Sketchbooks...

The topic of sketchbooks has come up in conversation several times recently and thought I'd show my efforts to create something a bit larger than the moleskins that are so popular (I have three) and also use up some good print paper that's been stored for years.

This is the first sketchbook I made to take to France several years ago. The cover is made from medium weight w/c paper which has been painted and distressed with acrylic paints to resemble leather and give it a bit of protection. It's bound with jute cord.

The web is loaded with examples of artfully crafted handmade books, including instructions, and I'm in awe of all that can be done in that direction, but my purpose is simply to use up this large supply of paper in an efficient manner that also might offer a bit of inspiration without inhibiting my need to make marks without concern for making art.

So the "books" I'm making now are simply means of binding a few pages together, handy to keep with my gear without bulk or weight. And fit on my tripod drawing board perfectly (see earlier post.) The paper is heavy enough to take a bit of color, doesn't have as much sizing as w/c paper but w/c crayon/pencil or ink stick with a bit of water do fine.

I've been going though old sketchbooks and realizing I've really let the sketch habit fade... I love to draw but making myself actually do it is the problem. Wonder why that is...

La Mer

Coming up on the first anniversary of my month long residency in France and the memories keep bubbling up. We visited the little book village of Montolieu near Carcassonne and I came away with a couple of souvenir books... one, La Mer, was purchased as collage fodder but it wasn't until this week that I actually began using it. I've created this long, skinny scroll type painting (20x72) that was just >>blahhhh<< sitting there. Made an edging of the French text which gave it another layer of interest. No photo of the work yet... later.

Delayed Reactions

2006, LeMer, 36x60, mixed media

So I'm not the only one. Reading Robin's blog makes me think the sinking spells and odd-man-out feelings I've been having are not unusual after spending a month away from routine. The worst of it is over I hope, and life seems back to normal, whatever that is. Normal, for me, means either too much to do or not enough... it means a familiar rut that is both cursed and sought... it means people who really do care but just don't think to give you all the strokes you think you need because their normal life is in need of strokes as well. I'm entering into the 'too much to do' mode, having wasted precious time being slow to surface.

I'm not superstitious, but I have a silly habit that has worked for years... that is to think 'worse case scenario' and that cancels out the possibility of it happening. A simple example would be: if I'm going downstairs with both hands full, I imagine myself falling, feeling every bump along the way. Then I proceed with the proper caution and all is well. When I fell to my knees coming out of a store in France, arms loaded with veggies and mouth in motion, I was obviously distracted. (Well, I was faced with this great view of the Pyrenees...) If I'd focused on possible results of my actions, that wouldn't have happened. It seems to work on a much larger scale in my life as well. The theory being, it's what you don't think of that will get you! Wonder what the term for that would be, positive/negative visionary reversal?

The painting above was started and finished since my return. It was suggested that I do something with blues as a client is looking and likes my work. From the first layer, I knew that it would reflect the Mediterranean, and therefore, the title. The photo isn't the best, I let it get away from me before a proper shoot.

Finding A Direction

Obi 1 - 4, 200512x12 each, mixed media

I've mentioned earlier that the knotted torsos of the plane trees grabbed my attention early and held it through some early ink on rice paper experiments while still in France. (View here and here.) I didn't know where I was going with the random marks but a browse through the catalog of Nguyen Cam, a Vietnamese artist who had worked and shown at Cat'Art residency previously, opened the door to possibilities. The marks I was making on varying sized squares began to make sense and I've just started thinking about how I might use them. Whatever they become will be far removed from the plane trees that started this creative stream, but not confused with Nguyen Cam's handsome works. I do, however, give a nod of appreciation to both for renewed enthusiasm for endless possibilities. I expect the early efforts will be similar to a group of works I finished last year, the four Obis shown above. I look forward to carrying this idea further.

In Twenty Five Words or Less...

Been home for over two weeks now, time to put it away. The fact is, it was my experience and to try to convey it to others is like offering water without a vessel... it just doesn't hold for others the way it did for me. That's the reality of such a trip... the polite 'did you have a nice time' requires a simple, unadorned answer... that's all they're asking for, don't even bother with pictures. Blogs, once thought to be the answer, are also excessive for most needs. So tuck it away in the place one keeps such things and try to come up with a suitable, brief answer.

"Spring in rural France, away from the tourist attractions was just what I needed to reaffirm my belief that the best things in life are free... or at least don't require tickets, lines or crowds." Okay, that's thirty five words... I'll work on it. Of course it wasn't free when one counts the air fare and other stuff... but the actuality was that the day to day simplicity, beauty and discovery fulfilled me more than any museum or other trampled attraction could. That's my take on it.

'Nuff said... future posts will leave the adventure behind. Well, maybe a reference here and there, but life goes on and I'd best try to catch up... rejoin the sheep being herded down the road...

Party People

There were many opportunities to gather and share food, wine and good company. A welcoming dinner on the big terrace was our first first such evening, complete with a few visiting artists from the surrounding area, but most important to us, a chance to get reaquainted and anticipate our exciting month ahead.

A week or so later, we gathered for a simple artist group/goodbye supper for Debbie, an event which grew and grew. It also became Chin Kong Yee's farewell evening (a photographer/painter from Maylasia) so we added chairs to our circle table to include Kong Yee and the director Catherine along with Cristophe (I'll call him the superintendent of the center, he had a solution for everything,) Addy (the yardman) and the sculptor, Nicolae. John, Ellie and Daffy were also invited so my little rice and sausage soup designed to supply easy meals through the coming week, expanded and grew to accomodate all. Of course, the offerings brought by our guests enhanced the dinner mightily... and the roaring fire and candles lent ambiance.

Karen, Annette, Ellie, Kong Yee, Robin...

The window sill buffet...






Full table...


John and Kong Yee







Scenes from the Easter Party in the Sculpture Shed:

Just getting started... it lasted into the next day... I didn't, but the party did!

Dozens of beautifully colored eggs Artfully arranged by Annette and Pat.


The grill begins with the burning of the art. Note the colored ends of the logs in foreground... they're from the art installation in the exhibition gallery.




Sculpting and glazing the hens...

Josep, Annette and Raya





Just step over the dog...

Cristophe, John and Pat





And there were many other gatherings and photo ops...

the Paint-L banners...

Josep shares a Cuban with Pat...





Table Talk with Raya, Robin, Pat and Ellie...

Pat and Catherine on the terrace...






Welcoming party on the terrace


People just sort of migrated to the patio one evening. That's Deef, or David Vanorbeek, in the center, a Flemish sculptor with studio on Cat'Art campus.


Cheryl enjoying patio party... this evening happened as we began thinking about our departure. Could be her thoughts are of how much we'll miss the camaraderie at Cat'Art.

Maison du Cerisier, or House of the Cherry Tree.

(for some really strange reason, if you see a link when the mouse hovers over the text, it takes you to another view of the Patio House... go figure!)

Built in the early 1800's, the house wears it's age well, especially since it's been renovated with all the modern conveniences... well, most of them. Situated on a steep incline, it presents totally different personalities from the two levels... one being large and commanding, the other, meek and cottage-like.

The three of us, Annette, Raya and myself, found it cozy and comfortable... well, once a few fringed warnings were hung at low doorways, especially for moi. I quickly developed a habitual 'bob' as I ducked through all upstairs doors, though only one was actually out to get me. The low stair passage could and did eventually remind everyone that they'd best pay attention.

With the kitchen and dining room on the ground floor, and our actual living space upstairs along with the bed and bath rooms, we set up a coffee corner in the living room for ease of perking that first cup and brought our most casual meals upstairs. It was amazingly easy and comfortable... and the company was always enjoyable. We never knew who might be joining us since for most of the month, the weather was too cool to use the patio as a gathering place and we had plenty of comfy furniture to share.

My bedroom window faced the white blooming cherry trees and marked the passage of the month of April as the tiny white blossoms swelled in size, leafed out and sprouted little green cherries. What a sight it will be when they ripen! One would actually be able to reach out the second story window and pick a few... well, very carefully, but possible. Maybe it's just as well that I won't be there for that temptation.


Some hearty soups and stews were made and shared. Raya won honors as best cook and the house often smelled of something good happening in the kitchen downstairs. But just as often we ate on the fly, making do with sausages, fruit, cheese, bread and wine... and I lost five lbs! We didn't miss a microwave at all and decided that one can cook almost as quick and efficiently on gas. There was usually some nearby village with a market day that offered tempting food choices... and little 'tabac' stores with cheese tarts, fruits and assorted neat breads... we never went hungry! Wine was cheap, delicious and available anywhere at anytime. One could drink way more of the local vin rouge than used to at home and not have a headache or hangover... but then my tests didn't go past 10pm so may not be conclusive.

The huge downstairs dining room easily contained a massive fireplace touted as the best in all the houses. Ummm... there's a trick to it that had to be learned after two very smoky attempts at making it function. Fortunately, the night of our first group gathering, (which grew into a double farewell party and a full house,) able hands knew what to do and it did, indeed, prove to be a hearty hearth with a roaring, smokeless fire. Note the funky basement window, a little daylight, lots of original stone, a lightbulb and a dead plant that began growing mulberry type leaves as the weather warmed.

With just a little attention, the yard with the cherry trees could easily become a real showplace, a stone patio, huge moss covered concrete table, pond, ivy climbing ancient stone walls... all the ambiance is there, but the weather was just a little too cool to actually use it much. Except for a few ants which were soon controlled, we noticed few bugs or critters inside or out.

After a couple of weeks, we all seemed to feel we worked at our art better in this house than in the studio for some reason... perhaps the convenience of having our materials handy, or the ambiance of the house in general, maybe both. But we all agreed that it was a very comfortable and likeable home for our month in France.

The Patio House

Built on old ruins within the last few years and largely designed by the resident sculptor, Nicolae Flessig, the multi-level Patio House is a fascinating living and working space. Colorful roof and trim tiles help make it distinctively different, in a funky Mediterranean way, from the surrounding, straightforward buildings of a certain age and state of repair.

Included in the maze-like structure are at least two residences, the main Cat'Art office and library and two studios, one is designed for ceramics but it also made a good painting spot with it's large windows inviting plenty of light along with wide views of the surrounding landscape.

The sunken patio is the centerpiece with an olive tree growing out of the patterned, tiled floor.

Built-in benches line walls, note the rear side of the fireplace serving the outer terrace.

There are some fabulously whimsical, unique, hand-made chairs available to pull up to the tables. One wonders about the origins, where the ideas came from, how it all came to be... such stories could be told! Note the concrete and iron 'painting'.

A stained glass window,

stylized gargoyles, (this one, possibly a self portrait?)

and hand wrought iron gates, are just a few of the creative touches around the area. But I was always finding something that went unnoticed before. What a party place! No doubt, many good times have been had here... one small gathering grew into quite a crowd on one of our last evenings together.

The Grounds of Cat'Art

The Cat'Art website cannot begin to show the wealth of creative inspiration to be found in and around the various buildings. The grounds are dotted with sculptures, mostly by the acclaimed sculptor in residence, Nicolae Flessig and the walls hold many paintings and carvings left by assorted artists unknown to most. Some of the work is very crude, even seemingly unfinished, some very refined and polished.

Even as the month waned I was still discovering hidden sculptures in and around the shrubs and trees on both campuses. Nicolae is very much an integral part of the center, his studio is on the La Forge campus and his influence is felt everywhere. The Cat'Art library contains a number of very slick exhibition catalogs, adding to our appreciation of his skill. Getting to know this sculptor and his work was an unexpected bonus.