Bosca Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 20 x 30" 50 x 70cm 325.00
Fall Leaves and Crysanthemum Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/paper 25 x 17" 63 x 41cm 175.00 (also available as print 90.00)
The Chest with Oranges Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/paper 17 x 25" 41 x 63cm 175.00 (as a print, 90)
Oak Leaves Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/paper 25 x 17" 63 x 41cm 175.00 (print 90)
Blair tripped on the top step of six risers. Why
is that so funny? Laughing, I did the same
thing. Maybe not as funny; clearly that
top step was a half and inch taller. Then the fellow in the booth of the gated
community had the last laugh. “Villa 52
is to the right.”
A woman with long ash blonde hair, greeted us as we pulled
up in our car. “This way,” she motioned
and we entered her house. It was a house
straight out of La Dolca Vita. One
walked down a half dozen (even) steps to an enormous living room with a
sweeping view. There were two nine foot
long sideboards in the room, and they didn’t seem oversized; there were three
huge sofas, and at least six easy chairs.
The room was a mess, as she and her family were packing to leave. They’d been there since the 1950s.
We went to see a small chest, Mughal (Indian) style, for
Blair’s room in Stimigliano. After two
years we finally removed the hideous particle board/plastic cupboards and now
he needed storage space. This chest,
which looked the size of a jewelry box in comparison to everything else, was
perfect. It practically leapt from the
floor into my arms. We negotiated a
very small discount. “Are you planning to
live here a long time?” the woman asked.
“Will you keep the chest for yourselves?” It was like we were buying a puppy, and it
was clear she had the same fondness for the chest that I did.
She went on to tell us that she had the chest a long time;
her husband was a parliamentary journalist.
They had other pieces from their travels – African chairs that were also
interesting to us, but we’re on a budget.
She didn’t seem much older than me, and was strong enough to pick up an
end of the heavy chest with Blair. She
relinquished it with an odd sadness. We
shook hands.
There is something about a handmade piece of furniture that
evokes that special feeling. I think of all the furniture we’ve had like that: the “pasha” chairs in Paris, the decoupage
headboard, the handmade olive wood table here in Stimigliano. It is as though there is a magic in these
pieces which was placed there by the hand of the maker.
As artists, Blair and I thrive on the experience we get from
buying the item, as well as the beauty of the piece itself. We’re getting ready for a trip to Southern
France for Thanksgiving and look forward to the trip to and from and around, as
much as the turkey itself.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
