n the course of my research for my upcoming Springtime workshop in the Dordogne region of France, I came upon an article on the National Geographic website that made my mind boggle.

It was widely believed and accepted that no one really knows the reason why prehistoric man painted in the cool underground caves discovered in certain regions of France and Spain. As I have mentioned before, the cave walls are full of images of horses, bisons, deer as well as handprints. Yes, stenciled handprints! I visited Peche Merle and was amazed that you can walk right up to the painted walls and study them while standing only 2 feet in front of them. I have always wanted to go back and see more of these cave paintings. That is part of the reason I am traveling to teach a workshop in the Dordogne region this April 25th-May 9th.

Speculations as to reasons why the prehistoric people painted these paintings included magic, spiritual practices, to insure a good hunting season and I reasoned that they might have been graffiti painted on the walls by the local teenage boys on Saturday nights.

It turns out I wasn't too far off. Some researchers do believe adolescences may have painted some of these paintings. More shocking than the theory of the teenage painters is the new theory that the hands probably belonged to and were painted by women! Here is the link to the article with the new theories about the cave painters. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131008-women-handprints-oldest-neolithic-cave-art/

I still have a few spots left open on my Spring trip in case you are interested in seeing the cave paintings, exploring the Dordogne and painting in Normandy and Monet's Garden. email me for info at anywhereart4u@gmail.com or check out the Europe Trips Page/France on this website.