<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[fleurtdefrance]]></title><description><![CDATA[Discover original artworks celebrating nature's beauty and artistic expression at FleurThesmar.com. Explore now!]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:41:24 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.fleurthesmar.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[The event of the book]]></title><description><![CDATA[The event of the book "It was that or Die" by Thélyson Orélien struck me. I was among people whose trust in the Parisian publishers is easy to shake: do they check whether their books are AI-generated? Several clues triggered a public reaction. Filters like Pangram were run on the text, compared with earlier writings by the same author, and with other books of the September 2026 rentrée. While it seems awful to denounce an author in public, it also seems fair to ask for a journalist’s...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/the-event-of-the-book</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ab413a5536d88e3963d2886</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:06:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_a233e0c2a20b495fb8623cdefc411a53~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_778,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Everyday Aesthetics by Yuriko Saito: A Note]]></title><description><![CDATA[Everyday Aesthetics by Yuriko Saito: A Note This summer I finished Yuriko Saito’s Everyday Aesthetics. Saito, a Japanese-born philosopher who taught for decades at the Rhode Island School of Design, set out to recover the aesthetic dimension of ordinary life (the choices we make about our surroundings, our food, our homes) that modern Western aesthetics had largely neglected. Living in the United States for ten years, I understand the impulse behind the book. American visual culture often...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/everyday-aesthetics-by-yuriko-saito-a-note</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a887b392e2bf8de1e27899c</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:40:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_f6b80f47ad694f618945e14d66df3007~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Surfaces, art and reflection]]></title><description><![CDATA[Surfaces: Where Society Skims, Art Reveals, and Heaven Meets Earth. Philosophers have long noted that the surface (where a society skims its essence) is a place of borders, appearances, and quick judgments. Yet it is also where art happens. Art, that ultimate surface, reveals the inner state of society. Yet it also reflects, complicates, and sometimes transcends it. Édouard Manet’s use of mirrors in paintings like A Bar at the Folies-Bergère marked a striking turn: the surface no longer just...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/surfaces-art-and-reflection</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4e6cd10697c041862f57b8</guid><pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:49:06 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Where to see Fleur Thesmar's art this summer]]></title><description><![CDATA[Brooklyn, NY, 440 Gallery, July 2-31: "Harmony and Chaos", juried by Hayley Ferber. Providence RI, Providence Art Club, Jun 21-Jul 16: National Juried show, juried by Leah Triplett. Boston, MA, Bromfield Gallery, June 3-27: member exhibition. Cohasset, MA, SSCA Festival, Cohasset Commons June 19-2, juried by Christina Godfrey, Sunne Savage and Elizabeth Sullivan. Cambridge, MA, Canal Street Gallery, until June 7: "Listening to our planet", juried by Adriana Prat.]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/where-to-see-fleur-thesmar-s-art-this-summer</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a21a2a0513f7725cf1f2c43</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:15:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_26e0f0f8b59e4160b027809cd27d7e9b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Follow me into weaving]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you followed my blog since a long time, you may remember an abstract piece named "No Plastic". In 2021, I suffered from terrible allergies and asthma, before I found out that I was allergic to preservatives: they happen to be present in most paints, acrylics, paper, and even watercolors. As the mediums are volatile, I was inhaling them and getting sick. My allergologist helped to figure out what to do, which is basically to get rid of all my art supplies and select new ones. It was awful...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/follow-me-into-weaving</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0df9d82137953aa9a485d7</guid><pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 18:25:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_a67108672324464ab7c273be457cabff~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is art for healing?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Too bad I lost the post about the curator of the new Whitney Biennial, who said that art was not for healing: it was something else. Even if I pretty much wish my art heals you, I also admit I make it for other reasons. I am in a personal quest for several ideas (Virtues? Beauty? Truth? The shape of space?), and interested in the way we make images. As a former engineer, I’ve learned and worked on internet, Fourier transforms and other maths, digital coding, pixels, perspective, but they...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/is-art-for-healing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f6122e4f7ebdc9f6a24e32</guid><pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 15:08:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtube.com/shorts/Dq_aCYoFBWU?feature=shared" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Heart, hand and mind?]]></title><description><![CDATA[« Holy Contradictions », on view in Bromfield Gallery, Boston. What do you see? What’s the meaning of art? And is "Heart, hand and mind" good enough to describe art? In my exhibition « holy contradictions », I reflected on the process of mind, heart and hand after this quote by John Ruskin: « Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together ». Merleau Ponti also developped the idea. It is powerful to help an artist to distinguish their ideas, thier emotions, and...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/heart-hand-and-mind</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69e8f45eb17cf497ceb13c74</guid><pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:23:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_322391516b164aeea3d31d639d22239a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Watch me paint!]]></title><description><![CDATA[This video offers you  a glimpse into the difficult art of watercolor. Stretching the paper is necessary to flatten it and avoid buckles. I use special water activated, acid free tape. What you don’t see in the video is that I am in a very calm state and I think about the words which will be the title of the painting. This neutral state allows me to balance the control of water and its randomness: it’s a  play, or a dance. Also, I believe that starting in a meditative state  leaves more space...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/watch-me-paint</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69dd76c68946a7ddf46fc262</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:11:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtube.com/shorts/AjbG-bppGdU?feature=shared" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Holy Contradiction]]></title><description><![CDATA[Solo Exhibition in Bromfield Gallery, April1st-26th, Wed-Sun 12-5pm, Boston MA "Holy Contradiction" is an exhibition with one poem "Mother, what do you see?", one photography "Graal", and ten watercolors (22x30 when unframed, 26x34 framed). ​​ These artworks explore the shifting relationship between thought, emotions, gestural painting and pictural form. In this series, Fleur Thesmar paints from a deliberately neutral, or meditative, inner state. Her gestures echo natural movements, while her...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/holy-contradiction</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69d9376346e8409f60b15907</guid><pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:55:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_51703c4c2c6443dfa861eb2b7646e68d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why I switched to Japanese pans…]]></title><description><![CDATA[… Asthma, and price After I had a serious asthma which developed during several years, I investigated the art supplies I used with my allergologist: it turns out that many classic art brands overuse preservatives in their art supplies to make them « shelf stable » and resistant to time: it means that they don’t rot or crack why they’re on sale in the shop in their pans/tube. In watercolors, these preservatives, that are also damaging for health, evaporate. I was breathing them and getting...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/why-i-switched-to-japanese-pans</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b5f4ca24df0b96f9d09f31</guid><pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:18:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_94bdfbeb8b904728816238630139d9e8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Poetry and painting]]></title><description><![CDATA[I am continuing this new process of mine… using verbal anchors to paint, while keeping a neutral state of mind. The poetry reads: « It’s not only the sleet. It’s the earth: it’s full of memories. A mist of words sticks to my skin. I miss you, seeing you everywhere »]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/poetry-and-painting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b5e57f4898c9cce5a2af89</guid><pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:51:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_b82410c5903643dfbaa4771a3976c7e0~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Being in Paris without money  (5th, 6th)]]></title><description><![CDATA[The true spirit of "flâneur": being broke. Check the map below ! Yesterday, my daughter asked for a friend where to shop on a budget in Paris. I suppose "what's below 100$?", but 100 bucks would barely give you a pair of cotton jeans , or a good cotton T shirt  or a scarf (very useful in Paris, this is my all time favorite from Sezane ). It's an international market with international prices, and little space for a free lunch: american prices for the real wool, cashmere and cotton are hardly...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/being-in-paris-without-money-5th-6th</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69b17c114a5cf20c31f24ec8</guid><pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:29:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_e40e1b9330fa45fbb8d70d60e6c2b687~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[In the studio...]]></title><description><![CDATA[What's going on here? Framing. I am preparing my new show and framing my watercolors. Here is a list of supplies I frequently use, available on Amazon and explanations on the process. It took me years (true!!) to perfect this process, and I am happy to share it. You have three choices when it comes to framing your art: Ask a professional framer. It is costly but if you are only framing one specific piece, it is better to support your local artisan. He will help you choose the colors,...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/in-the-studio</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ade1c11b8e90b2a7e6a6b3</guid><pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 21:29:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtube.com/shorts/K0ovXGSOrKM?feature=share" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The best advice I was given...]]></title><description><![CDATA[...When I started watercolors: start small. Why is it such a good advice? Read below: List of supplies that I own, have tested and appreciated, available on Amazon: Even if I now make what are considered as large watercolors (22x30 inches up to 35x50), I go back again and again to this wise advice: start small - I know, its frustrating, because you will also hear the exact opposite: make it huge! But for a beginner, it was extremely precious to remain humble: Fear not! Any mistake on a tiny...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/the-best-advice-i-was-given</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ab466db5dd0587334a0cf8</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:14:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fbb357_8751122fd30d4077accbd4a0fe9c7339~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Contemplating nature]]></title><description><![CDATA[I was reflecting upon my work, one very large watercolor and a figurative one, with super impressions of magnolias, mathematical Penrose tilings, in a forest landscape.]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/contemplating-nature</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682f7970508fb8fd25d1a1e1</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 May 2025 19:24:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://video.wixstatic.com/video/fbb357_f15700357e684065aec02e5668515166/1080p/mp4/file.mp4" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Harvard new publication: In Your Hands]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello! I am very happy to share that my text about "Portrait of Louis Bro" by Géricault, has been included in Harvard's new publication...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/harvard-new-publication-in-your-hands</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682b5b311b60516615237d34</guid><pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2025 16:35:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXOsbfmpLfc" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cambridge exhibition: Proof of Concept]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello! A small video about this week’s opening of « Proof of concept », an exhibition curated by Liz Shepherd showing bold and...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/cambridge-exhibition-proof-of-concept</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682b38b09fde55e1b830a906</guid><pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2025 14:08:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://video.wixstatic.com/video/fbb357_570b608a86a84f9e90441055cf4008d2/360p/mp4/file.mp4" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Videos of fall watercolors]]></title><description><![CDATA[Wether I paint large, immersive watercolors (40x65 inches when farmed), or smaller ones (22x30 inches) from life, the idea of movement is...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/videos-of-fall-watercolors</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6818ee1bc80873379a929ee3</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 17:02:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://video.wixstatic.com/video/fbb357_5ee97db774254202b4626c3b1bb6d54f/360p/mp4/file.mp4" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stills]]></title><description><![CDATA[Five of my recent watercolors, each 22x30 inches. My process brings together several techniques, video, photo and watercolors, to create...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/stills</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6818e839c80873379a9299db</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 16:38:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://video.wixstatic.com/video/fbb357_56c90f8721044d05a1d21ce900c67f4d/360p/mp4/file.mp4" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Exhibitions recap!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello! Just a little movie about the pieces that have been exposed recently in Boston, Cambridge, Lexington and Paris! Last fall. It...]]></description><link>https://www.fleurthesmar.com/post/exhibitions-recap</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6818e5d3c80873379a9296dd</guid><pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 16:28:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://video.wixstatic.com/video/fbb357_9c8aed8994434f97a7860bdbb3254b6f/360p/mp4/file.mp4" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Fleur Thesmar</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>