My life as an artist changed in a big way since December. In March I became the owner of an art Gallery in Hyères, someone gave it to me. I thank that person from the bottom of my heart. The gallery is well known all over the Var, that’s the region on the French Riviera that encompasses the turquoise beaches from Toulon to Saint Tropez. Hyères is in the middle. It’s that little needle that sticks out into the crystalline waters of the French Riviera. The Olympic Games will be here next summer.

The gallery is on the main pedestrian street, 26 Rue Massillon. It’s called click >>La Nouvelle Galerie Massillon. I thought of changing the name to Galerie Brooksby but it didn’t seem right. Galerie Brooksby is light and easy. Galerie Massillon has punch. And the gallery came with some serious baggage. I’ll tell you about it in a minute. Let’s talk about Hyères.

Queen Victoria had a villa here. It’s a museum now. The jet set came here once upon a time. Belmondo, Serge Gainsbourg, Dalida, Charles de Gaule, Simone Veil, Aznavour, Chiraq, Mitterand… etc.

But Hyères seemed to fall off the beaten track when huge shopping centres were built 20 minutes west. Lots of people come here and spend a week at the beach then never come into the historic center. The town is a jewel. It has museums, lots of art galleries, and artists’s ateliers. Excellent restaurants and an amazing market on Saturday mornings. It’s not overrun with international franchises. It’s got local shops with local products and produce. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this. Our little paradise will explode.

For the last nine or ten years my gallery hosted a slew of exhibitions. Every week a new show happened. A club of amateurs showed here for years. Professional painters and sculptures as well.

I was overjoyed to open the door the first time and settle in. A few days later I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, lifted off my feet and swirling in a storm of battles. The French administration was the easy part. The worst was having to tell all the artists who planned to show here this year that I could not honour their shows. I decided to host professional artists and young artists. I can’t talk about lots of things that happened. Too personal.

On April 22 I inaugurated the gallery with a series of oil paintings done onsite. Charlotte Wood did a Gong Bath. My whole family came across the Atlantic and down from Paris and Germany to support me and to be there.

Here is the poster for the show I am having until May 30th. And one of my new works that is a street in Hyères.

Come visit me. I’ll be there until May 30th, End of July to Mid August. Again in September. Most of the summer several artists will have solo exhibitions.