Patrick BETAUDIER

ATELIER NEO MEDICIS
   But what is the"Atelier Neo Médicis" ?
   In a small country village close to the Périgord, the Landes forest to the Bastide towns, You will find a varied range of chateaux, museums, restaurants and a group of artists are working together under the guidance of a master -Patrick Betaudier
   The word "Master" is significant for, as the name "Neo Medici" also suggests, the fundamental ideas and principals of the group are based on those found in the Renaissance concept of an Atelier. As it was during the Renaissance, the Master- Student relationship is here very strong, the Master without impinging on the students individuality imparts to them his knowledge of painting techniques.
   The importance of a disciplined and profound knowledge of painting techniques is greatly emphasized at the atelier.The artists learn not only contemporary but also XV and XVI century techniques, they learn all aspects of their craft, from the maintenance of their equipment, to the different paints and tools, to a highly scientific analysis of light and of colour and the relationship between them.
   The "Atelier Neo Medici" believes that in order to create constant art i. e. Art which transcends the fashioable, it is necessary for the artist to have had comprehensive background in traditional techniques. The quality of a painting can be assessed in term of its technical vertuosity eg. composition, colour harmony or treament of light, as Plato wrote : "The good is the beautiful."
   The artists at the Atelier aspire to perfection, which is understood in relation to the works of such masters s Raphael or Botticeli. Their approach towards painting is academic and they are very conscious of what they are creating, intellectually and technically. 

   The communal life of the Atelier is fundamental, creating a situation where the artists are constantly learning thourgh discussion ormutual criticism. The Atelier is a stimulus, generating energy andencouraging a serious approach to painting