Giant Brush, Is it 4 U???
Contemporary
Zen Paintings
Classes, Workshops and Demonstrations
| Paris fall
of 95
AFTER TRAVELING ALL DAY
FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE THAT I DON'T CHOOSE TO ELABORATE ON, WE CHECK INTO
THE GRANDE HOTEL LAVEQUE, A BIT OF A PIT REALLY AND NOT SO GRANDE, OUR PLACE TO HANG OUR
HATS AND A BED TO LAY UPON. IT IS SITUATED ON A GREAT, ALMOST PEDESTRIAN ONLY, STREET WITH
MANY SMALL SHOPS, VENDING ALL WE NEED TO SURVIVE...FRUITS, VEGETABLES, PASTRIES,
INCREDIBLE QUICK FOODS, MY FAVORITE OF WHICH IS A POTATO PIE WITH CHEESE AND TOPPED WITH
BACON, WHICH I ENDED UP HAVING EVERY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST. AFTER THE PURCHASE OF A LEMON
SCENTED AIR-FRESHENER, OUR PARISIAN HOME IS INDEED THAT. WE ON THE 1st FLOOR (2nd IN U S),
BATH UP ONE FLIGHT AND TOILETTE ONLY DOWN THE HALL.
AFTER MOVING WE HIT THE STREETS AND IT'S OFF TO THE POMPIDOU, OR MUSEE NATIONAL DE ARTE MODERN, TO VIEW THE COLLECTION.....THEY'RE ALL THERE.....THE MODERN MASTERS.....MY FAVORITES ARE MATISSE, OF WHICH THERE IS A LARGE GROUP, INCLUDING THE 4 LARGE BRONZE BACKS, LOTS OF CUT PAPER AND THE DESIGNS FOR THE CHAPEL OUTSIDE OF NICE. PICASSO IS THERE ZANDISKY, DELAUNY, MIRO, CALDER, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF HIS MOBILES, THERE ARE SEVERAL OF HIS WIRE SCULPTURES OF HEADS AND A FEMALE FIGURE (COOL !).....THERE ALL THERE. WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT KNOWING WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE OR WHAT WE WERE IN FOR AND SAW THE WHOLE THING. ABOUT 3 HOURS WORTH AND AFTER TRAVELING ALL DAY, WE WERE EXHAUSTED !
OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM WE HAD A CHEESE COVERED HOT DOG AND LOOKED UP TO ENCOUNTER A 8' TALL ZADKINE, RIGHT THERE ON THE STREET. I REALIZED RIGHT AWAY, SOMETHING THAT I'VE ACKNOWLEDGED BEFORE, WE, ROSEMARY AND I, LIVE IN A KNEE JERK BACKWATER OF A TOWN THAT REFUSES TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE IN THE MODERN WORLD AND JUST CAN'T SEEM TO DISPLAY ANY CURRENT ART ON THE STREETS. JESUS, IT MIGHT CONFUSE OR OFFEND SOMEONE, CAN'T HAVE THAT. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS COLLECTED FOR PUBLIC ART AND OUR ESTEEMED CITY FATHERS JUST CAN'T FIND ANYTHING MUNDANE ENOUGH TO SPEND IT ON.....ASSHOLES !.....BUT I DIGRESS.....THE ZADKINE IS AWESOME DUDE AND WE GROCK IT THE MOST. NOW IT'S STREET FOOD, A METRO RIDE AND BEDDIE BYE FOR WE INTREPID TRIPSTERS. THE ENSUING DAY IT'S MONDAY AND MOST OF THE MUSEUMS ARE CLOSED.....THE L'ORANGERIE IS NOT AND THERE YOU WOULD HAVE FOUND US ENJOYING THE SOUTERNES, MANETS, MONETS (HIS WATER LILIES FILL TWO LARGE, OVAL, BASEMENT ROOMS), RENOIRES, ETC. IT IS HERE THAT I FINALLY SEE WHAT ALL THE HOOPLA ABOUT CEZANNE IS ABOUT.....IN THE FLESH HIS COLORS AND METHOD OF APPLYING THEM ARE FANTASTIC AND SEEMINGLY VIBRATE RIGHT OFF THE CANVAS. WE PURCHASED MUSEUM PASSES, WHICH GIVE ACCESS TO 65 - 70 MUSEUMS AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS (A GREAT BUY) AND PROCURED METRO PASSES FOR ONE WEEK (ALSO A GREAT BUY), AND AVOIDED WAITING IN LONG LINES TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THE BALANCE OF OUR TIME IN PARIS. ONE OF THE FIRST ADVENTURES ON THE METRO WAS TO PLAN OUR ESCAPE.....OFF TO THE GARE LYON TO GET T.V.G RESERVATIONS TO GET OUT OF DODGE WHEN WE WERE READY TO LEAVE GAY PARIS (REMEMBER WHEN GAY MEANT HAPPY?)
THAT EVENING WE STROLLED THE LATIN QUARTER AND SUPPED ON CHEEP GREEK.....GYROS AND FRITTS FOR ME AND A GYROS ALONE FOR ROSEMARIE. ON OUR JOURNEY HOME THERE APPEARED BEFORE US AN ACCORDION PLAYER AND HIS ACCOMPANIMENT OF A FEMALE VOCALIST, THERE, RIGHT IN THE METRO, SINGING AND PLAYING FOR THEIR SUPPER. AAHHHHH PARIS.....LET'S SEE.....I COULD PULL THIS OFF.....JUST NEED A FEW SONGS.....OVER AND OVER, UUMMMMMMM.....IT WAS QUITE ROMANTIC AND DID WARM US. TRULY ! ON THE DAY THAT FOLLOWED WE WENT TO |
