First Painting of the Year Blair Pessemier Acrylic/linen 12 x 19.5 30 x 50cm
First Painting, 2016 Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/linen 12 x 16" 30 x40cm
Spotted with green Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/linen 12 x 16" 30 x40cm
Buildings in Trieste Blair Pessemier Acr;ylic/linen 12 x 19.5" 30 x 50cm
The Last Painting of a magical year, 2015 Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/linen 12 x 19.5" 30 x 50cm
Artnotes: Free Cities and Guideposts
We closed this year’s travel with a visit to Trieste,
Italy. It was our second trip to a “free
city” in 2015. Early in the year, we
visited Tangiers , independent for many years.
All of these independent cities (Hamburg was another) became so by their
access to the sea.
Trieste is in the far eastern corner of Italy, up against
Slovenia. Drive past Venice, another
hour – the day we went it was so foggy, without GPS we wouldn’t know where we
were. Trieste was clear at sea level, but I had no
impression of the Dolomites, beyond.
Trieste has been part of the Roman Empire (the dialectical
language is a direct descendent of Latin), the Hapsburg Empire (think Austrian coffee
shops), and independent, before officially having a border and being part of
Italy in 1975. All this gives the city
the most marvelous feeling, someplace between medieval, eastern, western and
well, independent.
We ate a fabulous spaghetti lunch, finishing off with a
homemade strudel for dessert. Good red wine,
excellent coffee. American blues music
filled the background – real blues, like Muddy Waters. We walked miles all around the city and
along the waterfront. I felt a tinge of Seattle.
The end of the year is always a bittersweet time for me, and
I feel like I could burst into tears at any moment. “We all have so much baggage,” a close
friend says. It has been an overwhelming
year for Blair and me, with much travel and the big move. I
spend time making resolutions. The same
friend reminds me I have more time behind me than in front of me, and it
shivers me timbers.
We’re planning a trip to Vienna this coming week – crazy, in
light of the weather, but timely for an art show. Afterward we are seeking warmer climes, or at
least a better insulated house for the remainder of winter. Our magnificent white elephant is so cold
at night that I have been wearing my fur coat while sitting on the sofa, and we
go to bed fully dressed, complete with hats.
Harika is ok – in fact, she likes it; her fur is integral.
“So, do you keep your resolutions?” a friend asks,
cynically. I explain that I don’t make
those “lose weight” kinds of promises. I
think about friends, accomplishments, life.
The transition from year to year
is when one can reflect on how things are going, how they could be better. In fact, my New Year’s resolutions have become
the guideposts of my life.
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