So that was London
Today is Sunday. My last day in this part of London. It is hot hummid and the first time it has
rained. My room here at the Imperial was so small I could almost touch the walls when I extended my arms.....but it was in such a lovely square in Notting Hill (Princess Square) and literally 50 steps
away was the Prince Edward Pub.... Surrond me by Royalty say I.
I have been to the Royal Academy of Art's Summer Show....it was awesome so much art and
anyone in the world can apply perhaps next year!!!!!!! Wednesday was another royal day off
to Kennsington Gardens and Kennsington Palace... Frankly I do not blame Megan M... for not
wanting to live there. All those tourist in your back yard trasping around your garden eating hard
boiled eggs and sarnies (thats sandwich in English English). Yup I too would have headed for
Windsor...much nicer more secluded.
Thursday was the Tate Britain with my (our - Jim and I) friend Pauline. We wondered around
the British art thought the 20th century Turner and Constable. It is always a pleasure to see
the original art that filled our Art History text in person, even if it is not my particular interst. We
got caught up in a Demonstration to free a far Right Radical Robbie Somebody or other. The police
adviced us to move on which we did. Which was good as it turned a little violent.
Friday was off to Kew Garden. OMG there was a lot of ground to cover. Pauline and I walked
and walked and walked. there was a special Chihuly Exhibition. His pieces where huge, one over
thirty feet that hung in the middle of a conservatory. Huge white glass water lilies in the lilly pond
conservatory. The most facinating (for me) was the Marianne North gallery. In 1879 spinster Marianne North left England for 15 years travelling the world, mostly south America, etc and painted
When she returned she built a gallery and donated all 1,000 or so painting to Kew Garden. This
is a must see. Even if not your favourite art the shear volume and the intrepid spirt of this Victorian Lady was just awesome.
Saturday I got my train tickets sorted and walked Kennsington High Street. Visited Cass art
supplies hmmmm less than what I expected and then went for one last meal at my local. PE makes a really good soup and salad.
And now I am in the Lobby writing this cooling off as my room is so hot and awaiting my taxi to
take me to Paddington station and off to a weeks painting in Devon. To excited
Big Hugs From London Town
Sunday 14 July 2019
Saturday 6 July 2019
July 6th 2019
After a Seven year break I am off to Europe again...tomorrow...... I have packed....
I have printed two copies of my itinerary...........I have more art supplies than clothes.
When I went to France I took Oil paint and it was difficult getting painting home so
last September I started taking watercolour classes.. I managed 105 paintings in
10 months. I think I am prepaired for adventures to come.
So stay tuned for the adventure to begin
After a Seven year break I am off to Europe again...tomorrow...... I have packed....
I have printed two copies of my itinerary...........I have more art supplies than clothes.
When I went to France I took Oil paint and it was difficult getting painting home so
last September I started taking watercolour classes.. I managed 105 paintings in
10 months. I think I am prepaired for adventures to come.
So stay tuned for the adventure to begin
Monday 30 July 2012
And so it comes to an end
Bon Jour
Hello from the Bristol Hotel in Avignon. I arrived yesterday courtesy of Linda who drove me here. Ah Linda, she reminds me a bit of Marg Brown charming sweet but a little scattered. She looked it (the Hotel) on the map no problem. Um I said as we entered the gates should we not have turned left back there. Oh no its fine we will find it. Therefore, luckily for me I got a 15 minute driving tour to start my time in Avignon as no she didn't FIND IT. So we left the walled city reentered at the same spot turned left this time went 2 block turned right and voila the Hotel was there right where Hemingway left in the diirty 30's.
I was way to early to get my room so I stashed my luggage and headed to the first of three Musee on my list. It was as beautiful inside the building as the art. Most of the art was 18th early 19th century although there was a Manet. There was a lot of Egyptian artifacts also and after an hour and a bit they closed for lunch so I headed towards the Pope's Palace. There were a dozen or so buildings, see pictures of some, that I passed on my with statuary and intricate carvings that I have become quite blaze seen one historical old Opera house seen them all kinda thing. Anyways the Palace and Church were incredible not the Vatican of course but for the I think 17th Century pretty bloody awesome.
Unfortunately, I only got into the one musee on Sunday thinking I would do the others Monday and darn it all they are closed a great shame as there were some artist whose work I would have liked to see.
Also the antique stores are mostly closed today too, I assume My Jimmie arranged that. Below are the pictures I took since leaving the Atelier, except the first three which are of the main house and 2 or the 4 feathers outside of Marcus's suite.
The last 2 photos are the view from my room and why I feel like I am staying in a Tree house. Anyways adieu for now.
Hello from the Bristol Hotel in Avignon. I arrived yesterday courtesy of Linda who drove me here. Ah Linda, she reminds me a bit of Marg Brown charming sweet but a little scattered. She looked it (the Hotel) on the map no problem. Um I said as we entered the gates should we not have turned left back there. Oh no its fine we will find it. Therefore, luckily for me I got a 15 minute driving tour to start my time in Avignon as no she didn't FIND IT. So we left the walled city reentered at the same spot turned left this time went 2 block turned right and voila the Hotel was there right where Hemingway left in the diirty 30's.
I was way to early to get my room so I stashed my luggage and headed to the first of three Musee on my list. It was as beautiful inside the building as the art. Most of the art was 18th early 19th century although there was a Manet. There was a lot of Egyptian artifacts also and after an hour and a bit they closed for lunch so I headed towards the Pope's Palace. There were a dozen or so buildings, see pictures of some, that I passed on my with statuary and intricate carvings that I have become quite blaze seen one historical old Opera house seen them all kinda thing. Anyways the Palace and Church were incredible not the Vatican of course but for the I think 17th Century pretty bloody awesome.
Unfortunately, I only got into the one musee on Sunday thinking I would do the others Monday and darn it all they are closed a great shame as there were some artist whose work I would have liked to see.
Also the antique stores are mostly closed today too, I assume My Jimmie arranged that. Below are the pictures I took since leaving the Atelier, except the first three which are of the main house and 2 or the 4 feathers outside of Marcus's suite.
The last 2 photos are the view from my room and why I feel like I am staying in a Tree house. Anyways adieu for now.
Friday 27 July 2012
Cezanne's Atelier, Garnet Museum and Lunch on the Cours Mirabeau
Bon Jour
Hello from my little cabin in Provence. This will probably be my last posting from the Fourwinds Atelier, yes it will as in two days, Sunday, I leave for two days in Avignon. I will stay in the old medieval town and will be surrounded by a wall centuries old, or so I am told.
It is my Friday midday and Friday early am in Vancouver and my Jimmie is back safely from his trip to the Kootneys and after we spent an hour catching up this morning he has gone to bed and I assume sleeping soundly. It was great to chat with him after a long 4 day absence. Maddie is home from the kennel with a clean blanket, clipped nails and a new doo. So all is well at home and waiting my return next week.
On Wednesday Marcus and I went to Aix-en-Provence, the home and muse of my hero Cezanne was our first stop after walking a half mile up a very steep hill. The first 3 pictures below are of Cezanne's place. The single room that you visit is only about 25 ft by 25 ft with two large french doors on the south side an internal fire place on the east and a wall of windows on the north side. The ceiling is about 20 ft high. the room next to it has an rectangular cut out so, as the atelier is on the second floor, he could slide out big canvas through the slit to an embankment at the back of the house. The walls must have been a darkish green grey but of course it is all flaking and chipped now. In the room are possessions that are believed to be his as the house was bought including contents from Cezanne's son, also a Paul, by an admirer of Cezanne seniors work and then saved as a museum by, unbelievably, two Americans who purchased it and gifted it to the town.
After that we walked through the town to the Garnet Museum, where once again I could take pictures of as many doors as I fancied. I also took pictures of place we stopped for coffee then a market and then the Museum.
The Garnet Musee what charming. It is not as big as D'rsay but I was so excited as there was work by several more artist that previously I had only seen in Art History books. I will start the list with an all time favourite, Alberto Giacometti whose work I have always loved and was thrilled to see in person if only there were more, 5 statures and 6 paintings were not enough. Of course Cezanne was there but also and in no particular order , Mondriian, Legar, Fautrier, Jacol, DeKooing, Richkter, Gottleb, Pollack, and that was just part of the exhibit. Needless to say I was in heaven and spend quiet along time trying to do "close reads" on the works I liked best.
We then went back to the Cours Mirabeau and eat a lunch at the Hotel Nagre Coste apparently a very famous place but one step down from the one two doors down where the french movie stars eat called Les deux Garsons. Apparently ours was less famous and less expensive but still charming to eat out side and watch all the people go by. We had a coffee with small desserts for pudding, see picture some where buried half way through the lot.
We took a train trip through the narrow ally ways in order to see more and every once in a while the conductor would jump out and but her pass in a machine and a large cylinder about 12 inches around and 2 ft off the ground would disappear into the road and we would drive down streets no wider that 8 ft jammed with shops and people and out little train, it was very strange indeed.
After that we took a bus that looks like a 6 passenger rickshaw back to the car park and drove back to Fourwinds. A nine hour day but well spent. So far St Remy has been my favourite but I have yet to explore Avignon.
Well that is it for this post, and for those that know me well I have picked up a real estate magazine and spent some time pursuing its content.
Bon Voyage
Hello from my little cabin in Provence. This will probably be my last posting from the Fourwinds Atelier, yes it will as in two days, Sunday, I leave for two days in Avignon. I will stay in the old medieval town and will be surrounded by a wall centuries old, or so I am told.
It is my Friday midday and Friday early am in Vancouver and my Jimmie is back safely from his trip to the Kootneys and after we spent an hour catching up this morning he has gone to bed and I assume sleeping soundly. It was great to chat with him after a long 4 day absence. Maddie is home from the kennel with a clean blanket, clipped nails and a new doo. So all is well at home and waiting my return next week.
On Wednesday Marcus and I went to Aix-en-Provence, the home and muse of my hero Cezanne was our first stop after walking a half mile up a very steep hill. The first 3 pictures below are of Cezanne's place. The single room that you visit is only about 25 ft by 25 ft with two large french doors on the south side an internal fire place on the east and a wall of windows on the north side. The ceiling is about 20 ft high. the room next to it has an rectangular cut out so, as the atelier is on the second floor, he could slide out big canvas through the slit to an embankment at the back of the house. The walls must have been a darkish green grey but of course it is all flaking and chipped now. In the room are possessions that are believed to be his as the house was bought including contents from Cezanne's son, also a Paul, by an admirer of Cezanne seniors work and then saved as a museum by, unbelievably, two Americans who purchased it and gifted it to the town.
After that we walked through the town to the Garnet Museum, where once again I could take pictures of as many doors as I fancied. I also took pictures of place we stopped for coffee then a market and then the Museum.
The Garnet Musee what charming. It is not as big as D'rsay but I was so excited as there was work by several more artist that previously I had only seen in Art History books. I will start the list with an all time favourite, Alberto Giacometti whose work I have always loved and was thrilled to see in person if only there were more, 5 statures and 6 paintings were not enough. Of course Cezanne was there but also and in no particular order , Mondriian, Legar, Fautrier, Jacol, DeKooing, Richkter, Gottleb, Pollack, and that was just part of the exhibit. Needless to say I was in heaven and spend quiet along time trying to do "close reads" on the works I liked best.
We then went back to the Cours Mirabeau and eat a lunch at the Hotel Nagre Coste apparently a very famous place but one step down from the one two doors down where the french movie stars eat called Les deux Garsons. Apparently ours was less famous and less expensive but still charming to eat out side and watch all the people go by. We had a coffee with small desserts for pudding, see picture some where buried half way through the lot.
We took a train trip through the narrow ally ways in order to see more and every once in a while the conductor would jump out and but her pass in a machine and a large cylinder about 12 inches around and 2 ft off the ground would disappear into the road and we would drive down streets no wider that 8 ft jammed with shops and people and out little train, it was very strange indeed.
After that we took a bus that looks like a 6 passenger rickshaw back to the car park and drove back to Fourwinds. A nine hour day but well spent. So far St Remy has been my favourite but I have yet to explore Avignon.
Well that is it for this post, and for those that know me well I have picked up a real estate magazine and spent some time pursuing its content.
Bon Voyage
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