Artnotes: An Icy Floor

6 July 2024  Roccamalatina MO ITALIA

From the Tree:  Cherries   Laurie Fox Pessemier    Acrylic/wood   4.5 x 4"  11 x 10cm  150.00

Summer has finally begun.  On the fourth of July, the classic start date of the season, we met up with friends from California.   We went out to lunch near Stimigliano, and hung around the house visiting with the kids until supper time.   They drove back to their abode in Castiglion Fiorentino, and we basked in the glow of a great day.

We really enjoy being able to visit about life, catching up on American culture.  I love answering kids’ questions about how things work, and getting their input on our artwork. Often, we paint together, but not today.   We keep reminiscence to a minimum, focusing on this time..

From the Tree:  Lemon    Laurie Pessemier  Acrylic/wood  4 x 4"   10 X  10cm  150.00

That night, it turned out that our street, via Dante, was having a sagra (community dinner) and about 20 of us sat at long tables in the piazza, eating and drinking while the stars came out.   We talked to people we hadn’t met before, and joked with friends about how we were celebrating Independence Day.

Echinecea  (Cone Flowers)  Laurie Fox Pessemier    Acrylic/paper   22  x11"  .56 x 28 cm  275.00

I spent a long time in my studio in Stimigliano, trying to re-find my muse.  Genius lives in the walls, and when electricity was installed in 2022, it drove her away.  So this time, I sat in my chair, willing us to try again.  Sure enough, ideas flooded the place, and I am looking forward to returning in the fall.    It’s such a rare and important thing, one’s muse, art’s genius.   To lose it is a shame.

Making Hay While the Sun Shines    Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  16 x 11 inches   Archive 2018

It’s hot here, but not too hot – just summer hot.   They’ve been “haying” here in Roccamalatina, where we returned after a couple of days.  Our lovely apartment in Stimigliano faces west, and heats up to hellish temperatures by the end of a July day.  We bought that place for a more manageable winter dwelling, and it serves that need perfectly.  Subsequently, we acquired an air-conditioner, which helps, but the electric bill can be sobering.   Berlino loves to lay near the air conditioning, on an icy terrazzo floor.

Figs:  Summer Light  Laurie Fox Pessemier    Acrylic/canvas   12 x 20"   30 x 50 cm    Archives  2016

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