Artnotes: Hang On

 

19 March 2022 Stimigliano, RI Italia

Berlino in his Bed   Blair Pessemier 20 x 16"  50 x 40cm  Acrylic/canvas 550.00

Life in Italy has gotten a little less sure, with the war raging less than 1500 miles from our door.  Ukrainian refugees are arriving, there’s no sunflower oil and a dearth of flour on the store shelves.  I am trying to see the bright side of all this, but it’s not easy.  I believe the planet may find alternate energies which aren’t dependent on the physical transport of oil or gas.  It is interesting just how many people abhor what is taking place – of all the former wars (or conflicts) I have lived through, this is one that has elicited the greatest opposition; could we be evolving?   Could this ultimately result in the destruction of nuclear weapons?

Lithos.   Crows in the Tree     Coin   Laurie Fox Pessemier  5 x 7"  12.5 x 17.5cm   85.00

Life is never the way it used to be.  Generally, it gets better, but that sometimes takes some hindsight to perceive. Even though the Internet can be the bane of my existence (too much screen time), it is something that is here forever and a great, great advance.   I love looking up things like the spelling of Odessa/Odesa and what the city is like (wonderful).  I enjoy Instagram, and how I can (somewhat) control what I see, like this piano being played:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CbFLjqtAe2Q/.   This video, of a woman playing Chopin on her piano for the very last time, made me think about the book by Sophy Roberts, The Lost Pianos of Siberia.  There has been much conflict around Russia for centuries, but this Ukraine invasion is being opposed by so many citizens.   We had a (late) friend, Vladimir, who spent time in Siberia for protesting Russia marching into Czechoslovakia. He was one of five protestors, and paid a huge price for his outspokenness.  Now, there are tens of thousands of protesters in Russia for essentially the same action.  That is progress.  I like to think Vladimir is behind it.

Moth   Laure Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  20 x 6"  50 x 15cm   450.00

Life barrels along.  I am buoyed by the presence of our new dog Berlino (painted above), who, in fact, is 2, not 3, years old.  He is gaining weight, hopping on the bed, howling at the garbage man (his howl has a vibrato). He can run 30 miles per hour and jump six feet high.  We were never going to have a large dog, but of course, we do now.

Bull with Bird;  Seagull   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Lithograph  7 x 5"  17.5 x 12.5 cm  85 each

These past few weeks have convinced me there is no point in trying to control everything, to go back to how things were.  I think of the time [I, myself] wasted “preserving” certain customs, buildings, traditions, when in fact, moving ahead is the only way.   We can maintain certain tenets of the things we believe in, like beauty, kindness, love; but the world is going forward whether we’re in or out.  So hang on.

Dream Wagon  Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas  18 x 15"  45 x 38cm 550.00

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...you get the picture.  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.    Rome 7PM(this week only, to accommodate time change US);  NY 2 PM; LosAngeles  11AM  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85625088767?pwd=WldKRk9VbUVITWtRS0FFK2JwdGEwQT09 Meeting ID: 856 2508 8767 Passcode: 887182