In the Footsteps of Gertrude Stein

Our first Voltaire Salon 11-15-25

Last Saturday night, we had the joy of hosting our very first Voltaire Salon with ten wonderful guests. Two of our dear friends, Pascal and Bastian, have this rare gift: they genuinely love people and seem to know just about everyone. Naturally, we made them our salon ambassadors, inviting them to connect us with like-minded souls who’d be drawn to an evening like this.

So, what exactly is the Voltaire Salon? Imagine our home: it’s on the fifth floor of a 200-year-old stone building on Boulevard Voltaire, right in the heart of the 11th district of Paris. This is where I share a life and a living space with fellow artist and companion, Véronique Cauchefer. Our vision is to host a recurring gathering here, creating a nurturing community around our art practice and offering inspiration to everyone who walks through the door.

We’ve always been inspired by the legendary gatherings of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in their Paris apartment in the 1920s. Those salons were the cradle of modern art and literature. It’s where Matisse first encountered Picasso, where Hemingway was encouraged by Gertrude to step beyond journalism and truly find his voice as a novelist. These gatherings brought together artists, writers, and thinkers who might never have crossed paths otherwise — and from that alchemy, whole movements were born.

By weaving in this bit of history, we’re not just hosting a gathering — we’re tapping into a lineage of creative community that has thrived for generations. And in doing so, we invite our guests to become part of that ongoing story.

And of course, if you find yourself circling a piece or considering a first purchase, just send me a message on Instagram @richardbeerhorst. I’m always happy to guide you.