Here are some examples of my work; I will be adding more samples in due course:
Montmorillon, France – The City of Writers
by Kathleen Penney
France is famed for its breathtaking scenery, which offers everything from snow-topped mountains through sun-baked beaches, to the more temperate valleys where grapes for wine are grown.
For many travellers, some of the most beautiful places in France are found quite by chance, and Montmorillon is one such place.
On a lazy sunny afternoon, it can be happened upon by taking an unassuming side road, and finding oneself looking out on a vista that is so unexpected, it shocks the senses – the river Gartempe and, overlooking it, the Church of Notre-Dame, which features mesmerising 12th century paintings depicting the life of St Catherine of Alexandra, a saint who, more than a thousand years after her martyrdom, was proclaimed by Joan of Arc as one of the saints that came to her in a vision to counsel her.
The stunning Gartempe river threads its sparkling way through the town, passing under centuries-old bridges that are every bit as romantic as those in Venice. From each bank, the town invites investigation, and for writers in particular, it offers a surprise. Montmorillon is a town dedicated to writers and writing.
The French have several names for this small town; they know it as La Cite de l’ecrit et des metiers du livre, or the Ville d’Art et d’Histoire. Other names for it are the Village of the Written Word, and The City of Writing and Bookmaking. Here the visitor will find the surprise in the medieval heart of Montmorillon, which has been lovingly restored by the town, and now lives and breathes books, and everything to do with books. There are quaint enticing little shops that sell just about everything the writer could need from books, of course, both old and new, bought and sold, materials for calligraphy, bookbinding services, illustration services, and a great deal more. There is even a museum, the Musee de la Machine a ecrire, that displays both typewriters and calculators, some over a hundred years old. For those interested in the written word, the museum provides a graphic illustration of what a writer’s life must have been like a century or so ago.
Montmorillon holds a Salon du Livre (a book fair) in June every other year (even-numbered years) and authors give readings and classes, and hold exhibitions dedicated to writing.
For the writer, Montmorillon is a special place; a visit will never be forgotten.
by Kathleen Penney
France is famed for its breathtaking scenery, which offers everything from snow-topped mountains through sun-baked beaches, to the more temperate valleys where grapes for wine are grown.
For many travellers, some of the most beautiful places in France are found quite by chance, and Montmorillon is one such place.
On a lazy sunny afternoon, it can be happened upon by taking an unassuming side road, and finding oneself looking out on a vista that is so unexpected, it shocks the senses – the river Gartempe and, overlooking it, the Church of Notre-Dame, which features mesmerising 12th century paintings depicting the life of St Catherine of Alexandra, a saint who, more than a thousand years after her martyrdom, was proclaimed by Joan of Arc as one of the saints that came to her in a vision to counsel her.
The stunning Gartempe river threads its sparkling way through the town, passing under centuries-old bridges that are every bit as romantic as those in Venice. From each bank, the town invites investigation, and for writers in particular, it offers a surprise. Montmorillon is a town dedicated to writers and writing.
The French have several names for this small town; they know it as La Cite de l’ecrit et des metiers du livre, or the Ville d’Art et d’Histoire. Other names for it are the Village of the Written Word, and The City of Writing and Bookmaking. Here the visitor will find the surprise in the medieval heart of Montmorillon, which has been lovingly restored by the town, and now lives and breathes books, and everything to do with books. There are quaint enticing little shops that sell just about everything the writer could need from books, of course, both old and new, bought and sold, materials for calligraphy, bookbinding services, illustration services, and a great deal more. There is even a museum, the Musee de la Machine a ecrire, that displays both typewriters and calculators, some over a hundred years old. For those interested in the written word, the museum provides a graphic illustration of what a writer’s life must have been like a century or so ago.
Montmorillon holds a Salon du Livre (a book fair) in June every other year (even-numbered years) and authors give readings and classes, and hold exhibitions dedicated to writing.
For the writer, Montmorillon is a special place; a visit will never be forgotten.