Rene Shoemaker
The Tropical Room, La Caféothèque de Paris, Paris 4th, 2024
Hand-painted silk with fiber-reactive dyes 11.5" x 11.5"
Sitting on the river Seine, with a delightful view of Notre Dame, in a tiny, meandering space sits La Caféothèque de Paris in the 4th Arrondissement of Paris. Only a few blocks away from the grand Hotel de Ville, at the bottom of the Marais district, and across the tiny street from the Cité internationale des Arts, this bustling trailblazer of a coffee shop welcomes us. This spot was the beginning of the good coffee revolution in Paris. Now, as in New York, on every street corner you can find a hip coffee shop—no bigger than a closet—or a shoeshine stand (which some of them actually were!). Thanks to Gloria Montenegro and her husband, this spot was born out of love. A deep love for their home country, Guatemala, a passion for coffee, and compassion and care for the coffee growers who work so hard to provide us with our daily cup of java.
Rene Shoemaker
From the Ferry. San Francisco., 2024
Hand-painted silk with fiber-reactive dyes 12" x 12"
"From the Ferry, San Francisco", shares the view from the Sausalito ferryboat, which I rode with my daughter, Kate, after we visited the Muir Woods in Marin County just north of San Francisco. The Muir Woods National Monument preserves the ancient redwood forest; some of the redwoods there are nearly 1,000 years old and reach heights of more than 250 feet! It was impressive, and opened my mind to new ideas of age and impermanence. On the way back to San Francisco, we rode the Sausalito Ferry, enjoying panoramic views of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge and the city skyline. The San Francisco skyline rose from the horizon as we navigated towards our dock embedded in the city. I loved being on the water with the breeze on my face, watching the city emerge from the horizon. What views inspire you?
Rene Shoemaker
Notre-Dame Cathedral At This Time. The River Seine, Paris., 2024
Hand-painted silk with fiber-reactive dyes 12" h x 11" w
Sitting on the river Seine, watching over the city, a testament of time and space and devotion, Notre-Dame de Paris was being repaired after the fire of 2019. The cathedral was scheduled to re-open on December 8, 2024. As the artist, I was unsure of whether I should include the crane that was there to rebuild the cathedral, or if I should leave it out, making the artwork more "timeless". I asked my community via social media, and the response was unanimous -- leave in the crane! Notre-Dame de Paris will withstand the test of time, and will remain on this site after we, the humans, are long gone.
