Page?

Ah, oui! C’est moi. I reply.

It is every artist’s dream to be called up by a gallery, told how much they love your work and asked if you would possibly be available exhibit with them. This has never happened to me, until that moment.

Claude TASSUS-BAULÉRY has recently opened a space in the heart of Narbonne and, having followed my work for a while, was calling to invite me to join her portfolio of artists and artisans.

Having managed a gallery before in a previous life, I know how important it is to have just the right kind of representation and so the next step was to pop into town and check out this new venue.

Situated to the right of Les Halles, Vue Sur Cours occupies a prime location. The eye catching target logo does well to lift the eye of the shoppers up to the first floor where the gallery perches. Once inside and up the stairs, the view over Cours Mirabeau is lovely, but you wont be looking at it for long as there is a veritable treasure trove of distractions once inside this gallery boutique.

Hand crafted pieces of jewellery, photography, artist’s books, ceramics, paintings, headpieces, quirky furniture, sculptures, handmade shawls and some prints by yours truly are curated with such delicacy that each maker’s work is displayed with the maximum respect.

The largest room, overlooking the Cours, is partitioned with large white display cubes. Each one is taken over by a different maker who turns this brightly lit cave into their mini world.

Two other rooms are devoted the the painters, photographers and sculptors, plus these scummy shawls I can’t spend too much time with or I’ll buy them all!

The curation is impeccable and I would expect nothing less from Claude. From the moment we met I was delighted that she’d called. She combines kindness and enthusiasm, adventure and good taste.

Showing me around, she took time to introduce the work of each person represented with contagious enthusiasm. She has hand selected each artist because she loves the work herself and this passion is evident. It also gives the selection a coherency that is important.

It was not long before I signed on the dotted line and went off to frame up some prints for her. She is is eager to have some original paintings too, so watch that space!

This little gem is something that Narbonne really needed and I don’t think it will be a “best kept secret” for long; the opening was packed!

During the evening of the 29th all that could be heard, in any language, were purrs of appreciation. There is an array of different things to buy, but the one thing that everyone agreed on was the quality. Claude has chosen only makers who insist upon a beautiful finish, everyone was thoroughly impressed.