Fabrice Alberti - an artist and a friend

I am so lucky to have made some really gifted friends in my life.  I remain deeply impressed and moved  by artistic talent, be it musical or visual.    So it is with our friend Fabrice.  But to tell you this story I have to start from the beginning ..........

I actually met his wife Martha first.  Martha is American and she met and married Fabrice when she fulfilled a dream and came to live in France.  She used to live along the valley and we spent many fun moments together.

Now their lives have come full circle and they are living back in the States.  We miss them a lot. My tummy still does something strange each time I drive past their old house.

It is thanks to Martha that this blog exists.  When she returned to the States she started her own beautifully written blog telling of how she came to  live in France.  When she invited me to start reading her I didn't even know what a blog was!  She encouraged me to start a blog of my own..  She stopped her blog when she realised she had a story worth publishing, and I hope one day to see the book version - maybe under the name of her original blog: Martha from Normandy.

Now settled in Georgia, she forms a great team with her French husband Fabrice.  His work as an artist is what I want to show you today. 

Fabrice trained at Les Beaux Arts in Paris, and he is so talented that he can apply himself to any style of painting, any dimension.  Since they have been in America he has concentrated on decorative art for interiors, producing pieces for individual homes, and often painting to commission.  

His in depth knowledge of decorative styles and art history makes him capable of stunning restoration work.  Today he is often asked to apply European decorative finishes to beautiful American homes.

He paints screens such as this one used as a bed head and featured
in the Amercan magazine House Beautiful.

I love his subtle monochromatic paintings.  It's hard to believe they haven't been salvaged from a beautiful old French château.  If you visit his site, you'll see many more.

He also creates decorative objects that appear convincingly old.   I'd love to have one of these stunning lamp bases in my house.

So, for once on this blog, I can tell you about something amazing  - but geographically closer to many of you than to me.  If you drop by to see Fabrice and Martha, please give them a hug from me!

All photos thanks to Fabrice Alberti