Adriana Feraru

I started showing artists in my home on July 1, 2005. The first artist was Adriana Feraru, who is Romanian, but who has lived in Paris for over ten years.

In actual fact, the first artist to show with me was Ron Bowen, American, in Paris for over thirty years, and he came at my request, with his canvases, as a favor to me because I was hosting a cocktail for the Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO). His enormous, hyper-realist canvasses on my walls changed everything, and I mentioned to a couple people that night that I would like to have a art show like this every month.

Two people I said this to responded, "Oh. I know an artist."

And thus was born chez Grace.

Adriana's canvases were very different from Ron's. As his are precise, controlled, subtle and let's say well-mannered, hers are exuberant, in-your-face, messy and violent. I chose her drawings for that first show because my nervous system wasn't ready live with all that emotion for one month! Her drawings, on the other hand, all nudes, are the quintessence of zen.

She lives three metro stops away from me in a mostly African part of the 18th in an apartment that she has created out of rubble. It is a fairy-land: feminine, beautiful, Oriental, gracious and comfortable. Here she entertains with her home cooking and her diva patter. Did I mention that she is also one of the most stylish women I know? Her art is also her way of dressing, and she uses jewelry, hats and a collection of eyeglasses as others use paints and brushes.

The painting pictured above is titled "Invisible Writing."

Both have websites: Ron's is www.ronaldbowenart.com and Adriana's is www.adrianaferaru.com