All posts by Emile Manfeldt
Sunday
After a light breakfast I set off on a walk in our neighborhood, the Marais district. I stumbled onto the Musée Cognacq-Jay.
The museum was a gift to the people of France. It was left by an industrialist , Cognacq. He lived in the late nineteenth century but in the general taste of the era his collection came from eighteenth century artists.
The Petit Palais
Saturday
“Seek what magnifies your spirit” – Patti Smith
By being on a creative sabbatical means that I look at a lot of art and that I think a lot about the creative process.
There are so many variables. For myself at the moment: I am out of my studio and must make do with what I have. The size of my brushes have already influenced my style.
I like to look at an artwork in front of me and let it speak for itself. But there is so much more going into it! The artists emotional state, his wellbeing, the influence of news happening out there, seasons, light conditions, studio or wirking outside.
Seeing Picasso once more made me aware that as an artist my first priority is to draw, draw, draw. Until you can do it eyes closed. In the Picasso Museum is an collection of 70 000 works of art. And every collection of modern art worldwide includes more. His work is mesmerizing. It just proves the statement of practice makes oerfect.
On the next 70 000 drawings! Cheers! Just do it…
The Picasso museum
L’ Oranderie museum
Friday
Thursday
People are so entertaining! Especially a tourist with a selfie stick. It is more fun to watch them than going to a zoo! The smiles and the poses are worth watching. Initially it irritated me but now I get myself a seat and settle in to watch…..
Musee le Cluny
Wednesday 9 August
A question to all musical people reading this: if you are a composer, does the language you speak influence the music you compose? All languages have a built in rhythm. I know music is a language onto its own, but if you write for singing it must have an influence on the music.
Is that why German music differs a lot from French and Italian music?
Now you know some of my musings while listening to the glorious music recital of last night.
This morning I walked on the right bank of the Seine. You can either walk on the road level or a few meters lower on river level. By the river is where the Parisians can be found jogging, walking their dogs and playing with their children. Peaceful with a backdrop of old, beautiful architecture. Almost unimaginable to think a few meters up it teams with tourists and cars on their way to work.
My first visit today is l’Orangerie. The great attraction is Monet’s water lily paintings. 8 huge canvasses, meters and meters of tranquility. Each canvas presenting another part of the gardens Monet built so that he could paint close to home.
I will post a video on it too.
The rest of the museum is just as imposing. All impressionists from Cezanne and beyond up to Picasso and Matisse can be enjoyed.
The Second museum is the Petit palais. A beautiful building built , like the Eiffel Tower, for the 1900 world exhibition. Some of the current exhibits are glass from the era that could have been on that exhibition. The Art Deco furniture is especially striking.
The rest of the exhibits include an eclectic collection that covers Greek art from 650BC up to 17th to 19th century art and artifacts.
This evening we had the joy of meeting the Louw family from London who came to visit us for a few days.