Friday, July 03, 2009

Poissonnerie - and the best day in my life

La Poissonnerie painting
18 x 18 inches on stretched canvas
The Art Market at Marchè Provençal
My 'booth'
Jean Paul - the director of the Art Market
Drinking Champagne in the white tents at Eilenroc
Eve Ruggieri introducing tonight's program
Incredible concert !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Afterwards sharing a glass with Jean Paul and Audouin at the Art Market

I am just going to cut to the chase. Yesterday could be the most wonderful day I have ever had in my life. The first thing in the early morning, a dove flew into my bedroom and walked around the floor. I know this dove and have left breadcrumbs for it several times. I whistled gently to it and asked if she was a sign of hope.

Well ... my day started off, naturally, with computer problems. I am SO grateful to the city for this computer loaner, but it's not a computer geared to handle heavy graphic work -- so ... I'm online, then offline, online, then downloading software to get back online ... SO frustrating and what a waste of time. That being said, I rely on the help of my neighbor Alexander. Ladies you would like him - he's tall with dark curly hair and speaks only French - not bad, eh? So afterwards, I stopped by his house to say thank you again -- and three municipal police officers (not to be confused with the national police officers where I reported my theft) were standing by the gate at the end of the alley. They asked if all was ok ... and, of course I said 'absolutement No!!' I told them I was robbed and all was gone. They asked for my name - and knowing they could never comprehend the word 'Schlegel' (doesn't sound french), I asked them to follow me to the villa so I could give them my card.

Well, never missing a marketing opportunty, I gave them my 'Mr. Martini' card. Well ... one of the policemen said 'I know this card ... did you have a lavander purse?'. Here, the police found my purse last week and brought it to the Objects trouve - lost and found. I couldn't believe my ears !!! I had searched for my camera and purse for eight days ... walking and searching ... and here, because of my 'Mr. Martini' business card, there was hope of finding it. I walked to Juan-les-Pins and entered the Objects trouve. Voila !! There was my purse !!!! My wallet was ripped and everything BUT my drivers license was gone ... but, my Picasso Antibes book was there, my passport was there ... and my cherished Mass Card for my Mother was there. I can't begin to tell you the joy I felt .. finally some assemblance of myself. (I won't get into the ineptness of people because my day was too wonderful to dwell on it - but ... hadn't they seen the mailing invoice in my purse with my complete information and the complete info of the mayor of culture of Antibes ... didn't they receive my phone message with detailed info on me and everything I lost - spoken in english AND french ??? ). Ok .. getting back to feeling wonderful ...

Jean Paul runs the artists' market at Marchè Provençal. So, after the food market closes down and the market is scrubbed clean, the artists set up their booths. I have been invited to paint there, so I loaded up my easel, my paints, brushes, canvases and completed canvases ... and hauled myself to the market. What a great feeling to paint again - to feel great joy again - and everyone is sooo kind and so much fun !! I decided on the wonderful 'Poissonnerie' as my subject matter. Jean Paul bought a Kronenburg beer for me ... and then another ... and then my friend Audouin called to invite me to the concert at Eilenroc. He would pick me up on his scooter at 8:00 pm.

Eilenroc. What can you say about the MOST beautiful estate in the world.
Villa Eilenroc was built on a rock in the middle of a virtual desert. The area was transformed into a glorious garden through the patience and talent of Jacques Greber, landscape architect and consultant to the Great Exhibition in New York in 1939. He was commissioned by Mr Beaumont to create this luxuriant park of 11 hectares. The heirs of this incredible estate donated the villa and gardens to the city of Antibes, and Antibes has lovingly cared for this glorious property. Operas and concerts in front of the great stairs and pillars of this great estate ... white tents, dark blue sky, stars, parasol pines ... the breeze, the cigale, la mer ... and always champagne ...

So, Audouin picks me up on his scooter (me wearing a long skirt ??), and we head toward Eilenroc. It's magical ... it's sooo intensely beautiful that you are overwhelmed and overflowing with emotion. Eve Ruggieri (very important, very famous) introduces tonight's selections. We are sitting seven rows up, center seats of course. Only the best for us VIPs (hahaha) ... and the music begins - imagine l'orchestre philharmonique de Nice in front of Eilenroc .. and it's perfect outside ... and you have your purse again ... nothin' better than that. With the second selection, the very beautiful and gifted opera singer Nathalie Manfrino enters center stage. Never a more beautiful voice have I heard - and wearing a flowing white gown draping beneath her - truly resembling a greek goddess ... Rondinet ... La Traviata ... Faust ... Pêcheurs de perles (the pearl fishermen) ... intermission ... champange in the white tents ... Contes d'Hoffman of Offenbach, the Air of Thaïs of Massenet ... and La Bohème ... under the stars at Eilenroc.

Afterward, we stopped for a beer and a visit with Jean Paul. The artists' market is open until midnight and it was very good to stop back and see the artists once again. They are so nice to be with - and very caring and it was a lovely ending to a perfect day ...

As I said, maybe the most wonderful day I have ever had in my life ... was it the dove perhaps ?


OLYMPUS AMERICA

2 Comments:

Blogger Roxanne Steed said...

Beautiful painting..and what an amazing, epic journey!!! WOW!

7:43 AM  
Blogger http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

I like the blues and greys in your painting. What a story. I'm so envious of your experiences I hope you get fat.

8:41 PM  

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