Shona Nunan & Michael-Francis Cartwright: The nomadic spirit

There are places that convince travellers to stay. In Correns, in the heart of the Provence Verte, two artists from the other side of the world have set down their bags, and their bronzes. Shona Nunan and Michael-Francis Cartwright, originally from Australia, do more than sculpt matter: they inhabit the landscape.
Their studios and exhibition spaces are not merely places of work, but serve as a manifesto. Through them, they tell the story of how art can take root in foreign soil and find new foundations.

From one red earth to another

Their journey is nothing short of an odyssey. From the vast expanses of Australia to the marble quarries of Carrara, they shaped their artistic vision together for over forty years before choosing Provence in 2015. It was no coincidence: between the ochre tones of the bush and the red earth of the Var, between the brilliance of the Pacific and the vibrant light of the South of France, the resonance was immediate. In the Argens valley, they transformed their home into a total work of art.

Shona Nunan: The memory of the earth

Shona Nunan’s work possesses a quiet, almost geological strength. Her sculptures, often vertical, evoke sentinels or silent guardians. She draws inspiration from archetypes: the horse, the harvest, the passage of time. Her bronzes, with their carefully worked patinas, seem to have always existed, like menhirs polished by centuries. Standing before her works, one feels a profound connection to the sacred, in perfect harmony with the landscapes of Provence.

Michael-Francis Cartwright: The call of the sky

If Shona looks to the earth, Michael-Francis Cartwright looks to the sky. His work offers an aerial counterpoint. Both painter and sculptor, he explores movement, flight, and freedom. His sculptures seem to defy gravity. Birds, Icarus, and abstract forms that appear to dance with the mistral frequently emerge in his creations. His paintings, vibrant with colour, capture the luminous energy of the region. Where Shona brings grounding and serenity, Michael offers breath and momentum.

A vertical and monumental universe

To step into their world in Correns is to discover an extraordinary creative intimacy. Far from traditional ateliers, their main studio is a four-storey village house. In total, nearly 500 square metres of creation and exhibition space unfold here.
Their titanic work extends notably into the “Grand Studio” (The Big Studio), a 100-square-metre volume historically linked to Domaine Aspras, the renowned organic vineyard of Correns. An industrial space dedicated to monumental works. In this raw setting, art occupies the space and rises upward. It is here that their most imposing creations are finalised before joining private gardens around the world, from France to Asia.

What this duo inspires in the Beaumas Spirit

Why do Shona and Michael resonate so deeply with the spirit of Beaumas? Because they embody a vision of living that we hold dear: the home as a laboratory of creation.
They remind us that a property in Provence is not merely an address, but an anchor point, capable of adapting from the verticality of a village house to the amplitude of a former warehouse, so that the soul of its inhabitants may fully express itself. Their partnership, balancing Earth (Shona) and Sky (Michael), perfectly illustrates the harmony and character we seek in every exceptional home.