Guest Blogger: Paris Gerrard
I am pleased to introduce a wonderful guest blogger this week, Paris Gerrard . I was dazzled by Paris' paintings when she emailed me abo...


Hello everyone! My name is Paris Gerrard. Last month, I was delighted when Rachel did a post on my mother and I, featuring our artwork. We are artists, living in Salt Lake City, Utah, where we share an incredible studio which I will tell you more about in a future post. I am really excited that Rachel has invited me to be a guest blogger for Black Eiffel. I must admit that in the last few months I have really turned into an absolute "blog junkie". I love browsing all of the uplifting and inspiring things bloggers have to share. It is incredible how many talented people there are. I feel that part of being human seems to include an innate desire to create and express. I wish for everyone an opportunity to convey and explore their uniqueness. It is amazing how the internet/blogging has opened a doorway that allows so many a vehicle for creativity and expression. We can delight in artistry around the world in areas of design, style, and culture. Portals abound for viewing everything imaginable. Black Eiffel represents a unique and exciting collection of "people + place + things + ideas".

Who is Paris Gerrard?
I am an artist in my early 20’s. To view my work visit my website, www.ParisGerrard.com . Most of my time, I am either painting or thinking about ideas to paint. I suppose you could call me somewhat of an art nerd. I also love fashion, cooking, and spending time in nature. This is how I would describe myself and my style.
It's what moves me . . . bohemian, city, fresh wet paint and a newly primed canvas, Sally Mann photography, the color of rain, Pablo Neruda, Prussian blue, organic green olives, long afternoon shadows, used book stores, starting a new book, savoring a last page, simplicity, Lumihai beach, ripe figs picked this morning, sun warmed lilikoi--picked in the afternoon, negative shapes, vintage wallpaper, music, losing myself in a painting, a sunny day in February, enjoying the moment . . .
Background info---
I grew up in a family of artists. I have always been surrounded by and absorbed in art. My earliest art memories are from around four years old; my mother provided my sisters and me with a very large, turquoise tooled leather book in which we were allowed to draw. It was a reflection of our feelings. My family moved to the island of Kauai when I was nine years old. There, I was enrolled in a private school that had a strong emphasis in art. During my teen years, I was gifted with an amazing teacher who helped me see with a new set of eyes. She taught me to relish the beauty of everyday objects. Being immersed in art at such a young age has altered the way I perceive the world. I believe that I experience a kind of artist's intuition. My mind explores visual surroundings, noticing planes and patterns, values and edges. I have taken numerous painting workshops and college art classes to further develop my skills. I feel that art, like life, is a never ending process of discovery.
Art has given me the privilege of expressing, creating, and experimenting. I never really planned on being an artist in the sense of having it as a career. I painted because it was a passion for me. I remember I sold my first painting when I was just 12 years old. I can't recall exactly what it looked like, but I remember how thrilling and enjoyable the process of creating it was. It's great for me to realize that I am able to “follow my bliss”! I feel so fortunate, to be able to call this my job.