Klaus Bentin and Søren Rasmussen, owners of Château de Gué aux Biches, in partnership with the gallerist Henrik Dencker from Art Gallery Dencker+Schneider in Berlin, are organizing an artists' residence and contemporary art exhibition in September in Bagnoles de l’Orne, Normandy.

Henrik Dencker is a pop artist and draws inspiration from comics and subcultures.

Henrik wants to give his works a twist. The goal is to capture the viewer’s attention with humor and edge. The color palette is often limited in both paintings and ceramic works.

Henrik has a workshop and gallery in both Denmark and Germany. He has exhibited in Northern Europe and the USA

Benedikte Marie finds inspiration in everyday life, small moods and the uniqueness of people and landscapes. Curiosity turns into works in acrylic on canvas, paper collages, mixed media and graphic elements.

Benedikte has a studio in Fredericia where the works are created with a layer-on-layer technique. Portraits as mixed media, abstract landscapes freely on canvas, always with depth, intensity, colors and moods. She wants to awaken in the viewer a sense of presence and encourage reflection through colors, form and mood.

Jette Reinert finds inspiration in coffee stains, stories, relationships and the unspoken in every story. This becomes paintings on canvas with acrylic and gold leaf.

Jette always starts with a coffee stain, draws its outline and lets the story grow.

Layer upon layer, the motif is built up in acrylic and gold leaf – in the tension between humor and seriousness. She wants to show the beauty in the imperfect. What you don’t always see.

Jette has exhibited in Times Square in New York and is a well-known artist in the Nordic countries.

Henriette Blix’s inner humor often runs away with her when inspiration is found in black and white photos from other parts of the world, in ritual patterns, and sometimes in loneliness and poverty.

Henriette works mostly with acrylic on large canvases and in collages. All works are made with recycled materials found in bulk garbage. She takes the material as a starting point and takes many photos to find the right composition. She often uses already painted backgrounds. Notices what the material tells her and gives herself tasks in the process.

Helle Vejen finds inspiration in the contrasts of life. The emotional ups and downs, that life changes, much is unpredictable and that nothing lasts forever.

Helle works with ceramics. The work has two functions. Can be used as a vase but also as a decorative sculpture. All the work is shaped by hand. It is important for Helle to create an expression where the hand’s imprint can be seen. She loves organic forms. They bring life to work. The contrast between the smooth and rough glaze can trigger thoughts about the ups and downs of life.

Susanne Sannemand Kjøller is inspired by emotions, nature, music, colors and shapes. Unproven as well as proven external and internal images. The process produces paintings and drawings and mixed media on various materials as a background.

Susanne has no plan for design and motif before starting. Chaos is transformed into small stories about humor, sadness, emotions, anxiety, sensuality and spirituality that form a whole. The goal is that the observer experiences an aesthetic pleasure that inspires, delights and creates hope and love.

Linda Nekanta Balle finds inspiration in poems, music and memories. It is the motifs and the universe that the creative artists contribute that inspire me. It can be a train tracks disappearing into the horizon, or the colors and shape of a jar.

Linda is enthusiastic about Matisse, Kiefer, Vermeer and Braque. This turns into graphic works and paintings. Sometimes it starts with sketches and color samples, and other times Linda paints intuitively on the canvas. The purpose is to create joy.