Exhibition “Forez, my beautiful country”

We invite you to the painting exhibition of Marie-Claude Thevenet from 23 july to 3 august, 15 am to 19 pm.

“Beside the old city of Lyon, on the side of the sun, there is a country named Forez, which contains in its smallness all that is rare to the rest of the Gaul…” Honoré d’Urfé, “L’Astrée”.

Needless to present Marie-Claude Thevenet to “Foréziens”… Well-known English teacher at the Palais College in Montbrison, she not only taught many generations the wonderful language of ancient Albion but also initiated them to cultural activities like theater.

From an early age, the arts were her passion; she remembers a small table on which she drew with chalk, chickens, ducks, and chariot wheels.

After her first drawings at Boën College, a teacher, Mr Delorme, will profoundly influence her. “I learned everything from him!!” she said, biology, physics, mathematics and drawing, subject in which she excels. The color pencils, charcoal, watercolors and small metal tubes gouache will not leave her any more.

In Honoré d’Urfé High Scholl in Saint-Etienne, she tries to copy masters’ works in Madame Veran courses. After 3 sessions she gave up! Later, on Saturday afternoon from life course, she admits “having fallen into  Oil Painting …”

She carried on painting in Arthun with the very severe “Count de Neufbourg” who did not spare her compliments like: «My little cabbage, your tower is crooked!!!”

 In spite of that, the same year, she won the first High School Drawing Prize with “Vanity”.

Upon embarking on a professional career, she hesitated between English or Drawing professorship: she chose English but did not abandon her drawing passion in organizing school trips right to the British Museum!

Her technique did not change since her first steps; she is very fond of outdoors oils as famous predecessors: the Impressionists. She loves the thickness of the medium «One layer …then lean up with a brush or a knife, “she says. The landscape takes shape. Her favorite artist is Van Gogh.

Always on search in the Forez of a feeling, an emotion, colors, Marie Claude Thevenet has only one goal: reproduce them on the canvas. She often paints standing up or sometimes in her car with the wheel for easel….

Very active, she paints about thirty paintings a year. She recognizes loving painting fast and does not like to touch up her work.

Settled in the department, she exhibited in various Sites such as the Priory of Montverdun, the Priorony of Pommiers, Noirétable, Champdieu, Saint Galmier, the “Cave des Vignerons”, the “Syndicat d’initiative” de Boën.