Artnotes: Smile, Pack, Repeat

 Flowering Trees near Modena  Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/linen   13 x 16" 33 x 41 cm 

Fields of Flowering Cherry  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/linen   14 x 20  35 x 50cm   

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 ​View from Rocca Malatina   Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/linen  10.5 x 14"  27 x 32cm 

​Spring Tree New Growth   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/linen  14 x 10.5  35 x 27

ARTNOTES:  SMILE, PACK, REPEAT

Today's artnotes are shorter than usual, as we spend our time packing up 110, rue de Rennes to fit into a car set for the hills of the Apennines.  Yes, we decided to move to Rocca Malatina, Italy, to a large wonderful home called " Villa Loris".  

We arrived there on Tuesday last as the gardeners were taking the potted plants out of the Orangerie and placing them around the house.  We looked, before the estate agent arrived, at the three floors, the shelves full of books, the artwork on the wall, and fell in love at once.  All intention to be poker-faced hard bargainers gave way to irrepressible smiles and near giggles. We signed the lease, for 8 years, the next day.  

The owner is a woman who loves the arts and liked us as much as we liked her.  I feel like I should pinch myself, to be sure it is all real.  I envision huge canvases painted in Italian colors, deep and rich.  A five burner stove beckons, and a large, room-size fireplace in the kitchen awaits bubbling stews and grilled chops.  We are increasing our floor space five fold.

Poking through our Paris belongings (we really only need to bring our clothes and sheets) the act of deciding how to dispose of it all brings us back to reality.   We sort to the tune of  "150 Italian Phrases" and "Learn Italian Online".

We take possession on the 1 May, but will return to Paris for a show at the end of June, and to remove our last items (our rent is paid until August).  I am even smiling now.