Art is where you find it

Fruit Trees at Garafalo in Winter   Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/linen 24 x 35.5"  60 x 90cm

 Last of the Leaves   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/linen  13 x16"  33 x 41 cm

 Winter trees   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/linen 9 x 13"  22 x 33 cm

Monte Cimone   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Block print  2.5 x 7"  6 x 18 cm

ARTNOTES:  Art is where you find it

“It was a beautiful operation,” Dr Gottarelli announced, beaming from ear to ear.   It was evident he really loves what he does.  He operated on Blair on Friday, performing a modified inferior turbinoplasty on Blair’s nose.  Blair hasn’t been able to breathe through his nose for years, as those of you who have hosted us overnight are aware of.   And Dr. Gottarelli is famous for this particular operation, which is without pain (really!) and no packing of the nose.  He and one other doctor in Dallas, Texas developed this procedure, and it is really fab.

But I digress.  What I really want to talk about is how there is art and joy in so many things.  Dr. G is thrilled when he can perform surgery.  He is as much an artist as we are, in an alternate medium.  He’s not the only person I’ve known like this.

Years ago, Nora worked in the produce department at Larry’s Market in Seattle.  She was from Paris, originally, but studying to be a dentist in the USA.  Every year she would go to Alaska in the summer and work on the teeth of Eskimoes.  “When I get on the plane, and see them lined up along the runway,  all SMILING (Eskimoes rarely smile) with their beautiful teeth,  I am thrilled.”  You see?  Same sort of thing.

Blair had the operation done at Madre Fortunata Casa de Cura, a chic private hospital in Bologna.  I translate it as Lucky Mama’s House of Healing – more or less.  It is still a fraction of the cost of a US hospital (I got pre-authorization from our health coverage), but lots more than the public hospitals in Italy.  I have told the ambulance people in Rocca Malatina  THAT is where to take me if the occasion arises.   The hospital is staffed by nuns, old and young.  Woven Frette linens, with the hospital logo, cover the beds.  A crucifix over the door.    I was encouraged to stay with Blair in his room and there was a bed for me.    They asked what I wanted for dinner, and were disappointed when I said I wouldn’t be dining in.  Harika might have stayed, too, but that wasn’t certain.   We drove home.

I think a lot about loving what I do.  It was always a big problem when I had a “real” job.  My boss never wanted me to enjoy myself.  When they finally succeeded in making me hate my work, I’d have to quit. 

 I got new block printing tools while in the USA, and spent a joyous afternoon carving a plate of Monte Cimone.  Except its backwards.