Paths and Meadows - Day 10

April 9
Karen and I decided to skip the Sunday market in Espéraza and just headed toward Lavelanet and a good boulangerie. We found a great one at Bastide sur l'Hers and bought cheese tarts, fruit and bread. Then we just rode through the countryside, turning whenever something caught an eye.

When the pavement ended, we kept going and discovered that our tiny Opal can pull the rocky slopes -- even on a walking trail which is clearly marked with yellow slashes and route markets!!



We explored the village of Léran and came upon a beautiful green pasture lined with double, well-trimmed hedges. I think the sheep were 'mowing' the lawn.

As we stood on the road overlooking the meadows, we were passed by families cycling, dog-walkers and lost tourists. No one seemed to think it strange that we were sketching in our little books.







Across the road from the meadow, the chateaux has been renovated for wealthy weekenders, but we loved sketching bits and pieces of it.

I HAVE NOTICED THAT ALL MY BUILDINGS LEAN!!











After we got home, we decided to invite everyone from the Patio House for soup. It was the last night of Debbie's visit with Robin and soon Catherine, Christophe, Nicolae and Kong Yee were added to the list. Christophe built a great roaring fire in our fireplace. Ellie and John brought Daffy the Dalmation and the big round table was filled with the laughter and conversation of a dozen new friends. Our downstairs dining room is a perfect party place. Everyone took bunches of photos and wished both Debbie and Kong Yee, "Bon Journeé" . . . Bisou, bisou, bisous went all round!

A Little Writing; a Little Painting - Day 9

April 8
Today was mostly spent revising my earlier proposal for the book people. I was able to squeeze a little time for:
--putting some washes on watercolor paper, -- preparing some pages for a possible watercolor journal (a 'serious' project as opposed to sketches in an orange foam covered sketchbook!)
--beginning a small experiemntal painting of the layers of mountains, rooftops and tree lines which I could see from the studio.

This sketch is on the road from the studio at the village to our house at La Forge. . . .

The Village and Chez Esmé - Day 8

April 7
I stayed in the village to get help in reading email on the office computer. Pat and I had a long conversation and Karen returned from the studio to find a note that I needed to call home. I reached Daughter One at 6:00 AM but she was awake. She said a call had come from my agent about the book proposal. I am being considered again. What a roller coaster ride this has been since early February!!!


Lunch at Chez Esmé in Ste Colombe seemed a great way to both celebrate and calm down. The rest of the day was spent trying to capture and reply to emails and attachments. This place has an air of magic about it, but Christophe says my visit to the Ste Sernin Basilique caused the miracle of the book!


Oh! lunch. Euros for a starter platter of 3 meats (paté, very thin jambon and saucisse); a big pot of soup with cabbage, 2 kinds of sausages, squares of, maybe, soufflé; pommes de terre, then a fromage platter with 8 or 9 cheeses and, lastly, a dish of fresh sliced strawberries and creme fraiche -- wine, bread and coffee, of course! We had no need for dinner!!

A Day in Toulouse - Day 7

April 6
Catharine and Christophe had an appointment with Veronica from the Gallery in Andorra so they invited Kong Yee and me to go along. After lunch, we went separate ways and Kong Yee and I walked from the Capitol to Basilique Ste-Sernin. We took photos all the way around and then went inside. It was lunchtime so the plazas were filled with some of Toulouse's 100,000 students. Dedicated in 1096, Ste Sernin is the largest example of Romanesque architecture in France and has spectacular examples of 11th and 12th C. art. The ornate Baldachin (or canopy over the altar) which was added 200 years later is impressive. As we walked in the quiet near the altar and the ambulatory, someone began to sing the Ave Maria. I think perhaps just a tourist; but her voice echoed through the huge nave and goosebumps shivered across our bodies.


We continued through the streets - photographing and sketching. At one point, I noticed a lady watching us and trying to get our attention. Finally, she pointed to the façade of a building near us and smiled. After the visual feast of the carvings on the doorway of Église Ste-Pierre des Chartreux, we went inside. A treat we most certainly would have missed without her kindness to two strangers.

Later, I knew that Kong Yee and I had developed a rhythm for viewing the City which would allow us to photograph and sketch at our own pace. It would have been more productive for each of us if we had not been focused on finding a bank machine!! Art and reality at odds. We found our ATM and settled in the huge plaza to await the others. I had coffee and a perfect chocolate confection while making this sketch.

We finished the day in the studio of Christian. It was interesting that the French sculptor/painter used elliptical shapes in his canvases as did the Malaysian photographer/painter. Christian showed us his delicate tissue collages (which Veronica selected for the Gallery in Andorra,) his raku fired sculpture and his books which he created along with a writer -- all editions of fewer than 10 and hand-bound -- and gave us coffee and conversation in the tiny upstairs kitchen. We came home by the back roads and more beautiful views.
Kong Yee's work, some of which is being prepared for his show is Kuala Lampur may be seen at:
http://www.weiling-gallery.com/CeruleanSkies-ChinKongYee.htm

Observing, Exploring and Discovering - Day 6

April 5
We must remember to observe 01:02:03-04/05/06 (Oops, we forgot!)

A quick trip to Chalabre before getting in the studio turned out to be longer and more interesting than just a stop at the market and the ATM. (Actually, the market had been on another day!)

We were overheard [chattering at the ATM in our mostly Southern American accents] by Randy Lofficier and her dog, Maggie. We have been reading her blog about life in Chalabre after living in LA. http://www.possumworld.com

She knew we were coming to the Aude and had been invited to our welcome party at La Forge on Sunday but mistakenly went to Ellie's in Espéraza instead. We had a delightful morning touring her house where she and Jean-Marc have writing studios overlooking the ancient streets. We stopped at the tabac/presse and bought Randy's new book "Over There" which she autographed. (I hope you can decipher my drawing of their very interesting house. Each room is on a different level and is actually much deeper than I show on the drawing.)

We finished our shopping at a boulangerie, episcerie and charcuterie (where there were actually 3 stores!) and bought beautiful breads, vegetables and fruits. Later, we went to the studio and discovered that new images and light make it much harder to get "real" painting done. It's as if we are all beginners. . . .

Unremarkable. Unbelievable! - Day 5

April 4
This morning, Karen and I began to arrange our space in the studio. We both find the space rather uninspiring today. I hope it is because the days have been overcast and chilly. There is a sense that I would rather be outside. Every view from the window is an image, a texture, a sublety of color. the street (Petite Rue) is an unremarkable array of ordinary houses with closed shutters on many. (When every village has such lovely views, even beauty becomes unremarkable -- unbelievable!) The river and a small canal flow with remarkably clear water and the plane trees shelter everything. The villagers are beginning their spring chores of cleaning, plowing and planting. Tiny bursts of color surprise the eyes.

SO. . . . Why stay in inside?!

This afternoon, we hopped in our little Opal and explored the countryside. Karen needed the driving practice and I enjoyed not having to watch for curves and lines. We found Lac Montbal with water so clean and bluein the hills behind LaForge. When we returned, we followed the signs for shopping at the Episcerie, Boulangerie, Tabac, and Cadeaux. We expected a row of shops and found only Vival which was ALL of them!

I did get a few little sketches done before our excursion. Text under the drawing of Vival relates the interruption of a charming villager who wanted to see the sketches. With my limited French and her limited English, we chatted and she exclaimed that most of the pieces were 'perfect.'

Making a Tour or Two -- Day 4

April 3
Today, our group of seven plus one were joined by Chin Kong Yee -- a photographer/painter from Malaysia. He is staying in Maison du Poupees! Catherine gave us all a tour of the Center facilities which includes housing with thirteen bedrooms, 5 or 8 studios, a large exhibition hall in the old Comb factory, three resident sculptors, beautiful grounds and auxiliary buildings at LaForge and Gramont. There is also a large four story house which will eventually be restored. The two complexes are about a mile apart.

Karen stayed to work in the studio. I returned to the house to shampoo and cut away the burned hair from a too hot curling iron -- it's what happens when a converter doesn't work! Later, I picked her up and we decided to explore by car for photo and sketching opportunities. We met Ellie on a side street, saw Kong Yee walking near the cemetery and gathered them both into the excursion. We drove to Puivert and Ellie smartly parked near the lake. Karen and I missed her little blue car and drove to the top of the mountain and the chateau!

After some sketching and photographing, Ellie went back to Espéraza and we returned home by the longer way -- closer to the foothills of the Pyrenees -- promising to return for a closer look at Montseger and Belésta.

We have had some interesting adventures in our little car whenever one of use says "Take that road!!" usually a tiny, rocky or hilly one -- 45-60 degree switchback rocky climb to Puivert, 60 degree paved deadend street in Chalabre with no turnaround and - OUR FAVORITE: a rocky hiker's path along a ridge. (Who knew? It had nice yellow markings on rocks and trees!)

Market Day and Carnivale Night - Day 3

April 2
Even though we had shopped at Inter Marché on the drive from Toulouse and added a few more items from the local episcerie, we were excited about exploring the market. Ellie and John let us tour their 'new' 2nd home at Ste. Colombe before leading us to Espéraza. After shopping, we toured their real home and 'borrowed' their Internet. Karen and I bought cheese, bread, vegetables and sausage for soup, a market basket and a round table cloth for our big table. I also bought some purple and white violas for the front terrace and Karen bought 2 real coffee mugs since neither of us could get used to the large French coffee bowls. . . .



This quick sketch was completed while we gathered for coffee at the edge of the market. It was a beautiful day by the River Aude.












We sat in the back garden and lunched on the goodies from the market while Ellie watered the newly opened red tulips.













Finally, all emails had been sent, Karen had talked on the phone with Joel and we loaded the cars for the drive to Ste Colombe.









Raya cleaned the house and Karen down-loaded photos. I planted our welcoming flowers in a little planter box from the back terrace. Karen made soup and we christened our newly decorated table. Christophe brought firewood for another evening. . . . We had arranged our supplies in the studio on Saturday, so we think we are ready . . .


Maison du Cerisiers - OUR house!
". . . tiled roofs, 16 inch walls, shutters the color of Monet's Bridge. Windows overlooking a vast green lawn sprinkled with the colors of the Fecos confetti in Limoux, yellow dandelions, purples, pinks, and whites. Other windows opening like a tree house in the tops of the cherry trees. . . ."

------------------------------

On Sunday evening, Robin, Debbie and I went to Limoux -- one of the villages built by decree with a central square flanked by archades, a market area and ..... It was perfect for carnivale.
Here is some of the text from the drawing:
. . . . and we notice a gathering of costumes. They moved very slowly to the music of a very old band. The 'Fecos' threw confetti and smiled through their white masks. After the band, there was a whole group of really bizarre characters. (a little note: Later, I realized that they reminded me, not of Halloween characters, but of Tououse-Lautrec's night people.) At the end of the block, everyone stopped and had a drink or two. Then they gathered again to go another block. . . .this continued around the square until midnight and the burning of Monsieur Carnivale -- symbolic of burning all the sins which are confessed during Lent.

What a fun and interesting evening, but a long way home on dark roads with hairpin curves!

Poisson d'avril - Day 2

April 1
Nothing could prepare us for the treasures which each corner brought us. We were almost convinced that it was an April Fool's joke and that we would soon awake.

My sketches for the day were focused on the part of the Center in the village of Ste. Colombe.













Just in case you are wondering about the big blob of "smoke" on the text page: The chill from the evening on the terrace sent us inside to a roaring fire, Josep's Cuban cigars which he shared with Pat and our final course of cheese and chocolate.

Arriving in France -Day 1

(A note about the drawings: I was not concerned with 'matching' the pages or the style of the sketches. Some days, I would use a combination of pen, waterbrush, and watercolor; other days, just a pen would do. As you can see, mistakes were scratched over, errors were sometimes corrected and the next day was a blank page. Occasionally I have published the actual page, other times I have typed in the text for easier reading - You'll find those words in italics. Enjoy.)

March 31
In Atlanta, I met Karen Jacobs for the flight to Charles de Gaulle. We missed our connection toToulouse. We learned that 55 minutes is not long enough between connections and that overbooking on the morning flights is quite common. So we hung out for 5 hours with coffee, croissants and naps.

We contacted Avis with request that our car still be available when we arrived and hoped that John and Ellie Clemens would discover the problem and drive the two hours back to Espéraza without us. Bless their hearts. They ran errands, had some lunch and were waiting with big smiles. We picked up the car from Avis and began the journey. My daily sketches follow with their errors and blotches. I will occasionally add some commentary or clarify words which circle and squiggle, but mostly they'll be just what I entered each day before.

Text: John and I unloaded the luggage at Maison du Poupees (House of the dolls) near the studios in Gramont, while Ellie and Karen went to search for the Center Director Catherine. They returned with the suggestion that we take the newly repaired Maison du Cerisiers (House of the Cherry Trees) next door to the other artists at LaForge (They were scheduled to stay in the Patio House about one mile away.)

Cristophe gave me a lesson in putting the car in reverse. He seemed very nervous to ride with me, but said I could get a French drivers' license. (I considered that to be high praise for my driving skills!)

One look at the cherry blossoms, out every window was enough for a fast decision and we moved to the house I had loved when I saw it on the Cat'Art website. . . www.catart.org

Later that evening, we all gathered on the big terrace for a welcome party and much laughter. We were delighted to meet other artists from the area and the folks who were part of Cat'Art. The chilly wind pushed us inside to a roaring fire, cuban cigars, cheese and chocolate!