I started a series of paintings of places in the town I live in: Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. In many New England small towns, the most important buildings are the white protestant churches in the commons. In Shrewsbury, this church is called “the First Congregational Church”. So it made sense to start my painting collection with this church

My fellow painters told me that New England churches have been painted millions of times, and that it could be a boring subject. However, I was struck by the beauty in these churches.

Coming from the French Loire Valley where winters are grey and rainy, I loved the crisp, blue sky of New England in winter and the way the church and the snow shared the same pearly white color. Compared to where I come from, churches are instead made of yellow ochre stone and snow is very rare.

Overall, I just started to paint what was different for me. Even though my paintings of New England landscape may resemble many others, I am still amazed by the beauty it holds.