You don’t come here to perform.
You come here to explore.
We are Erna and Marco, two visual artists living and working in the heart of the Vallée des Peintres in rural France.
From our home and studio, we invite artists and curious makers to slow down, look closely and (re)discover the pleasure of making.
For us, creativity isn’t a talent. It’s a way of paying attention. A practice of staying with uncertainty long enough for something unexpected to emerge.
Whether through a Creative Studio Week, an Independent Studio Stay or a printing workshop, our focus is always the same: creating the conditions in which your own ideas can grow.
Because the most meaningful work rarely appears when we try harder. It appears when we stay curious.
Creative Studio Week
Five days in a working artist’s studio
Discover how working in series allows ideas to grow through observation, experimentation and artistic research.
Work in a small group, develop new ideas and discover where your own curiosity wants to lead you.
Indepedent Studio Stay
Time, space and the company of just us
Bring your own project and work independently in our shared studio. Exchange ideas, inspire one another and, somewhere during your stay, create one collaborative artwork together.
No fixed programme. Just the rhythm of making.
Tetraprint Workshop
Discover the surprising possibilities of printmaking with recycled Tetra Pak cartons
In one day you’ll explore a simple, accessible technique full of texture, layers and unexpected results, working at your own pace in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere.
Take your time to explore what’s coming up in our calendar
Who are we?
We are Erna (1972) and Marco (1965), two Dutch visual artists living in the Creuse region of central France.
For us, Art de Vivre is more than a name. It is a way of living. We are drawn to the gentle rhythm of the French countryside, where the seasons shape the days, meals are shared around the table, and there is time to notice the changing light, a walk through the woods or an afternoon in the studio.
Since 2020, we have been welcoming creative makers to create alongside us in the Creuse; a landscape that has inspired artists for generations. Here, nature is not simply a backdrop. It quietly becomes part of the creative process.
We don’t teach people how to make art. We create the conditions in which creativity can flourish.
That means working alongside you rather than in front of you. We share ideas, ask questions and encourage experimentation, while leaving plenty of room for your own curiosity to lead the way.
Whether you are picking up a sketchbook for the first time or have been making for years, you’ll find a place where there is no pressure to perform. A place to play, to explore, to work in layers, to embrace uncertainty and to enjoy the process of making.
Our studio is filled with paper, ink, a printing press, found objects, conversation, coffee and natural light. It is a place where people come together to make, to learn from one another and to discover what emerges when they simply give themselves time.
We’d love to welcome you.
Contact us
Our studio
6 Place de l'Eglise, 23220 Chéniers, France
Contact
Telephone: +33 (0)784 868 325
E-mail: welcome@artdevivre.studio
Siret: 89351932200018