Saturday, April 29, 2006

Back from a month at Cat'Art




I haven't written in the blog since Wednesday when we left for Toulouse. The hotel wasn't as hard to find as the one we stayed in last time and due to some clues from Robin on finding the Avis rental return, we got past that a lot faster than two years ago as well.
We checked in to the Ibis Blagnac, had a glass of wine. Then decided to take the car on back that afternoon and use the shuttle to the airport the next morning........that turned out to be a great way to do the auto rental return.

The hotel had wi-fi (hum is is wi or we-fee as pronounced there??) Anyway, at a price of 8 Euro you could use Orange for 2 hours. I didn't think about the fact it might only be on the Ibis network so didn't get to use the last 45 minutes at the airport waiting to depart as planned. Oh well..........I tried. France Telecom or Orange should sell weekly unlimited access for people traveling.......

The dinner at the hotel was satisfactory and we turned in early knowing 4 am would come before we knew it.

The trip was as uneventful as you can make it when you have so far to travel.......about 1 1/2 hours to London and 9 1/2 to Dallas...almost 3 hours on the layover so I was able to get the two grandsons a souvenir ball cap each...already had my girls something.

We left Dallas early Friday morning heading home. I've been unpacking, checking snail and email, grocery shopping and now even cooking ever since.....well, except for lots of long naps, afternoon and night. Good news from my Louisiana gallery that 4 paintings were sold and the check was here for my return. It's been hard on sales since Katrina..............

I can't say enough good things about all the people at Cat'Art. They went out of their way every day to make our art residency pleasant.........we've made new friends in France. How happy we are that Ellie Clemens mentioned the art center in Ste. Colombe sur 'lHers, Aude, France.

Hum...maybe a nap is a good idea right now as well.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

April 22



I've been down to the studio this morning quite a bit....working on two more collages and re-working the 7th piece into something else....who knows how many of these "re-workings" on various pieces there will be. Definitely, even work that I see coming together will need more "quality of surface", while retaining their color and value from a distance as they stand.

2 pm we will all meet in the village studios and bring our work to hang/spread out and discuss. Since we have all worked in two studios, plein air, and photography, we haven't really seen what the others have done during the residency. This will be a time to discuss our work here and share with the others. Maybe pictures later when I get home.

4 pm Tea time at Dominique's ceramic studio/atelier.Her studio is located up behind Ellie and John's Ste. Colombe house....violet shutters and trim...wowee.

Wowee, my foot....we got there and it looked like a great space....but no one was there to greet us or let us in....we have no idea what happened that too her away.....we still had a great view from the studio.

Monday, April 24, 2006

April 23 & 24



Sad to see Annette and Karen pack up and leave for the airport this morning....and we only have a couple more days ourselves. Boo hoo! Our time at Cat'Art is coming to an end.

What an afternoon and evening we had yesterday. The film crew showed up and we just waited until they filmed whatever they wanted from all of us in the two separate studios and then waited for Karen to return so we could get the map directions to Rebecca Gregory's chateau and studio northwest of Mirepoix. She had decided not to go so we borrowed the map and waited for Ellie....she couldn't go either, so we got a late start. However, when we did get on the road, the trip was through some areas we'd not been through before and noted the differences in the soil color and texture, the fields, and the trees and colors. And to think this wasn't really that far away....many micro climates around this part of France.

Rebecca's home address is the village of Paligne, however, the property, La Commanderie, lies outside the village...........it is fabulous and dates to the 13th century when built by one of the Cathars. The lineage is lost (if I got my info correct) for a couple of hundred years but the main estate was built in the 16th century. It is just a BEAUTIFUL property. We came to see her studio and were pleasantly rewarded with viewing the house and grounds as well. Rebecca's work is really wonderful.....metal sculpture. Her web-site is http://www.rebecca-gregory.com .

She and her work are lovely and we hope to keep in touch with her career as time goes by.

On the way back through Mirepoix, we took a chance that our favorite restaurant would have a space for us to have dinner ........AND they did. It was a superlative meal again as last time. You can't ask for better service or food than at the Relais Royal Hotel restaurant.

http://www.relaisroyal.com

Saturday, April 22, 2006

April 21




Worked in the studio some of the day.....read a few chapters of de Kooning again. I planned to upload the latest collage image but it did the same thing as the other one....turned from vertical to horizontal and I can't find a way to rotate it with the blog program. So the picture is from the area of the village compound studios and gallery.

It looked as though the day would be another good one for us to get out and about so we got in the car late afternoon and just drove down various roads we'd not been on previously for some reason or other. Ended up making the rounds around Lac Montbel from another direction and actually going through the little villlage. We took some more photos but the sun wasn't right for others we would have liked to take....not low enough or too much backlighting.

Leran was another small town we'd been passing signs to in the past so we drove through....nice place with a little outdoor glace/coffee/wine shop to stop and sit for awhile The Unicorn, I think it was......oh yes, and another patesserie right across the way to investigate.

When we got back to the residency, we checked in with the sculpture studio to see the work that came back from Nicolae's show in Andorra.......wow, some fantastic marble pieces and wood and metal as well.

We also ran by David's studio to see if he had any other small abstract pieces but I think they are too heavy for my quota for luggage going back, and over my budget as well.....would have liked to take one home.

Friday, April 21, 2006

April 20

Another painting from the Cat'Art series...will make a web size image tomorrow of the collage I did yesterday.

Pat and I finally get to meet Randy and her husband Jean Marc from the Possomworld blog...They live in Chalabre. Some of the others of the group have run into them previously. Ellie said that we have lunch set up in Mirepoix today.

Wonderful day...sun shining and warmer. The natives laugh and say it's summer.

Ellie and John came by and we all caravanned to Mirepoix for lunch at Le Commerce. Very good plat du jour...some ordered other items from the menu. The restaurant is in a hotel right near centre ville. After lunch we roamed around the shops and I found a few things to take home...no telling what since family might be reading the blog.

Not much in the way of "art work" done today other than continuing to soak up the wonderful atmosphere in the south of France....did I say we all love it here??

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

April 19



Yesterday....I did get to the studio....don't know yet if it's something I'll like later. It was kind of an "automatic writing" type thing. Starting with green this time...woo, woo, and I mean GREEN.

Don't know how I did it but the image is rotated counter clockwise......Dark should be at the top.

So back to the studio today to get some marks, etc. on more paper. So, think vertical for the next painting....no getting away from landscape though as every mark I make suddenly denotes land.

Enjoying reading De Kooning.....who'd thought he would have been a neatnik???

I got another mixed media collage started....wondering how much farther to carry it....and not wanting it to get too busy.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

April 17 & 18

Slow day...holiday here the day after Easter.
Went for French onion soup over at Ady's in the evening......been reading and just lazing around.
Did a little studio work early in the day.


Up about 7am or so and decided it was laundry day........that can be a day for one load, washed and dried. Have to figure out how to turn on oven later as I HAVE to have some food that isn't pastry, apples and coffee.

Went down to the studio again and fooled around and am ready to get back.....later maybe take a picture or two of the work yesterday.

Here's one of the 15 inch squares..........




Thought we'd get out and about today but have not.....well maybe later or I'll get sleepy and take a nap between reading De Kooning........

Just spotted Ellie heading down to the studio...gotta go.


Monday, April 17, 2006

April 16

Yaay....finally got some studio time in. Not that I know what I'm doing but it's something. I'm not pushing it as that is NOT what we are here for. This experience will arrive in its on good time in my work on down the line.

Today is the Easter Party...about 3:30ish...Barbecue, French Style. People are arriving from all around. By the time we walk over to the area prepared for the party, there is a large open fire being tended and chickens being cooked. The tables are heavy with salads, snacks, and wine decanters. The tables are decorated with grasses, flowers Annette gathered, and deeply colored eggs dyed by Nikolai. We'll have to get him to tell us how he got such deep, beautiful colors...I saw one that must be Karen's favorite "barn red".

Before the evening is over, we hear everything from Elvis to bongos for entertainment. We also met many more people and artists from around the area. We have invitations to visit the studio of a potter/ceramist Saturday and a sculptor who lives the other side of Mirepoix next Sunday afternoon.

Note from Monday morning....people are sleeping out wherever they find shelter with sleeping bags.....guess they couldn't drive home and there is no motel 6 around here.

I didn't take my camera to the party so we'll have to share pictures later with Karen and Pat.

Saturday, April 15, 2006

April 15






What a view coming back from Esperaza..... near and above Rivel today. Those yellow flowers and the unbelievable varieties of green is astonishing.

Happy, happy...the clouds and possible rain went away and it was a beautiful day. I hope the weather holds for the Easter Party tomorrow.

Worked in the studio. I can't tell what I'm accomplishing yet at all.........just have to trust in the process. I'm not here to try to paint what I see in front of me, but to absorb the energy and flavor and to know it will come through at an opportune time.

Just a thought...I don't think I've ever been to so many grocery stores/markets in a week or two in my life. Seems we make a stop at stores, markets or patesseries, etc. a couple of times a day.

Bientot..........

April 14

Just checked and it should be around 70 and sunny today." Make hay" as they say since rain is in the next few days forecast...maybe that will wrong.

Down to check out the studio again..worked on a few collage pieces but I need some fluid medium instead of this gel for everything. So plan to head out for lunch and to find somewhere to buy medium or its eqivilent. Catherine gave us the names and locations where we might find it and we set out toward Larouqe 'd Holmes and beyond. We couldn't find any but did find a woman who wrote directions to a "specialty" store in Foix..............Hey, we are open to going to Foix since we seem to be on the "Route du Foix" continually. We finally got there and miraculously found the place...a bookstore with some art supplies. I got two versions of glue/medium and we headed back. Stopped at a store for more pastries for breakfast.....found some nice olive oil soap and headed back to Cat'Art.

All the usual....fixed something for dinner, met Karen's granddaughter, Lauren, (coming in from Belgium) and ended the day with this missive.

Tomorrow, some are going to Esperaza for the life drawing again.........Au Revoir.

Friday, April 14, 2006

April 13




Got away from the B & B about 9:30 am and got Lynda Marshall, the owner, to take a picture of Pat and me with our Paint-L banner Karen made...gotta prove we WERE there. The place out at Ste. Esteve Janson is beautiful and Lynda is a lovely hostess as well and made us feel right at home....complete with a new map to find our way back to Ste. Colombe. It was a faster trip this time using the toll roads. We got back into Limoux and had lunch about 1:30-2pm or so and then went by the grocery for a few things on the way to the residency. So tired but got stuff out of the car, checked email, made notations, downloaded pictures....all that good stuff although no time yet to upload the blog entries.

Felt like we came home when we drove up to the residency.Happy to find that we don't have anything onthe schedule for tomorrow.

April 12


Fondation Victor Vaserely





Up this morning.... leisurely had our breakfast of juice, yogurt, croissants, and coffee. Then off to find the Fondation Victor Vaserely.http://www.fondationvaserely.com A noted Op Art artist, Vaserely designed the building and incorporated his geometric experimental artwork on a grand scale into the design of the unique building. Although not usually my taste in art, the work and the building are impressive. My local art museum has some of his work so I'll have to mention this visit to the director there.
Mentioning getting to anywhere....everyone will tire of hearing of all the "lost" times....needless to say, much time is lost trying to find places that look easy to locate on the map. By the time we found the foundation, toured, and tried to get to Aix centre ville , it was lunch time. Then after looking around and practically being blown over periodically by the Mistral winds, we got in the car to find the Cezanne Atelier. missed it on the way out of the city center and by the time we could have gotten back it would be closed...so no tour of the atelier/workshop. It would have been better to go on a guided tour of this kind of thing...too bad.
I hope we can get to out to Sainte Victoire but we'll have to get on the road back before too late in the morning.

April 11

Just now getting around to writing anything (Wednesday)...for Tuesday as that was travel day . It was a long drive but interesting to see all the countryside, villages and cities along the way. Through Carcassonne to Beziers, Montpellier, Penzenas(stopped here to eat the goodies we brought along with us), Arles and then to find our way out to the B & B out of Aix. It's a gorgeous place although the Mistral is blowing. I think we brought it with us so it's a might cold with that much wind and the sun going down. Our hostess, Lynda, was most helpful with information for our trip out to Aix and about for the next day. Most glorious was the hot shower and towels warmed on the towel warmer....and a hot meal in the art deco dining room.

April 10






ooops.....just deleted my entry and now it's gone from the diary and can't remember what I wrote....
I did have this picture in it that I figure will find it's way into the bones of my paintings some time in the future.

Monday, April 10, 2006

April 9

Up and around about 7:30 am....sat around , Robin had coffee water ready and dripped....talked, dressed, and wandered down to the studio for a time. Turned on the i-pod to tune out.

Continue to wonder if I came all the way to France to make collage paper. Oh well, "the process" meanders until it finds something to stop for and so far, there is nothing to stop and stay for on my canvas/paper.

I'm still on the look-out for any kind of light weight "stuff"...bits and pieces that could or not end up in a work on down the line.

Rummaged up a version of lunch....grilled cheese (Comte), Fuji apple, and leftover coffee made into iced coffee.....don't know where everyone else is.

Down for more studio time......i-pod battery getting low so stopped and charged it, sat down to make the blog entry....maybe in a few days I can add/upload again.

NOTE: It will take a bit of treading carefully....some people awake early, some late, some UP late...all with differences in allotment of time, noise, foods, etc.

Happy that we are still able to use the ceramic studio downstairs here at the Maison de Patio since my left foot has been doing some strange aching....not the one I sprained.

We have all been invited to congregate for dinner at the other house this evening 7:30 ish....so better go soon. To finish ....wonderful dinner with soup provided by Karen.....and an assortment of other goodies appearing from all the others inn attendance....12 people at the round table. So much fun...

April 8



Plans are to get up and over to Esperaza to do some internet communications that we can't do through the I-MAC here at Cat'Art. Some of the group are going to attend the life drawing session Ellie goes to on Saturday mornings.

Pat and I took the long way around through Quillan of the steep and winding roads since somehow we missed the turn that was to be a short-cut through Rouvenac...next time we'll be on the look out for D121.

All things happen for a reason and ours was the reward of being able to stop high about the town and see and photograph the spectacular view.

Also, we were fortunate today to get a parking spot right in front of the pastesserie (spelling is not to be held against a person who can't speak French, much less write it) next door to Ellie's home.We stopped for a bite first. I got some business stuff finished, then loaded blog entries and a few pictures, checked out a few other things and closed down to go to lunch. Have I mentioned how important two hour lunches are?...although this one wasn't that long today.

I didn't get to talk to my daughter on that nifty Yahoo messenger with voice....as I don't think she would have wanted to talk at what was 2 am there at home....BUT, this program allows voice mail....so I left a message.

Suzanne....Pat and I thought of you painting Puivert last time as we went by the castle.....wish you were here.

Robin and Debbie just got back from Barcelona..............so on to hearing all the traveler's news.

Saturday, April 8, 2006

April 7

The forecast was correct....nice bright sunny day although cold this morning. Ellie and John come by for us to all get together for lunch so we all head into the village for another wonderful repast.

Before we leave Karen comes in looking for Annette because there is a message on their door that her daughter Susan called ......good news indeed, as the publisher DOES want to use her proposed outline for the new book after all....before we left it had gone to another writer.

Back to the studio for a time to continue making collage papers...what else can I do without a plan in my head/mind??? Stores should be opening back up around 4 pm to pick up the things on our list again before tonight and to get back out into the countryside.

April 6

This is a picture of some of the trees in the parking lot in the village studio area.

Slow day today.......cloudy, colder (don't know how cool)....but saw that the area is supposed to be 39--60 today.....so I'm waiting for the 60.....and the skies just brightened a tad.

Guess I should go over to the kitchen and find something to eat since we didn't go out to lunch today. Annette went to Toulouse with Catherine and Christophe......glad she's getting to do one of her planned explorations there at the cathedral, etc.

Today is just not a painting day to me.....took a nap and goofed off, then cooked some potatoes, etc.

My under-paintings are feeling a little more like they are drying flattened now.....so will start to work on them tomorrow.

Went online and found the forecast for Carcassonne is sunny and 64 tomorrow so it should be a good day.

Saturday morning and Sunday/Monday all have a forecast of rain and cooler again.

April 5

This is one part of the view into the corn fields from out our basement studio under Maison de Patio (our house for the residency

Thought we were going to the Chalabre market this morning with Annette...however, they left early and Pat and I are going to the studio downstairs here at Maison du Patio instead.

Robin and Debbie got off about 9:30 am for the coast and Barcelona for a few days.
I washed a few things and hung them on the clothes line outside.

Checked on the two little pieces I worked on yesterday and they did flatten down some thank goodness..fairly curled edges yesterday.

I took out the other four quarter sheet pieces of Arches paper today and under-toned them with an arbitrary color from the palette....left under weights to dry since they were starting to curl. I hope something emerges tomorrow from shapes I'm picking up here and there as we roam around. So far not much studio time and more roaming around time getting acquainted with the area. We drove west today out of Ste. Colombe and stopped in Bastide sur 'l Hers at a restaurant for lunch...........and it was very good. Seems long lunches and light on dinner time is working for us this week.

Not a lot of luck on the Mac with the French menus and Spanish keyboard at the office but better than nothing for email. I don't think I want to use it to blog so this diary will have to do until I can have a longer time with a connection from my PC.

.

April 4



Got up about 8 am....fumbled around slowly in a place where all your stuff is scattered about in unfamiliar spaces.

Looking out the window of Maison du Patio this morning, I see that the corn fields that were freshly plowed when we arrived are now starting to sprout little green sprouts in just these couple of days.....feels like spring is sprung around here.

Procrastination is the word of the morning....dreading hauling art supplies down stairs on multiple trips with the sprain....but gotta do it sooner or later.

Started two small paintings....usual fields landscape type...under-paintings in red violet on one and blue violet in the other with the thought in mind that the final paintings would have a yellow green dominance or at least some. Using lots of pale golds and grays... .I may have not used enough value change.....one of those things I need to sit back and think about later with fresh eyes.

Came back later after lunch and checking out the other studios, taking photos and decided the "magic genie" had not come into the studio to wave her magic wand over the paintings and make them into masterpieces........they'll do though.


Hummm....don't know what happened to that photo.....it rotated and is going the wrong way. Pretend it can be rotated counter clockwise one click.

April 4





Got up about 8 am....fumbled around slowly in a place where all your stuff is scattered about in unfamiliar spaces.

Looking out the window of Maison du Patio this morning, I see that the corn fields that were freshly plowed when we arrived are now starting to sprout little green sprouts in just these couple of days.....feels like spring is sprung around here.

Procrastination is the word of the morning....dreading hauling art supplies down stairs on multiple trips with the sprain....but gotta do it sooner or later.

Started two small paintings....usual fields landscape type...under-paintings in red violet on one and blue violet in the other with the thought in mind that the final paintings would have a yellow green dominance or at least some. Using lots of pale golds and grays... .I may have not used enough value change.....one of those things I need to sit back and think about later with fresh eyes.

Came back later after lunch and checking out the other studios, taking photos and decided the "magic genie" had not come into the studio to wave her magic wand over the paintings and make them into masterpieces........they'll do though.

April 3



First chance I've had to post anything since coming to Cat'Art.

Right now I've got the mug of coffee, sitting here looking out at freshly tilled fields behind the house. We were told the whole place is surrounded by corn fields in the summer.
Trying to get over jet lag and the party last night. Looks like a glorious day ahead. Ellie and John are coming over in an hour to take us over to see their new house here in Sainte.Colombe and then we're all going on over to the Sunday market in Esperaza, look around, and use the wireless connection at her house there.

.BTW...we got "fished" by Annette...she read up on the French customs for April Fools Day and stuck little Nemo stickers on everyone's back or pant's leg etc, while they weren't looking.
We went to the 8 a Huit.....(we da wee)........AGAIN...this time we found some cannelle...aka cinnamon. It will be nice in the cafe....

Finally got my computer going on the French internet through John's help and was able to talk to Cyn through Yahoo messenger with voice.....Yaaay.

Came back to the house and cooked some zuchinni, shallots,garlic, and tomatoes for dinner.....and we'll add a little baguette with olive oil on the side to go with it. Bon appetite.........
Got some of my business stuff done on the internet and found another ATM so I'll have enough to pay the art center for our house/studio fees.



:

April 2

First chance I've had to post anything since coming to Cat'Art.
Right now I've got the mug of coffee, sitting here looking out at freshly tilled fields behind the house. We were told the whole place is surrounded by corn fields in the summer.
Trying to get over jet lag and the party last night. Looks like a glorious day ahead. Ellie and John are coming over in an hour to take us over to see their new house here in Sainte.Colombe and then we're all going on over to the Sunday market in Esperaza, look around, and use the wireless connection at her house there.
.BTW...we got "fished" by Annette...she read up on the French customs for April Fools Day and stuck little Nemo stickers on everyone's back or pant's leg etc, while they weren't looking.
We went to the 8 a Huit.....(we da wee)........AGAIN...this time we found some cannelle...aka cinnamon. It will be nice in the cafe....
Finally got my computer going on the French internet through John's help and was able to talk to Cyn through Yahoo messenger with voice.....Yaaay.
Came back to the house and cooked some zuchinni, shallots,garlic, and tomatoes for dinner.....and we'll add a little baguette with olive oil on the side to go with it. Bon appetite.........
Got some of my business stuff done on the internet and found another ATM so I'll have enough to pay the art center for our house/studio fees.



: