After seeing the chateau of Fontainebleau yesterday I can’t help but think about modern art. The art in an castle like that is overwhelming. How can a poor contemporary artist compete with the art displayed there? Paintings larger than life, floor to ceiling with spectacular gilded frames. Can one ever improve on that? Above all there is an setting that cannot be improved upon.
No wonder modern artists do all kinds of tricks to try and get some attention.
In the night I thought about how much I loved going to the movies as a student. All the Morricone music I know and live so well. Maybe in the next few years, if I am not on call 24/7 it will be great to go to the movies again regularly. I stopped going because it is frustrating to be bothered by the phone two or three times during a film, not to mention all the glances of the other irritated movie patrons.
Early of this morning to we are off to Fontainebleau. Our friend Jan joined in. He has been there before so day it should be easier to get there. Or so I thought …
Our first real train trip this holiday. We have not been out of town in the last two months. We had a lot of plans to visit friends in Netherlands, Friesland and Germany, but our days were really full and we didn’t feel like missing anything that Paris had to offer. Frederika dit not want to do the tourist thing but I wanted it all. What good is an art residency if I can’t see all the art? And the music, and the architecture and experience the people who makes the city what it is. I do not think I did too badly.
The train trip is only forty minutes. I love trains. It could last all day and I would still be happy.Then we went by bus to the little town.
The castle is beautiful. Even though it is spread over ackers, incomparison with Versailles this is a more person friendly castle. Not as big and not nearly as imposing. Being built over many centuries be different kings it has an eclectic look. Bits from every era.
The interior is very lavish of course, but the rooms are smaller and on a more human scale. Every little detail has a personal touch. All made by craftsman. Beautiful!
The gardens and parks are big, beautiful and well kept. It would have been wonderful to spend more time here as we had an absolutely perfect sunny day. Sittig outside to draw would be perfect. Well, I did do a little bit of drawing in any case, but..
Madame has chef school tonight so I went of to the local bagel shop. There I sat outside seeing the world go by. It was a perfect evening.
My advert is up for my exhibition on Monday. No turning back now.
Three studio exhibitions tonight. One of them a video show of a few artists. All weird and wonderful.
We are so fixated on money and possessions. If somebody owes you money it can lead to a loss of friendship or bad feelings. Money is like water, it tend to flow away without us noticing. And we can always make more money if it comes to that.
We should be jealous of our time. We have just so much. Once this moment is gone, we will never have it again. We should be more selfish with our time and more careless about money. I hate it when people waste my time. On the other hand I appreciate it most is somebody is willing to spend their precious time with me. Use your time well.
Some time ago I read that, if we reach the age of eighty we will have 24 280days at our disposal. Today I have less than 8 900 left. That feels like nothing! And we do not even if we will be privileged enough to live that long, or will be healthy enough to enjoy those days! We must start to appreciate every moment. Today!
Another wild goose chase today. Fortunately not all my fault but that is another story. We ended up going to the Pierre Lachaise cemetery. It sounds funny but it was such a relaxing quiet morning. The cemetery is green with huge trees and shade. I love the slightly run down feeling one experiences in a place like this. Everything is slightly overgrown, moss covered and slight decay. I think one can spend a long time there and take incredible photos.
I do not know many people who live their passion. Whose job is their ultimate dream. Most people do their job so that they can make a living. I am very fortunate to live my passion. But sometimes I do dream about living a creative life. I realized how much one can create if there is no other time consuming task waiting to get done.
Human beings are so fortunate to be able to be creative. Maybe I should be content to be able to do my small bit of creative output and be content that I can do it. At least I can by doing this put some joy in someone’s day. And one day leave a little more behind than a small pile of dust….
I did the whole wild goose chase number again today. All the way to Clignancourt to come, once more, to hunt out the antiques market and ended before closed doors. But at least I know where it is! Will I go again? Maybe…
I initially was very intimidated by the modern art that young artists at the Cité practiced. Installations with a few superficially incoherent objects that is exhibited but with a deep, well developed exploration and a lot of thought going into it all. But not at all art in the conventional sence of the word.
But I calmed my fears and decided to do an open studio exhibition. When I started counting I had almost 60 artworks. Not bad for a two month period! Added to that there is another almost 60 You Tube videos that I also realized. I will also exhibit sketchbooks/ journals of our stay here.
