Artnotes: Two Worlds

Why not a Squid?  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/crayon/paper   25 x 17"   61 x 43cm  250.00

One of my favorite things about Italy is just how individual certain regions are.  This week we visited Spoleto, in the province of Perugia, Umbria, and were pleasantly surprised by just how wonderful it was.  It is only a little more than an hour from our house in Stimigliano.  It is twice the altitude of Stimigliano (itself a hill town), and the trees in the distance were brilliant yellow and orange.  You can smell and feel the air change as you climb higher and higher.  I can always smell what seems like a little particle of dust inside the snowflake: although we could see snow, we didn’t have any in Spoleto.

A Door Opens   Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas   15 x 18" 33 x 45cm  450.00

Spoleto, with its third century Roman ampitheater, is currently famous for its annual “Festival of Two Worlds”, an international celebration of art and music the last week of June and into early July since 1958.  Think Pavarotti and Warhol.  Music and art prevail, as demonstrated in sculptures dotted throughout the town.   Despite the festival (and a couple of other minor ones), Spoleto is not a total “tourist town”, and we bumped into people buying vegetables and porchetta sandwiches in one of the squares.  We had a sandwich.  It was hard to resist the delicious Umbrian wines, but this was just a day trip.

Door via Stazione  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/crayon/carton  28 x 20"  70 x 50 cm   290.00

I was initially attracted to the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta(12/13c with later renewals)  which had a Mary fresco by Filippo Lippi. I just love how light and happy his work is, and this was a very feminine church. In fact, he died in 1469 while working on this project and it was finished by others.  He painted an Annunciation (that Angel, that coy Mary!) on one side of the altar, and a Nativity on the other side.  These are so joyful. The painting over the apse is brilliant in its color and energy.   I am a bigger fan of the late medieval period, than the full blown Renaissance.  Perfect paintings in their imperfections.

We only spent a few hours in Spoleto, with our dog Berlino, who likewise enjoyed himself (he spotted a medieval rat), but I could easily have stayed overnight and seen ever so much more. The architecture is extremely varied, from the medieval to the Renaissance to the near modern.  It is a walking city, and one can even cross the high aqueduct at the edge of town.  We will have to wait for visitors to come, to see the Roman ruins and other wonderful gems in Spoleto.  Come soon.

Door to Two Worlds    Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/crayon/carton  28 x 20"  70 x 50cm  290.00

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.  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. 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