wanda’s Travel Diary: summer in France
On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
One sees clearly only with the heart.
I felt this sentiment deeply during my time in France this past month. I’ve long led with my heart—sometimes to a fault, but always with sincerity. Over the years, I’ve come to trust its quiet wisdom completely.
My love affair with France began at eleven, when I started taking French lessons on my own, outside of school. Since then, I’ve returned many times. Each visit brings me a new chapter and way of seeing. This time, I stayed in a charming gîte, a countryside rental. It's like a bed-and-breakfast without the breakfast, but no matter. Fantastic croissants and café are never far away in France.
Each morning, I found myself drawn to the wooden table facing a picture-perfect view of the rolling hills. I spread out books, notes, photographs, I let inspiration spill onto the surface like sunlight. Work and play flowed seamlessly. During work breaks, there were lunches, sight seeing and shopping with my dear friend Elizabeth Hubbell, a kindred spirit and fellow lover of paper and print.
A cool lunch on a hot day.
Living the life, and loving the colors!
TRAVEL + INSPIRATION
I returned from my travels feeling renewed, my spirit nourished, my heart open, and hands ready for the next chapter. As we prepare for our upcoming workshop at Soolip, I’m reminded that I’m not alone in finding travel to be an artistic and soulful experience.
Tim Clarke, a visionary designer and the gracious host of our Creative Arts Workshops this season, shared a reflection on travel this week in his Substack that I felt summed up the artistic expression of our upcoming October gathering. He wrote:
"Traveling has taught me that color is never just visual. It is spiritual, cultural, and deeply tied to the land. During my time in both Morocco and Japan, I witnessed the incredible traditions of natural dyeing, and each left me with a profound respect for how human hands have transformed flowers, herbs, and minerals into living color for centuries.
Standing between these two traditions—Japan’s subdued elegance and Morocco’s bold vibrancy—I find myself forever changed in how I see and use color. When I design, I’m not just selecting shades from a palette; I’m drawing from experiences, landscapes, and histories that have shaped me. The earthy tones of Japan and the saturated hues of Morocco both find their way into my work, influencing how I layer interiors, choose textiles, and think about balance.
Learning about these processes has also reminded me of something essential: the land is always giving. Whether through flowers, herbs, or minerals, nature continues to offer us colors that are both grounding and transcendent."
These words lead us beautifully into this moment:
Introducing the Soolip Wildflower Textile Alchemy Workshop!
A celebration of nature, beauty, and the handmade.
Please join me, Tim, and the talented Mona Lewis, our instructor, at The Shala at Tim Clarke Design in Santa Monica for an immersive and tactile experience. Together, we will explore the ancient craft of hand-dyeing velvet with wildflower-based inks. These colors have literally been gifted to us by the land itself. You will then transform your dyed fabric into a bespoke pillow. Form and function!
This art of natural dyeing is an ancestral tradition. It's an alchemy that connects us to the wisdom and rhythms of those who came before us.
And speaking of tradition, I find comfort in my own personal thread that ties me to France starting when I was 11. It was then that I first discovered the skincare brand Yves Rocher and began ordering their organic, plant-based products directly from France. And on this trip I took the time to find their brick and mortar store!
A bientôt!
