Boats at Port de Cassis
Mid-June is when I usually urge Aixcentric followers to hurry to the vaulted gallery tucked behind Aix’s ancient cathedral to enjoy a garden with dark green ivy and little white flowers glowing in the candle-light, leading indoors to the annual exhibition of paintings by Jill Steenhuis.
But of course not this year.
And this is a shame as it would have marked her 40-year anniversary as an artist living and working in Provence. Influenced by the Cézanne landscape, Jill who was born in Atlanta, Georgia, continues to paint daily, either “en plein air” or in the light-filled studio of her country home, capturing the essence of Provence with landscapes, still-lifes and scenes from the coast or the streets and markets of Aix.
Instead, like many artists right now, she is using technology to show her work and is offering a gallery of 40 paintings at half-price. Launched today, some are already sold so time is clearly of the essence: https://www.artinprovence.com/40-years-in-france-legacy-gallery/
This website also has Jill’s blog which has interesting reminiscences of her 40 years in Provence, including meeting her husband-to-be
Almond Branches in Glass Vase by Jill Steenhuis
on Day 2!
Good decision, the couple have raised an artistic family – and son James, a film-maker, has produced a documentary about Jill and her work which can be purchased through the website. Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/paintingtheinvisible
Jill looking out at medieval cloister
Best wishes to Jill on her anniversary. This is the photo I took at the gallery and expo last year. Let’s hope 2021 sees us all safely back there to enjoy her paintings in person once more.
aixcentric 
It’s sad not to be able to see Jill Steenhuis’ works in person. Regardless, a 40th anniversary is well-worth celebrating.