A PARISIAN PICNIC - NEW CHARLOTTE SY DIMBY CONTEST WITH SHARI FORD

For the fifth year in a row we are thrilled to launch a new photo and painting contest with the talented oil portrait artist Shari Ford. The theme is French inspired in honor of her upcoming Spring visit to our beloved country.

Dress your child in her favourite Charlotte sy Dimby dress, set a Parisian themed picnic with your little lady and dream yourself in France. 

Take a pretty picture to get the chance to win an Impressionist style portrait “à la française” made from your photo!

Requirements : 

Picture your child in a Charlotte sy Dimby dress outdoors, either in a beautiful garden or park, sitting on the grass or on a blanket, reading her favourite book or eating macarons as she dreams of a trip to Paris. 

Please make sure the dress is well visible, in particular the smocking or embroidery or at least some of the details such as the ruffles in the photos below.

Submission : 

To take part, post the picture on Instagram tagging @sharifordportraits and @charlotte_sy_dimby and send a high quality version by email to info@charlottesydimby.com

You can submit as many photos as you like.

Time frame :

Please submit your photos by the 5th of May 2025 at the latest.

Photos tips : 

• Photos should ideally be taken with a camera, preferably with a telephoto or portrait lens to reduce distortion and improve image quality. However phone photos are of course accepted.
• Professional photos are accepted with the permission of the photographer, who will receive recognition for their work. You can also ask a friend with a good eye for photos.
• For additional tips on how to best photograph your child watch our video.
• For personalised advice, please contact Shari directly by direct message on Instagram or by email at info@shariford.com

Winner’s gift : 

The winner will receive a painting with the submitted photo as a reference. The impressionistic painting will be 20”x24” format or a comparable size, depending on the composition of the picture.

The why behind the contest : 

Great admirer of the impressionist movement born in France in the late 19th century, Shari Ford shares a profound fascination for light, nature, and the poetry of fleeting moments. Just like Monet, Cézanne, and Renoir, many of her portraits are set outdoors, allowing the natural world to serve as both backdrop and inspiration.

Traveling to Paris to study the masterworks of these legendary artists at the Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie—with plans to visit Giverny, Claude Monet's beloved home and garden sanctuary—a contest with a distinctly French inspiration seemed obvious.

Picnics in the open air represent one of childhood's most cherished joys, igniting creativity and inviting imagination to bloom alongside nature itself. This theme emerged naturally, bridging Shari's artistic sensibilities with the impressionist tradition of celebrating life's simple, luminous pleasures.

Parisian Picnic in Spring Inspiration : 

There’s a certain magic in Paris when spring arrives. It isn’t just a season, it’s a mood, a palette. Shedding its gray winter coat, the city blooms, literally and figuratively, into a canvas of color and life. The capital, which always carries an air of romance, becomes bathed in a light that feels straight out of an Impressionist painting. Every moment seems touched by the brush of an artist.

Twirling on their way to fancy picnics, children take time to admire the flower stands lining the cobblestone streets. Overflowing with peonies, tulips, and delicate sprigs of lilacs, buckets brim with color and delicate fragrances. As their sweet perfumes drift through the air, Parisians pause to fill their baskets with blooms. Nothing welcomes spring quite like a vase of fresh flowers brightening an apartment window.

Further along, the charm of a Parisian afternoon unfolds at sidewalk cafés where people-watchers linger, sipping tea and pastel-hued macarons. Ladurée on Rue Royale beckons with its delicate aroma of almond and vanilla. Through its glass cases, rows of tiny jewels — pistachio green, raspberry pink, and lemon yellow — wait to be chosen. Little girls, perched at bistro tables with the sun gently warming their faces, beam with delight as they savor each sweet confection. 

Much like a scene from a Renoir painting, create your own beautiful picnic in a spirit of timeless Parisian beauty.

For your next French themed party, we encourage you to read our Parisian tea time article. Photo below by @lamourdeparis

For your family trip to France, read our Paris with Kids blog.