Pont Aven Artist Gallery

We moved to Pont Aven, but, its not what you think.

Pont Aven is known internationally for being a village of artist-run galleries and art studios with a high volume of tourists visiting during the summer months. Pont Aven has actually been known for more than a century as a place of inspiration to artists.

Why Pont-Aven?

Pont Aven became famous after French Artists such as Paul Gauguin and his contemporaries, Emile Bernard, Paul Serusier etc, visited after 1886, in search of a source of the exotic that wasn’t Paris, in the turn of the last century. It was actually discovered first by American artists, following the rail line in 1866, Robert Wylie, Charles Way, Earl Shinn and Howard Roberts. The Americans were followed by more Americans, Benjamin Champney, Frederick Bridgeman and Moses Wright. After the American Artists, many more followed, from England, Netherlands, and of course Paris. Wikipedia has a great article on it, read more here.

Moving into the 20th century, the town of Pont-Aven has consistently attracted contemporary artists, and even the foundation of an international art school, The Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art, of which I once worked for as Assistant Teacher & Printshop Manager. The gallery associated with the school, the Centre International d’Art Contemporain, and the school, has since closed, but you can read about the school here. Since then, the town’s population of nearly 3000 easily multiplies tenfold during the tourist summer season.

We didn’t move here for that.

Pont Aven is nestled in amongst woods, estuaries, rivers, and coastal paths that can occupy months of long walks, kayak trips, bicycle adventures, amongst sun, rain, or fog, and every day brings a new discovery of natural beauty and the wonder of life.

Chapel Tremalo, Pont Aven, France

We moved here because we feel strongly that we can make a sustainable life here, our own artistic practice, privacy and a incredibly positive balance of life and work. For what my partner is doing, take a look at Claire’s website and you’ll see her projects in greater detail.

As for me, I’ve been in love with Pont Aven since 2005. I landed there on fellowship to an art school, and quickly transitioned into making large scale contemporary art projects, more on that here.

So, I made a Pont-Aven Artist Gallery,

As we were getting settled in, it dawned on me that I couldn’t be in Pont Aven without dipping my toe in the water. That water being the very popular mode of economic survival for artists, that being a vanity gallery, or an exhibition studio open to the public. So, I opened a Pont-Aven Artist Gallery showcasing the work I’ve made and the projects I’m working on.

John K. Melvin Gallery, Pont Aven, France 2021

The artist gallery was a chance for me to get to know the public, and to set up a location where the public can find me. The vernissage was great, we blocked the sidewalk, and I’m happy to share my stories from an international contemporary art practice with the visiting public of Europe and abroad. The gallery was open on weekends and by appointment for the duration of the summer 2021, June through September.

John K. Melvin in his gallery, Pont Aven, 2021

I was impressed at the results. I opened the gallery more as a the chance to find new projects and conversations with the public. I’ve done that and more. I’ll write another post later, but I’ve been up to a lot this year, and most of it, I’ve had to restrain on publicly sharing the details, as the projects I’m working on want to benefit from a strategic surprise. Stay tuned.

As for now, enjoy these photos of the gallery with a broad selection of my works installed. All works are available, message me directly or browse the shop and portfolio.