Discovering a New Artist

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Paul

This afternoon we did some sketching in town. Jean went one way and I went another. I found a quiet nook by one of the old fountains and sketched. After an hour of sketching I decided to visit our friend, Denis Lacaux, at Galerie Lacaux where his sister does art restoration in a workshop next to his gallery. She spent 30 minutes showing me her workshop and some of the projects she did in the past as well as a few she is working on presently. What an educational experience!

Then Jean and I connected back at the house and decided to visit the Estrine Museum which we had visited previously. However, a new show had been hung the day after our visit and we were intrigued by the artist’s work. Benedicte Brun‘s work did not disappoint. She has a style that is energetic, colorful, and emotional. This exhibition is all portraits of people of St. Remy. She captures their visage as well as the person behind the face. The rich layers of unblended colors are exciting. Her drawing skills humble me. What an artist! If you click on her name above you will see her other work. However, the portraits for the show are not on the website. Unfortunately, the museum’s site has not been updated with her works. Therefore, you are left with my meager photos that do not begin to show the power of her paintings. Note the pages from her sketchbooks as well.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What a fantastic artist!

Paul

Posted in Art, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Running of the Bulls

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Paul

The Fete continues unabated in St. Remy de Provence! Last night we attended the grand ball or dance on the Place de Republique. This is a large square that has been largely converted to a carnival site. A stage sits on one side and last night that stage was set with four tiers, curtains, flashing lights, a fog machine, a seven piece band, singers, and scantily clad dancing girls. They were the only ones dancing at this dance. The show was a poorly lit and amplified Las Vegas-style revue with mostly American popular music that you would hear in Las Vegas. We came home early and made plans to skip town today to paint in the mountains overlooking Les Beaux, a beautiful hilltop castle nearby.

Our plans for the day came to an abrupt halt this morning with the closure of all roads in and out of the old part of the village where we are staying. The ring road that surrounds our enclave was to be the site of bull running. We couldn’t get to our car. Therefore, we settled down to watch a few bulls run loose on the ring road while hundreds of testosterone-crazed young men taunted them to a chase. I saw not a single woman taking part in this. Perhaps there is hope for our species. The bulls are few and scattered, sometimes prodded along by horsemen with poles, but mostly running free after any guys who dare stray too close. One fellow strayed more than close and soon the ambulance stationed across from our street was summoned. However the ambulance could not go out into the street with the bulls and young men. Therefore, the horsemen hustled to run the bulls back to their pens so the EMTs could do their work. In the end the horsemen were serenaded with the national anthem. You will note the steel bars in the photos, behind which we remained safely barricaded throughout the event.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Despite the rabble rousing events of the Fete taking place around the city, our little ancient village inside the old walls remains somewhat quiet and calm. These are the views that inspire us to draw and paint.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This afternoon is the grand bull fight in the main arena. It is supposed to be a colorful pageant, but we are skipping it. (No, they do not kill the bulls here, at least until it’s time for them to become entrees on the local menus.

Time for ukulele practice. Bye for now!

Paul

Posted in Art, Retirement, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | Tagged | 2 Comments

Parade of the Ancient Crafts

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Paul

Last night the fete began with a bang…literally. This morning at 9:00 AM an artillery barrage confirmed that the festivities have begun.

We spent a large part of the day in our continuing effort to ship a suitcase back home before we leave St. Remy. The replacement car we got after my auto accident is smaller than the original car and we don’t want to try to stuff the extra bag into it. However, we have received the incorrect forms from the shipper 3 times. Today we finally got the correct forms, but the print shop where we can print computer documents was closed. To the rescue our friend and fellow artist, Denis Lacaux! He printed our documents from our thumb drive and we are ready to go!

We saw much preparation and knew the streets were closing from 2:00 to 10:00 PM today. At 5:00 a Parade of Ancient Crafts began. This is the parade I saw 2 years ago. Families and individuals dress up in period costumes and as people plying old trades and march around the town several times. Everyone joins in and what a treat to see young and old side by side celebrating their heritage…vinters, sheep herders, farmers, horsemen, gypsies, bakers, politicians, suffragettes, and even a brass band! Here is a sampling:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The dance begins at Place de Republique in the center of the village at 10:00 PM. The promise “New Music” so we must attend to learn what that means. Time to put on the dancing shoes!

Paul

Posted in Photography, Retirement, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | Tagged , | 5 Comments

A Catch Up Post!

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Paul

It has been five days since my last post and much has happened. Judi was still with us most of the week. We enjoyed the market day on Wednesday with my new favorite jazz band, Gig Street. They play a sweet mix of jazz, blues, and pop music that is good for the soul.

IMG_2537 Large Web view

Judi and I also took a trip to Lake de Peiroou, but the Mistral was blowing so hard we could not draw. Therefore, we adjourned to St. Paul de Mausole to commune with the spirit of Van Gogh for a while. It was pleasant among the olive grove with Les Alpilles in the background as we contemplated his year in this asylum.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Thursday morning we arose early to get Judi to the Avignon TGV station and made it with plenty of time to spare. Jean and I then decided to visit Gordes, the hill town made famous by Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence. Someone here had told us there were fantastic rock formations near there for drawing and painting. We never saw the rock formations, but did visit this interesting town. It has been largely rebuilt since WWII due to heavy damage inflicted by the German Army. Gordes was a partisan stronghold and paid dearly for it. Highlights included a tour of the caves under the village. Every house was built on excavated caves and much commerce and living was carried on down there over the centuries, including olive pressing, leather tanning, shoe making, wool processing, and weaving. The views from this clifftop village are broad across the Luberon.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A significant highlight of the day was meeting Pascale Camy, a very talented bronze sculptor.CamyHer work is stunning and deserves a wide audience. Please click on her name above to visit her website and view her magnificent works.

Today marks the beginning of the 10 day long fete in St. Remy. We spent the morning arranging for shipping a bag of extra things back home. In the afternoon we walked out to St. Paul to do some drawing and painting.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Back at home I was making some pasta for dinner when the fete began. While eating we heard the fireworks signalling the start. However, by the time we got to the street the bulls had already passed. There will be bulls running in the streets somewhere around town almost every day for the next week, so we should be able to see them sometime. Tonight it is relatively quiet because the inaugural dance is held out at the edge of town. Tomorrow’s dance is held on the main square and will be loud music until 3:00 AM.

Paul

Posted in Art, Music, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Artists of St. Remy

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Paul

Today we met two wonderful artists  in St. Remy.

Pascal Bouterin is a wonderful young artist represented at Atelier Bouterin near our house. His work attracted our attention with strong abstract images, texture, and subtle colors…all evocative of J.M.W. Turner. We entered the gallery and were enchanted by this tall man who loved to talk about his art. The paintings were described as “oil and fire on wood” so we asked what that meant. He explained that he paints the image in oil on a wood panel. When it is dry he goes over the image with a torch to scorch and change the colors. He cannot predict how the pigments will react to the heat and, therefore, the results are sometimes a surprise. The beautiful images of cities and landscapes spark the imagination. Pascal is represented in galleries in New York and Atlanta and has been in shows in other cities throughout Europe and the US.

Click on his name above to visit his web site. Here are a couple of images from his site.

arton75

arton27

Denis Lacaux‘s art caught my eye as we passed Galerie Lacaux. I am not normally drawn to surrealistic art, but his images are entrancing. Jean had met and talked with Denis a few days ago and encouraged me to go talk to him about his art. I looked at a few pieces and asked him a provocative question, “I don’t normally like surrealist art. Why does your work appeal to me so much?” He was prepared for the question and we pursued a 30-40 minute conversation about color, value, and design in creating an image that attracts and holds the viewer’s interest. Denis Lacaux is a master at understanding complimentary colors, hot and cool temperatures, and the elements of design that bring the viewer into the scene. He spends weeks planning and executing each painting with each element carefully laid down in the correct place for maximum effect. We strolled through the gallery and discussed one painting after another. I was enthralled listening to his logical explanations of how each painting captivated me. What a thrill and joy! I wish he could come to Seattle to provide a class for my artist friends. Click on the links above to see his web site. Here are a couple of examples of his work.

tbl_105

tbl_70

tbl_25

I hope you enjoy these artists’ work as much as I do.

Paul

 

Posted in Art, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Another Visit To The Camargue

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Paul

We returned to The Camargue yesterday to introduce Judi to the birds of the Rhone River delta. This time we remembered mosquito repellent! It was a glorious sunny day with a little breeze to keep the worst of the insects at bay.

The Camargue is home to over 300 species of birds and hosts as many as 400 species when migrations are included. It includes the only reproducing colony of flamingos in France. There also are ancient salt works that still produce exquisite salt by filling the marshes with seawater and then letting it evaporate. Rice crops cover almost 40% of The Camargue. This is a working national park that has much to see and do.

We particularly love Pont de Gau Ornithological Park. This wonderful preserve has almost 4 miles of trails winding around several distinct estuaries, across dikes and bridges, and along canals. Camargue horses, an ancient and beautiful breed, graze the highlands between the estuaries. Flamingos and other water birds fill the waterways.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Of course we also took some time for drawing.

IMG_2515 Large Web view

Visit The Camargue any time you are in Provence!

Paul

Posted in Art, Photography, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | 1 Comment

Jazz in Saint Remy

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Paul

Thursday night we attended a wonderful jazz concert that was a tribute to Django Reinhardt. Django Revisited Big Band played two sets of music arranged for a big band. Twenty musicians filled the stage and hall with music! Lois Coeurdeuil is an accomplished guitarist who has played Django Reinhardt’s music for many years. However, this was usually in a small ensemble as it was originally performed. His dream was to adapt this music to the big band sound. He collaborated with band leader Romain Thivolle to build a band of extraordinary musicians and create a repertoire of Django’s music like you’ve never heard it before.

Here are some links to their work:

Marseille Jazz Concert 2014

Earlier this year

This what they looked like on stage Thursday night.

IMG_7537.J Large Web view

We arrived an hour early because we were unsure about parking and found an almost full parking lot! A pre-concert party was in full swing with wine, canapes, and a small jazz combo playing on the performance hall patio. We found some chairs and listened to the music for a hour before the concert. The Alpilium is a unique performance hall that has only been in use for 3 years. The seating is comfortable, the sound excellent, and the season’s listing of concerts quite impressive.

What an exciting evening!

Paul

 

 

Posted in Music, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

New Art

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Paul

Jean, Judi, and I have all been drawing and painting. Here’s Judi drawing on our patio table.

IMG_2410 Large Web view

I’ve been working on my abstract forms. These are much more pleasing to me than some of the landscapes I have been doing on this trip. This one is of the lake above St. Remy, the Roman dam, and the mountains around the shore.

IMG_2406 Large Web view

I also took one of my quick sketches of the musicians on the street and worked on it for a bit of an abstract drawing. This is made on black paper with silver and gold pencils.

IMG_2408 Large Web view

Paul

Posted in Art, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | 1 Comment

Busy Week

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Paul

It has been busy since my cousin Judi arrived Tuesday, so there have been few photos and little time to do a post. It has been raining and storming off and on since Tuesday, as of this afternoon it appears as if the weather will clear. At least that’s the weather report from the Saint Remy Tourist Office! Yesterday was market day so we enjoyed a stroll through the market and did a little shopping. Today is laundry day, but this evening we are going to a Django Revisited jazz band concert. This is one of premier events of the jazz festival this weekend.

Looking back at my posts, I realized some photos were missing. Last Saturday evening Jean and I attended an organ concert in the huge Romanesque church on Place de Republique. They have a large and very fine pipe organ that the town highlights with free concerts on Saturday evenings during the tourist season. Frederic Munoz was magnificent! His program was a mix of 20th century and classical music, Cabezon, Chapelet, Cabanilles, Godard, Bach, Racquet, and Corrette. The church has a large projection screen so you can watch the organist’s hands and feet during the concert. What a treat! We are going again this Saturday when a different organist is doing an all Bach concert, including The Goldberg Variations.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tomorrow we get a new refrigerator in the morning and then we are off to the Camargue Bird Sanctuary to see the flamingos, herons, and mosquitoes.

Paul

Posted in Music, Travel, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

In The Footsteps of Van Gogh

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Paul

We’ve been following in Van Gogh’s footsteps around St. Remy. The local small non-profit museum, Musee Estrine, has a display interpreting the great artist’s life, particularly his time here. Although the museum does not have an original Van Gogh painting, they do a creditable job of showcasing his love for the Provence countryside, how it influenced his painting, how his painting was influenced by earlier artists, and how later artists were influenced by his work. In addition the museum has an interesting collection of modern art, largely collected from their production of art shows for artists since 1989. When an artist has a show here he/she must leave one painting behind as a gift to the museum. As a result they have a fine eclectic collection of art works. One painting by Andre Marchand looks very much like our friend JP’s paintings…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We also followed a walk through the town sign posted with 19 reproductions of Van Gogh paintings. They aren’t always in the spot where he painted them, but they all include pithy remarks about the paintings extracted from his letters. He thought in depth about the process of painting and wrote voluminously on the subject in letters to friends and family. Often these letters refer to specific paintings. The walk also gave us the opportunity to sample the sights as he might have.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tomorrow Judi arrives to visit for a week. We look forward to sharing this area with her and doing some drawing together.

Paul

Posted in Art, Retirement, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Travel | Tagged , , | 1 Comment