In 2004 I was visiting France with my best friend from childhood. We were exploring the ruins at Le-Baux-de-Provence and by pure chance discovered the atelier of Jean-François Brahin. To our delight he was in residence at the time. His paintings of women captured the essence of femininity and were stunning in their honesty, simplicity, and Mediterranean hues. We each took home two of his prints. He told us he would be making a special invited appearance the next fall at the prestigious Sausalito Art Festival. And sure enough, he was there and thrilled to pose with us, plopping his hat on my head with that touch of French je ne sais quoi. We visited him at the Festival again the following year. In all I have six of his prints in addition to my most treasured possession, this original oil.

Please go to my Pinterest site for photos of the rest of his prints that grace the walls of my San Francisco Bay Area apartment. And please note the pièce de résistance, Mediterranee Dejeuner en Carmarque. This is actually a representation of his own wedding celebration, printed on a pure silk Hermes scarf, his gift to me for being a patron of his work. Someday I will frame it for my living room.

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