Meet Artist Jo Charlton her Painting is Inspired by Provence

Jo Charlton is a self-taught British artist who has recently moved back to England after 20 years in France. She has the great fortune to still have a house in Puyloubier, Provence. Having lived in London and Paris she finds the open countryside much more enriching to her soul. She uses oil and acrylic paint, sometimes gold leaf and collage to create her paintings. She attempts to captures the shadows and light in her paintings with texture, values and design.

Inspiring Provence

Puyloubier is situated at the foot of Mont Sainte-Victoire, the ever-present shadow of Paul Cézanne (one of his favourite places to paint). Many of her recent paintings are devoted to trees and landscapes, inspired by the surroundings. It is wonderful to be in Provence; the light, shadows and stunning landscape really are captivating. Whether it be the colour of the stone as the light changes or the vineyards changing through the seasons, the surroundings are truly inspiring. Jo takes photos whilst out walking/running or cycling for reference when painting in her studio. All her images are created with the emotion felt from the scene, not just a representation of the image. She hopes that the observer of the painting feels something from her paintings as she pushes herself to dig deeper.

Artist and Painter

Jo started painting more seriously in 2008 and had an opportunity to take part in a fund raiser at the Jordanian Embassy selling some of her art. Since then she has exhibited regularly in art shows and galleries in Paris, Aix en Provence and Marseille, as well as in Barbizon, London and Brussels. Her works are found in collections in Iran, the United States, China and in the collection of the Banque de France.

‘Hazy Days of Summer’ 50x50cm acrylic on panel

Living in Provence

Although Puyloubier is a small village it has quite a vibrant art community with three spaces which have regular art exhibitions, usually of local artists: The Sainte Marie church (converted into an arts space), the Moulin à huile and the Salle Vertus. There is a small market on Thursday morning outside the Mairie and two restaurants, La Place and Les Sarments. Many people walk from the village up to the Pic des Mouches, the highest point of the mountain. It’s a lovely village and we feel lucky to have found it 14 years ago when we bought our house.

‘In the Army now’ 50x50cm acrylic on panel

Contact Artist Jo Charlton

Jo Charlton’s website: http://www.artbyjocharlton.com/
Instagram:@artbyjocharlton
Email: Charlton.jo@gmail.com

Visit Puyloubier

Situated in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Puyloubier sits on the eastern flank of Mont Sainte Victoire. The village is in the heart of the AOP Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire, surrounded by 1000 hectares of vines. However, the town has a population of only 1,783 (2019). Although Puyloubier is near the large urban centres of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, it is a rural community that forms part of the Grand Site Sainte-Victoire. Keep reading for things to do when you visit Puyloubier.

Magical Mont Sainte Victoire

Depending on how you approach Mont Sainte-Victoire, the massif looks like a fortified stone ridge or a sharp triangle pointing skyward. Regardless of the time of day or season, the only certainty is that the mountain, located on the outskirts of Aix-en-Provence, never looks the same twice.

Mont Sainte-Victoire’s limestone ridgeline runs 18km east to west outside Aix-en-Provence.⁠ The summit is at 1011 metres, lower than Mont Ventoux, but soars above anything else. Under the Grande Cite de France label, almost 50,000 hectares between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, including Mont Sainte-Victoire, form the most significant wooded area in the department of Bouches du Rhône. Despite a devastating forest fire in 1989, the mountain remains sacred.⁠