Artnotes: Samuel Pepys

 

Bulbs  Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/canvas 15 x 19"  38 x 48cm  450.00

Perhaps my favorite book of all times is the Diary of Samuel Pepys.   Pepys wrote the diary between 1660 and 1669.  I prefer reading letters and diaries more than any other kind of book, because the writer is honest (at least from his point of view) about what is happening and how he or she feels.  Pepys was far from perfect, and makes no bones about it. Why am I writing about Samuel Pepys?  Because he recorded the London fire of 1666 as it was happening.  He buried his treasured wheel of Parmesan cheese in his back yard, along with his silverplate and coins.  He records being in London as the fire progresses; he was meeting with King Charles when the decision was made to pull down houses to stop the spread of the fire.  When I saw the tragic news about Los Angeles, I immediately thought of the Fire of London.  That fire lasted four days, and destroyed the homes of 70,000 people. Candles and Nativity  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  14 x 11"    35  x 28cm  375.00 Friends of ours, in the path of the LA fire, lost all of their belongings.  I know that tragedies occur around the world every day, but this event, and our friends brought it so much closer to me.  I feel sad and worried for all the victims, especially our friends.  I can’t imagine starting completely from scratch again, and the length of time this will take. At the Chinese Cafe  Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/canvas 11 x 14"  28 x 35cm  450.00 In 1955, not long after I was born, there was a flood in our town.  Our house and all of its belongings were washed away.  It was an event my parents never forgot, and my father spoke of it to me up until his last dying days. I don’t remember the flood, but my father would talk to me as if I recalled it as clearly as he did..  I didn’t mind, and I think it actually shaped some of my attitudes towards material goods and living in the present.    I sometimes say my parents never recovered from the flood – but they did, at least physically and financially -- they went on to live normal middle class lives.  But the event never really went away, as with any gigantic trauma.    early sketches from the church in Guiglia We’ve been trying to paint some pictures in nearby churches in anticipation of our Naples trip (if you participated in last week’s poll, Naples won hands down with three people for boats in France, and two for coffee shops).  They are not perfect, but moving in a different direction.   It is not compulsory we stick to churches and historic buildings, so expect a painting of a pizza house or two.   Sign up for Artnotes by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com 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