Artnotes: 50 Cents a Lawn

 

11 June  2022 Roccamalatina,MO Italia

Nightfall on the Lake  Laurie Fox  Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas   12 x 12  30 x 30cm  450.00

As we drove down the hill from the Roccamalatina house, the valley was full of billowing white rectangles:  all of the fruit trees were covered in anticipation of the rainstorms to come. It was a beautiful sight, reminiscent of my childhood home in Connecticut, where shade grown tobacco was cultivated (since 1640-ish), for cigars.  There, miles of billowing white sheets provided shade for the smooth, unblemished leaves that wrapped cigars made in Europe and Cuba.

Berlino Chewing on a Stick  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas 10.5 x 16"   27 x 40cm   400.00

I am a little homesick for Connecticut, and the USA.  I miss summers at Hemlock Lodge, on the shores of Highland lake, swimming in the clear waters in the warm golden sunshine.  I am mostly nostalgic, I think, for dinners with my family around the grand table on the windowed porch. Doing puzzles.  Playing badminton.  Painting pictures.  Porch art shows.   We would spend many a day with my dad, especially if it were rainy – and all go out for Chinese lunch.  It’s time to start up those fun times here, at the new house (I am painting horse pictures).

Horse Picture in Progress (borrowing from Degas)  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  24 x 35"   60 x 90cm   750.00

Hemlock Lodge on Highland Lake was my favorite house, ever; we spent 20 summers there.    It was elegantly ramshackle.  The town of Roccamalatina is having a referendum to relocate the school to the old parish hall.   They tore down the old school in favor of building a new one.  Like so many public projects in Italy,  illicit contractors took the first payment, tore down the building, cleared the lot of any growth (hundred year old trees), and poured too much concrete.  Now there is an abandoned building site where there were once leafy shade and childrens voices.

Children's Voices (Highland Lake) Laurie Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas panel  13 x 18"   33 x 45cm 450.00

I think the kids will like the old hall.   Children aren’t as focused on new as adults are.  I remember loving the fact all of my aunts and uncles went to the same school, St. Anthony’s, as me.  I loved the polished wood floors and transom windows we opened with a pole.  The window panes were slumped and distorting.

The Push Mower   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/carton 20 x 28"  50 x 70cm  375.00

We dug the hand push lawn mower out of the basement this week.   I had the lofty ambition of sharpening it, but as I read the directions I realized maybe just adjusting the grass height setting (for bumpy lawns) could take care of our problem. The night before, I was visiting on the phone with my friend Sal, telling him about the mower He recalled mowing lawns with that kind of mower (50 cents a lawn) and we talked about that whirring noise it makes.  I tried to do an imitation.   I could smell the grass.

Ladies Sunning (Highland Lake)  Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  16 x 20"  40 x 50cm  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 8PM; NY 2 PM; LosAngeles 11AM  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85625088767?pwd=WldKRk9VbUVITWtRS0FFK2JwdGEwQT09 Meeting ID: 856 2508 8767 Passcode: 887182