Colors of another country

It has been several days now since I am back home but my scanner has given me troubles and I could not get the images I wanted.
Even though this last trip to my native country (France) was to visit my family and not at all work-related, I can't help keeping my eyes from seeing things from an aesthetic point of view and always have work in the back of my mind.

The city where my family now lives, Royan, was 80% or so destroyed after bombardments during the second world war. The city was then reconstructed in the early 50's in a style popular then and with a material, namely concrete, that was very much in vogue. Next to these concrete structures, there are still some of the older limestone villas (among which Emile Zola's summer house) on the beach front. Most of the older buildings in the surrounding cities and villages, a number of them dating from the roman invasion as well as XI and XII centuries, are also made of limestone. When I compare the newer buildings with the older ones, concrete versus limestone, I realize how limestone is so much warmer and softer (yes, that is what I said) that concrete. Something in the color of the stone and its texture makes it psychologically warmer to me, particularly with the gorgeous backdrop of nature. I also think the shapes of the buildings made of stones are softer that the concrete structures, which tend to be rather "blocky". I guess I miss limestone buildings here, may be because for me they are also synonymous with "home" .

(The top images are by my son, Julien House, and the bottom images are from Benezac Bommunications, http://www.bernezac.com/)

Another thing that struck me while I was waiting in one of Paris main train stations is that the crowds are "dark". Most people are wearing black or very dark clothes and when one looks at the mass of people, it is indeed a very dark mass. No colorful and vibrant crowd such as many that can be seen here. I am not sure why that is. French people do like color also. Could it just be that the dress code is more conservative? I wonder if a crowd in a southern city, let's say Marseille for example, would be as dark? An interesting thing to think about more.

Tidying the studio

I am going to France for a few days to visit my family and when I go anywhere, I like to tidy the studio so that when I come back, I can start right away to work on a new project. Clutter and mess seem to really slow down my creativity and even though it is impossible to keep things tidy while working on something, I make it a point to put things away after each major project or before I go away....so here are some fairly unusual images of my studio! My tables are not often so empty.

Nature's free show

Everything around us has been so negative these past few months. Just listening to the news is enough to send you in the deepest depression! May be it is time to remember that, even though times are hard and it will be difficult to find the extra cash to visit a show or buy an art book, there is a constant free exhibit around us if we care to look. I try to remind myself everyday and it seems to always improve my mood. A few days ago, I looked outside early in the morning and saw a beautiful dawn sky: just the edge of the clouds was colored. It was really very nice and I went back inside to get my camera. It did not quite capture it but is still a nice image.

Then just a few minutes ago, I was taking my dog out and a flock of birds of prey flew just overhead. The sun was very low and when these birds, which looked black against the sky, flapped their wings, the sun just caught their edges and it looked like blackbirds with golden wings. It was actually quite incredible. Unfortunately, no camera available and even so, I probably would not have gotten a good shot. But anyway, it really pays to look up or around!

New class, new samples

With the new year starting in a few days, I have been thinking about the new class I will be teaching at the Campbell School in March (Hand quilting: old technique, new possibilities). I want to create new samples to illustrate different ways to work. I really would like the class to be about stitching creatively but also creating the designs and the lines to be stitched. I think it will be a lot of fun. These images are close-ups of one of the samples I have been working on. Not finished yet.

So much fun!

I have been having so much fun in my studio recently that I have not wanted to do anything else, not even write a new entry for this blog! I have been making small textured enamel pieces and combining them with fabrics.

After texturing the copper and enameling it (and learning the hard way that you do not put your hand in front of the torch!), I open my drawers of hand-dyed silk and velvet pieces, pull all the fabrics out until I find those that look the best with the enamel pieces (and by then my studio looks like a tornado has been through) and then figure out how to stitch the fabric and add the enamel so that it looks nice.

Not everything is great but so far I have done a few pieces I really am pleased with. I also think it is a really good practice, both working with the metal and the enamel, and combining metal pieces and fabrics. A good reminder too that as artists, we have to produce a lot of not perfect work before we get a good piece once in a while. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the little book "Art and Fear, Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" by David Bayles and Ted Orland: "The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small faction of your artwork that soars."

By the way, I highly recommend that book. It is wonderful reading, and particularly encouraging when you feel in the dumps.

Merry Christmas!

Artspace Gallery in Arizona

I cannot believe how fast the days go by...and I have not been able to post anything in almost a month! Not that I have been idle, been teaching a lot, translating the quilting magazine and working a little in the studio. I have not started any new "Offerings" yet because I really needed to take a break after all the work and energy spent on the last one. But the new idea is beginning to boil in my head so I think I will have to start a new piece very soon. I have been playing with some little pieces involving fabrics and copper enamels and that has been lots of fun.

The highlight of these past weeks though was a quick trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, to visit the Artspace and Robert Roman Gallery, who represents my "Offerings" series. The only contact between Beverly Roman, the director of the gallery and Shirley Crane, her assistant, was by email and phone. So I felt I wanted to meet them in person and see the gallery: even though they were frantically getting ready for an exhibit opening that night, they still found time to talk to me and give me a tour of the gallery and I felt quite welcome. I love the collection of work they show in the gallery. There is a number of artists whose work is shown there whom I would love to meet because they work really touched me. The art is displayed beautifully and the space gave some very "positive" vibes, you know, when you feel good (or sometimes bad) somewhere without any rational reason for these feelings.

Anyway, I also went to the opening of the exhibit of new work by the artists working in the studios on the upper level of the gallery and it was an inspiring exhibit . So, if you ever happen to be passing through that region, the art district in downtown Scottsdale is fun and the Textures Gallery a definite place to visit.

Now, even though the Christmas season is on everybody's mind, including mine, I can't wait to get really "started" again in the studio!

New "Offering": it is finished!

I just put the finishing touches to my new "Offering" , titled "Mumtaz Mahal" and I took a few quick snapshots, which I am sharing here.
In the 17th century, Mumtaz Mahal was married to Emperor Kurram as his 3rd wife and she became his favorite. When she died, he was so devastated that he had a mausoleum built for her, the Taj Mahal. I am just wondering what sort of a woman she was to inspire such a love and become the reason for the creation of one of the wonders of the world. Can you imagine?

So I made this “Offering” thinking of her and used symbols and colors found in Indian art (the red color, the tree of life, and the paisley design, to name a few). Even though the box is not a representation of the Taj Mahal, that incredible building definitely fed my imagination.

After some 240 hours of work, I feel that I have put so much effort into it that I am not sure that I still like it. I know I need to leave it alone and go away from it for a few days before I can enjoy it again!

And now, on to the next thing!