He’s So Good: Christian Nepo, Part II

Christian Nepo, Le Pecheur

In 2003, just as I was preparing for a very large exhibition in my home, Monsieur Nepo sent me twelve oversized oil paintings, rolled up in a tube. We had decided it was time to go larger, and he had worked painstakingly on this new series for several months. When the tube was delivered from FedEx, it was unusually light. When I opened it, my first thought was that this was some kind of a joke: It was empty!

After many anxious phone calls to the artist, and to multiple FedEx locations, I was told that three of the paintings had been recovered on the warehouse floor, but the others couldn’t be found. We patiently hoped for the other nine to arrive, and when they didn’t, I took my complaints to the President of FedEx. My lawyer brother helped me draft a few letters, and we thought that if they couldn’t find the paintings, at least they’d find the decency to reimburse the artist. But that never happened, and we were all left devastated and deflated.

One of the paintings that FedEx lost. Tragic.

That was the first time Christian Nepo totally surprised me. After a month of paralysis, when he couldn’t even look at a paintbrush, he woke up one morning and decided that he would take this as a sign, and paint in a whole new style. It was a true testament to this man’s talent, range, and fighting spirit that when he did pick up a paintbrush again, the work was light, happy, and completely different from the ones that were lost.

Nepo’s “new” style after the FedEx Incident

An example of an older, but similar, work that shows how Nepo’s style has progressed.

Monsieur Nepo has also distinguished himself, happily, as the only artist whose work has suffered losses in our gallery not once but twice! What is it about this artist that invites a brush with disaster? Just last year, at our Bastille Day celebration, we received several marvelous little jewels from Nepo, some of which were framed, and others were sitting delicately on easels during our show, with one of our favorites, prominently displayed by the front door.

The bad news is that this painting boldly walked out the door during the middle of our show. The good news is that not only was there a major outcry from the local press about this, but the theft actually made it to front page of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, as well as a feature on the local TV news (link here).

The stolen one!

As a result of this unfortunate incident, we upped our security standards and installed metal detectors for most of our shows (only kidding – our surveillance cameras are well hidden!). We hope that whoever absconded with our little jewel is way too shamed and embarrassed to ever even enjoy it. And we’re happy to report that we’ve not had any incidents since then (although we did get a barrage of phone calls from other retailers telling us who they suspected might have committed the theft!).

As for Monsieur Nepo? He emerged from this one unscathed and rather bemused that his work attracts so much attention, from good guys and bad guys alike, in Atlanta.

Meg, Christian, and Linda

It is with great pride and delight that we will be introducing new work from our wonderful artist, Christian Nepo, at our Bastille Day Show, July 14th. We hope you’ll join us for a very French toast to our beloved but distant friend!

Tata!

A.

He's So Good: Christian Nepo, Part I

Christian Nepo, Clearing Storm

When we were approached by one of our favorite designers recently to commission Christian Nepo to do a large painting for a clients' family room in Florida, we were a little reluctant at first. After all, Monsieur Nepo is known for his miniature, delicate little jewels, and we weren't certain that his refined work would translate to what the designer, Mallory Mathison, had in mind. And since a brush with disaster, several years ago (read on…), we realized that asking Nepo for big paintings, when he is used to painting small, might not be a wise move.

One of the new “big” works! Christian Nepo, St. Tropez, oil on canvas, 48 x 33”

But we tossed it out to him, and waited patiently to see what would transpire. Imagine our surprise when we received not one but three marvelous, large paintings that not only completely fulfilled the clients’ needs but also apparently liberated Monsieur Nepo into a new found freedom that he’d forgotten about.

Christian Nepo, Houlgate, oil on canvas, 48 x 33” (another larger work- breathtaking in person!)

He thanked us for the commission and the direction which got him back to painting big again. He even told us that thanks to this commission, he was undertaking a whole new series of paintings for an exhibit in his native France, and giving us a few of the best ones (at least we think so!) for our upcoming Bastille Day Show.

Le Havre

Setting Sail

Beached in Brittany

We’ve been working with Christian Nepo for many years, and it wasn’t the first time he surprised us. Christian’s wife, Bernadette, still pulls out the tattered and worn little scrap of paper she wrote on the day that I first discovered his work, in France, nine years ago. I remember being so excited that an artist could capture the romantic feel of one of my favorite artists, the pre-Impressionist Eugene Boudin.

Eugene Boudin, Vue du Basin de Trouville, oil on canvas, 12.75 x 18”

Christian Nepo

I loved the cloudy skies with just a hint of blue peeking through, the glint of light, the soft figures in their timeless dresses, and the striped cabanas on the beach. I loved the little figure in red who hides in most of his paintings (Where’s Nepo?!), and the romantic old worldliness of his compositions.

Always a little man in red!

I especially loved the delicate brushstrokes, painted with the confidence of a fourth generation artist. I was so excited that I promised Bernadette that if I could have a series from this artist, I would sell all of them. Such chutzpah! No wonder she took careful notes on everything I had to say.

Madame and Monsieur Nepo and our own Linda

I worked very successfully with Nepo for several years, before we opened the gallery, and sold dozens of his paintings from my house. I knew I was on to something the day that another gallery owner who specialized in very high end (and absolutely exquisite) 18^th and 19^th century paintings bought four Nepo gouaches for their private collection.

A beautiful, loose gouache

Another lovely gouache of a colorful group around a table.

The artist continued to paint beautiful, moody, beach scenes inspired by his childhood memories of Normandy. I was thrilled with the beauty of his paintings and this artist’s obvious talent. He was thrilled with his new best friend from Atlanta who bought and sold his entire collection.

And then disaster struck… (stay tuned for….“He's So Good, Part II”).

Tata!

A.

Hats off to our Linda!

Linda taking a little break from the hard work at the Paris flea market

The Atlanta Journal Constitution used to run an article every Sunday entitled, “Why I Love My Job.” Our employees have kiddingly said, -- usually in jest on a particularly grueling, schleppy kind of day, when paintings show up unwired, and Styrofoam peanuts coat every surface of the gallery -- that they wanted to write their own stories. There are other days, when we’ve gotten some great new paintings, and had extraordinary Aha moments hanging for a show, and a client has been particularly enthusiastic or we’ve earned ourselves one more buying trip to France, that the appreciation is more sincere.

Linda with Monsieur and Madame Nepo

Well we’d like to turn the tables a little and write our own mini series: About why we love our employees.

Today we’re picking on our sweet and gracious Linda Mohan, who has been with us almost from the beginning, and who continues to delight us daily with how much she brings to the gallery. She’ll be mortified, of course. But as small business owners, we realize more than ever how important the people are to the work we do. So maybe this isn’t just about Linda but about what makes any employee, especially in a small business environment, invaluable and appreciated and the secret to success.

The keeper of the loot!

With apologies for causing her embarrassment and singling her out in this first expose, here are the top ten reasons why we love working with our wonderful Madame, Linda Mohan:

10. Because she’s always prompt and dependable. Like a ray of sunshine, she comes bouncing in to the gallery on Monday mornings, coffee in one hand (always in an old fashioned French coffee bowl and without a top to it – how does she do it?), and waving a fabulous article that she read over the weekend, in the other.

9. Because she has such style. Yes, appearances do matter! And how fun it is to see what chic and creative outfit our Madame will turn up in every day. She is a true original who always looks beautiful and always with a little edgy, fun panache to every outfit.

8. Because she has a great work ethic. Our Madame exemplifies hard work. She doesn’t balk at the bad stuff (and there’s plenty of it). And she seems to swoon over the good stuff. If we let her, we think sometimes she would stay in the gallery until midnight – or at least until she gets it all done. By the way, will our ever-so-slightly over-indulged and over protected children inherit this same work ethic when they hit the work force? We certainly hope so.

Our favorite Schlepperella!

7. Because she loves to travel. Indeed, as an ex-flight attendant, and one who has never lost the bug for traveling, this one is up for anything anytime, even when it means lugging 50 extra pounds of paintings and sconces back from a buying trip in France. No surprise that one of her many terms of endearment is “schlepperella.”

6. Because she’s always upbeat. We have an unwritten rule at the gallery that we will only work with people we like and people who have a positive energy. Linda’s positive energy is positively contagious.

With artist Pascal Bouterin

5. Because she’s wonderful with clients, artists, and us, even when we don’t deserve it. Luckily, Miss Linda has never met a stranger and she always makes everyone feel comfortable and at ease. Again, a note to our children – yes, education comes first, but people skills and connecting with others are the keys to success in most professions.

With artist Georges Nasri

4. Because she’s always furthering her knowledge and always curious to know more. We appreciate that she is studying art history in the evenings and reading books about art. And we love that she is curious and passionate about a lot of different interests, like travel, learning French and knowing where to find the best macaroons in whatever city she happens to visit.

3. Because she takes initiative. As small business owners, we know that feeling of hating to ask someone to do something because it’s almost easier just to do it ourselves. Well, with Linda, we don’t have to ask her to do it, because she’s already thought of it, planned it, and committed to it. Aaaah ….

With artist Ewa Rzeznik in Paris

2. Because she has a great eye. There’s nothing more fun than going on a buying trip with Linda, who will quietly rustle through a bin of paintings and manage to gently point out several that we may have overlooked (but she knows are quite fabulous). Her eye goes much further than art too, since she has a great eye for fashion, for interior design and for gifts! In fact, we kiddingly call her the VP or Corporate Gifts because nobody can find the diamond in the rough like Linda or the perfect quelque chose to bring back to somebody back home.

With artist Andree Thobaty

And the number 1 reason we love working with Linda is ...

1. Because she loves what she does, and it shows. Just as they always say you should ask for the job when you are interviewing for it, you should appreciate it when you’re in it. There is nothing better than to work with people who are enthusiastic, and as employers, there is nothing that we appreciate more than happy employees. It’s contagious, it benefits everyone and it makes us all happier to work together. Merci, Linda!

Linda, who has never met a stranger, with a new friend in Provence!

Ta ta,

HH

PS: Gallerina, M'selle and Sam: We love you too ... and watch out, your turn will come!