Artnotes: Look OUT 2026

 

Birdisattva  (boddisatva with a bird head)  Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/paper  12 x 8"  30  x 20cm   90.00 I always feel most optimistic at the start of the new`year.  2026 has such a nice ring to it; and it’s my Chinese Zodiac year, too:  the Horse.   I’ve got some terrific resolutions (in bold) pounded out over the Christmas Holiday. The Wolf (national animal of Italy)  Laurie Fox Pessemier     Acrylic/paper   20 x 20"  50 x 50cm  275.00 The week since that last Artnotes seemed eternal.   This blogging platform, Mailchimp, has made significant changes in requirements (with only one week’s notice) and I am spending way too much time on adjusting (or I can pay them an extra $33.00 a month).  This makes me question what I am doing, which is good, because with the  possible need to change my modus operandi, I am going to add two other features:  a weekly painting session online, and a video/photo piece about an artwork at a museum, or on exhibit, from time to time.     To spread more JOY with Art and Art History is my first New Year’s pledge:  be a lighthouse for Art. Peace for 2026  Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/paper  12 x 8"  30  x 20cm   90.00 We made a number of forays this week, implementing the peripatetic method of working out a plan for 2026.  We went to Orvieto, a favorite place of ours, rich in different periods and levels of art.  We saw the Medieval neighborhood of Orvieto, where an unusual Nativity scene was created inside a cave and a well (Pozzo della Cava: a Unesco site) beneath the city.   We plodded up and down, amidst Tufa stone, observing typical installations (many animated) of Palestine at the time of the birth of Christ.  These caves were originally used for water collection and other functions during Etruscan times, clear up until the 19th century. There were areas for “fulling” (making and treating fabric) and kilns for making pottery.    It struck me like an underground Pompeii.    This installation was another in the series, “Cycle of the Excluded”, this year featuring Pontius Pilate.  It was unusual and thought-provoking. Lovey Dove-y  Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/paper  12 x 8"  30  x 20cm   90.00   It was amazing to see something so 3-dimensionally compelling.   Which brings me to the second  of my resolutions:  to LIMIT my (social media) screen time.    I must  curtail my scrolling on Instagram and others, as I find I can scarcely concentrate more than a minute or two on a topic.   I will increase my book purchases (and sales – I have thousands to dispense of).   I will get up and move around more. We stretched our horizons at the beach early on New Years Day.   We got there by 9, as campers in tents were just awakening.  We walked a couple of kilometers with Berlino.  He cries with happiness as he digs holes large enough to bury a man.  I could have buried those men in tents, as they started with the fireworks at 10AM and we had to leave.    Constructions of sticks and stones  dotted on the beach – Santa Severa is an artistic place, from the time of the Etruscans to the Renaissance and beyond.   January 1, 2026   Santa Severa, RM  9 AM

I am inspired this year to work large, and in surpising places.   The scale and pentitude of Italian Christmas lights were not lost on me.  I am not concentrating on single, saleable pieces, but rather wall sized projections, and more work using my chalk, and possible poetry.   Look out, 2026!  To put in all in perspective, here are Woody Guthrie’s resolutions for 1943.    Fight Facism. HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier.    Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier or Blair's @poeticfences See all of our painting at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and frames Support our art with a donation at:  https://donate.stripe.com/4gMaEW1XwfT041t1BCcEw00   sign up for Artnotes, our weekly art missive, by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com or https://mailchi.mp/341f508cecf8/artnotes INVITING All Artists to present their Work:   Paint, Literature, Crafts, Food.... Pessemier's Sunday Salon Weekly on Sunday  No Reservation Necessary   How it works: Bring a piece of your ART: that could be visual, like painting or printmaking; or literary, as in poetry or prose; or crafts, like metalwork or knitting; or food, or music.  Something you made, or feel particularly inspired by.  You have about 5 minutes to present, and we'll ooh, ahh, or answer questions you have.  You can also come and see how we work before diving in.  Just show up on Zoom at a minute or two before the hour.    No selling, no networking until after everyone has presented.  No politics, no sales pitches, please. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88093708954?pwd=M04zNHB4dFZkREp3bThweUd1YnVDZz09 Meeting ID: 880 9370 8954 Passcode: 886402 Rome 8PM; NY 2 PM; LosAngeles 11AM

Artnotes: Chance

 

Beauty and the Beast Red Door   Blair Pessemier  acrylic/canvas  16 x 12"  40 x 30 cm   350.00 A year comes and goes Punctuated At its departure By Holidays We always remember Assigning Better or worse characteristics To friends and family Obligated To see Eat food We barely like Yet couldn’t Imagine Life without Dishes     Laurie Fox Pessemier     Acrylic/paper    It’s been a picturesque week in Roccamalatina with sun rising 3 minutes later each day:  today, 7:44.   At such an angle, the sunlight makes everything it touches look jewel-like.  The hills are a deep orange against a pink sky.  Beautiful. Oak Leaves in a Blue Vase   Laurie Fox Pessememier   Acrylic/canvas  17 x 15"  43 x 38cm  390.00 The animals can be heard during our waking hours now.  Wolves  (the national animal of Italy) are howling in the woods nearby.  Berlino and I see wet footprints of the wild boar, and the roe deer are never far away.   I can even smell the pigs sometimes. On  the Way Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/paper    Christmas lights abound – there’s a surprisingly lovely light display in Roccamalatina center.  I say surprising, because usually we only have street lamp decorations and an unlit tree.   I bought a set of “solar” lights for our assembled outdoor tree.

HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier.    Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier See all of our painting at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and frames Support our art with a donation at:  https://donate.stripe.com/4gMaEW1XwfT041t1BCcEw00   sign up for Artnotes, our weekly art missive, by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com or https://mailchi.mp/341f508cecf8/artnotes INVITING All Artists to present their Work:   Paint, Literature, Crafts, Food.... Pessemier's Sunday Salon Weekly on Sunday  No Reservation Necessary   How it works: Bring a piece of your ART: that could be visual, like painting or printmaking; or literary, as in poetry or prose; or crafts, like metalwork or knitting; or food, or music.  Something you made, or feel particularly inspired by.  You have about 5 minutes to present, and we'll ooh, ahh, or answer questions you have.  You can also come and see how we work before diving in.  Just show up on Zoom at a minute or two before the hour.    No selling, no networking until after everyone has presented.  No politics, no sales pitches, please. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88093708954?pwd=M04zNHB4dFZkREp3bThweUd1YnVDZz09 Meeting ID: 880 9370 8954 Passcode: 886402 Rome 8PM; NY 2 PM; LosAngeles 11AM

Artnotes: Be Counted

 

Towards Nazareth, to be counted A few weeks ago, Blair and I received a note that we “adopted” an olive tree.  We were touched by the gift.   But the more I reflected, I started to think, why not “adopt” an artist?  Buy a man a fish, he eats today; buy him a fishing pole and he eats forever. So, I’ve been working out an “adopt an artist” program to help us continue to offer our art to the world.   It’s all laid out in this link https://artnotesparis.blogspot.com/p/adopt-artist.html        Basically, for a donation, you can adopt us so we can continue to paint.    If you donate a large amount ($250 or more) you will receive one of our paintings on canvas, our writings, an invitation to our studio/gallery, and a few other goodies throughout the year.  For a smaller donation (your choice), you will receive an individual thank-you work on paper, and our regular missives, Artnotes. We are in the fog here, with little more to do than paint.  I always think I should want to go someplace when the weather is poor, but getting into our car in the fog just makes me carsick.  We get fog here like none other I have seen.  The only way to stay on the road is to see the white line at the edge so one doesn’t fall in the ditch.   I wear my headlamp even in the daytime, when walking Berlino, so cars will notice us. My big project is the Christmas gallery.  We are creating the streets that Mary and Joseph might have passed on the way to Bethlehem. We are painting individual buildings on newspaper and sticking them to the wall, with a charcoal village in the distance.   I am building sheep out of wine boxes to stand in the middle of the road (the gallery floor).  This is one of those un-financially-rewarded projects we do, and people appreciate, but it’s never compensated.   Although I’m happy to send you a house if you’d like one.    Mary and Joseph were headed to Bethlehem to be counted in the Roman census.  Oddly enough, we have just received our census request for residing in Roccamalatina.  Blair filled it out online, which is a lot easier than having to be present to be counted, riding on a donkey.

Please consider adopting us (we make a great gift) or making a donation to keep Artnotes and the Pessemiers in paint.   Thank you! https://donate.stripe.com/4gMaEW1XwfT041t1BCcEw00 or send via Zelle or Paypal to lfpessemier@gmail.com HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier.    Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier See all of our paintings at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and framed. Write to me at lfpessemier@gmail.com   sign up for Artnotes, our weekly art missive, by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com or https://mailchi.mp/341f508cecf8/artnotes INVITING All Artists to present their Work:   Paint, Literature, Crafts, Food.... Pessemier's Sunday Salon Weekly on Sunday  No Reservation Necessary   How it works: Bring a piece of your ART: that could be visual, like painting or printmaking; or literary, as in poetry or prose; or crafts, like metalwork or knitting; or food, or music.  Something you made, or feel particularly inspired by.  You have about 5 minutes to present, and we'll ooh, ahh, or answer questions you have.  You can also come and see how we work before diving in.  Just show up on Zoom at a minute or two before the hour.    No selling, no networking until after everyone has presented.  No politics, no sales pitches, please. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88093708954?pwd=M04zNHB4dFZkREp3bThweUd1YnVDZz09 Meeting ID: 880 9370 8954 Passcode: 886402 Rome 8PM; NY 2 PM; LosAngeles 11AM

Adopt an Artist

 ADOPT AN ARTIST or TWO

Blair and Laurie Pessemier are mature artists seeking support to continue their creative endeavors.   We make art almost every day and share it with the world.   Would you please support us?

Everyone likes to see our artwork, but only a few people can purchase it.  By adopting our art practice, you (or your gift recipient) will insure our paintings and artwork are seen.

This donation allows us to produce work of all sizes, which we share with the public.  We can develop our work without depending on galleries. 

With this donation, we can afford to offer painting workshops and mentoring to other artists.

We accept donations of any amount, although we are suggesting $250.00 to adopt us, and one of our paintings.

For $250 you will receive:

A certificate of adoption 

Weekly Digital Communication:  Artnotes, an update of our paintings and artistic adventures.   We will include a photo of us at work on a painting, maybe yours?

Physical artwork: An original artwork, on canvas, delivered during the year.  We can choose for you, or you can request a subject, style or color.  This work can be delivered as a gift.

Dialogue:  Interaction with the artists.  This can take the form of  input on your own artwork, information how to collect artwork or how to look at a particular piece or style.

Studio/Gallery Tour and lunch with the artists, in the Bologna (or Rome) area. 

For a lesser donation amount, you will receive a beautiful thank you certificate, our weekly Artnotes, one of our works on paper, and a visit/lunch at our studio in Italy.

KEEP ART ALIVE

You can gift this donation to someone who might enjoy a painting or supporting the arts. 

Painting is a challenging career:  everyone likes to see our work, but only a few people purchase it.   By adopting our practice, you (or your gift recipient) will receive a painting to be delivered in the summer of 2026.

Is a full subscription too much?  We accept smaller donations with gratitude.

award winning

CONTACT the ARTISTS

Artnotes: Terra Cotta

 

Orchid on Gold Background  Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/paper   24  x 12"  60 x 30 cm   275.00 Every week, I try to do something new that I can write about in Artnotes.  I thank you for that, because it gets me out and moving, putting on my "new eyes" glasses to see something that will surprise and hopefully, delight. Fish Stew   Blair Pessemier Acrylic/flat Canvas   7  x 19"  17 x 47cm 275.00 I did manage to get to the beach this week, Santa Severa, with its big castle and lovely coastline.  The sky and the water were both deep blue, different from the classic Mediterranean turquoise, and almost painfully strong.  My best description is a small drawing where rock outcroppings look bright orange, the air and sea dark blue.   Sketches from Santa Severa:The Castle (right on the sea); Berlino  by Blair  Orange rocks, Blue sea by Laurie Today, we drove 30 minutes from Stimigliano to visit the Museo della Ceramica of Casimiro Marcantoni.  The Civita Castellano area, and the museum, address all forms of ceramics, from decorative sculpture, to lighting, to bath fixtures.  My favorite pieces were a futurist vase, and the absolutely ridiculous giant loo used as an advertising prop.  The young man at the counter was most helpful and enjoyed practicing his very good English.   I am working on a project to create a collection of ceramic dishes to mount to the wall – maybe for a friend’s place, but if he isn’t keen, I’ll glue them (they are on paper) on my own dining room wall.  I could buy dishes, but it’s nearly impossible to hang things on the stone and plaster walls in most houses.  Italy is a huge force in ceramics.  Closer to our other house, in Roccamalatina, are the ceramic tile manufacturers.  The soil of Italy, forged into ceramic products, must be all over the world.  I believe the official center of ceramics is Sicily where Majolica found its way from the potters of North Africa.  Terra Cotta, as in tile and sculpting material emerged in Tuscany during medieval times.  My favorite terra cotta sculpture, the Crying Maries, is in Bologna (from 1461).

Vladimiro  Laurie Fox  Pessemier  acrylic/paper  70 x 50"    27 x 20cm   375.00     I’ve all but abandoned my small drawings of late – I was so sure of it since early in 2025, and now pffft.   How does that happen?  I talked about it with my weekly painting partner, and she has experienced it at times in past.  Neither of us had an explanation.  My muse knows, but she’s not talking, only allowing me to paint on large sheets of paper. Frog King   Blair Pessemier  acrylic/canvas 21.5 x 21.5"    55 x 55cm   475.00     HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier.    Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier See all of our painting at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and framed. Write to me at lfpessemier@gmail.com   Happy Thanksgiving!!!  sign up for Artnotes, our weekly art missive, by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com or https://mailchi.mp/341f508cecf8/artnotes INVITING All Artists to present their Work:   Paint, Literature, Crafts, Food.... Pessemier's Sunday Salon Weekly on Sunday  No Reservation Necessary   How it works: Bring a piece of your ART: that could be visual, like painting or printmaking; or literary, as in poetry or prose; or crafts, like metalwork or knitting; or food, or music.  Something you made, or feel particularly inspired by.  You have about 5 minutes to present, and we'll ooh, ahh, or answer questions you have.  You can also come and see how we work before diving in.  Just show up on Zoom at a minute or two before the hour.    No selling, no networking until after everyone has presented.  No politics, no sales pitches, please. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88093708954?pwd=M04zNHB4dFZkREp3bThweUd1YnVDZz09 Meeting ID: 880 9370 8954 Passcode: 886402 Rome 8PM; NY 2 PM; LosAngeles 11AM