Utah, USA
2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019
Kamille's attitude towards our Residency Programme was 'love at first sight' and her fondness for it has remained constant over time. In fact, her visits have become a ritual of sorts. Camilla, as she likes to introduce herself while in her 'second home' in Italy, has integrated into the Il Palmerino culture and appreciated the spirit of the place from day one. To see her working outside at sundown – as her coppery blonde hair contrasts with the garden multiple greens, and the shadows become sharper – has become a habit that brings added serenity.
Kamille's story in Florence began much earlier, at the end of the 1980s, when the first foreign art school programmes began to be formalised, which attracted many students to the city. She completed her studies along with that first generation of student-painters without harbouring close associations with any Florence-based institution. Her path has remained free from outside influences and her admirable ability to capture the three-dimensional depths of her subjects with just a few brushstrokes is constantly evolving. Kamille is curious and loves to explore other forms of knowledge that can provide inspiration for her own art. Close collaborations with other artists, such as Alyson Wooley, have developed here at Il Palmerino. Together, they have created innovative workshops on site, combining gilding with oil painting and transforming several traditional techniques with the aim of achieving more modern results.
As a teacher, Kamille has organised numerous courses here, bringing other professionals from the art world to Il Palmerino, which, in turn, has engendered an enriching debate about painting, art, history and, of course, Florence. Kamille is also a resource for younger artists, as she generously shares her work and experience with grace, without ever being invasive. She poses questions that help her students find answers and stimulate further research.
It has been interesting to witness Kamille's ever-evolving research, particularly with regards to her self-portraiture, work that marked her indomitable season at Il Palmerino and represented a turning point for her, as an internationally recognised artist.
In her own words:
"Palmerino is a part of my soul. It is everything I desire as a painter – history, atmosphere, natural beauty and incredible hosts."