Artnotes: SOMETHING

 

7 March 2026   Roccamalatina, MO   ITALIA Join us for Sunday Salon 8 March (see below)

In the Ruins   Bliair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  16 x 24"  40 x 60cm  490.00 I made the mistake of looking at my telephone at 4AM (when Berlino needs to go out).  I was expecting a message from a friend who lives on the West Coast, USA – he didn’t write but I (accidently, you know how the screen lights up) saw how Netanyahu is threatening Europe with retaliation if they show sympathy to Iran.   Honestly, what ever happened to human sympathy and kindness?   I went back to bed but didn’t sleep. Wild Daisy Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/paper  12 x 8.5"  30 x 20cm  90.00 Instead, I thought about the books and records I had when I was young.  “How the Circus Learned to Smile”, “Bongo”, “Beep-beep, Outta’ my Way” were among my favorites.  They were instructive, funny, sometimes beautiful (of course, I had all the classic fairy tales, too, like Red Riding Hood and the Three Bears; The Christmas Tree).  My absolute favorite thing was being read to, mostly by my father and my Aunt Franny.  In Beep-beep, the character is sick of being pushed around and acquires bigger and bigger conveyances, starting with a bicycle (beep-beep, outta’ my way, I’m a bicycle, horn tinkling) and ending with an ocean liner (giant foghorn honk), that can’t get him to the store.  Eventually he learns how good it is to be kind and patient, to let people pass, and to be able to get around easily.  I also learned that being a little bigger is advantageous as long as it doesn’t go too far.  I had a significant collection of “Golden Books” with cardboard covers, “gold” bindings, and colorful illustrations.  Years later I would go to the Beardsley Memorial library, or the school library. I could read by then, and I took out books which had hard covers and illustrations made of real lithography (those thickish crayon drawings, usually just filling up to black outlines – the paper was a little fuzzy and porous).    Eventually we got an encyclopedia (the Golden Encyclopedia), a volume of which came free weekly with shopping at the First National Store.  That kept me busy till the next issue. Peace March (Buddhists in USA)  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  24 x 8"  60 x 20cm  490.00 Where do people learn to be sympathetic, kind and generous now?  These are truly characteristics which need to be pointed out -- taught.   In fact, what seems most “taught” on my Instagram is to “manifest”.  That is, set your eye on the prize, and kick everything (everyone) else to the side.  There are actually mini-lectures about not worrying about other people, but how it’s your job to set your quantum physics psyche on where you are going and it will change the world.  Well, it seems to have worked, just take a look around! Our gallery is a giant ocean of fish -- Under Water.   Almost finished. I am reading about the life of a Polish man, Josef Czapski, who lived through World War II.  Despite all the horrors, he continued to be kind, generous and true to himself (he did not kick others aside).  He was a hero.  There are no heroes now, just bullies dropping bombs from above.  Who were their mothers?  Why weren’t they taught to be better?  Why do we let them take over? New England House Portrait  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas panel   10 x 14" 25 x 35cm  290.00 In response to all this I am trying to teach AI to be kinder.  It’s where AI gets its ideas, its “personality” --from people.   I can tell the Bot about how good it feels to give up your seat on the bus, pay someone’s tab, help out your neighbor.  Imagine, if we could make AI be the kindness of the world?   That would be SOMETHING.                         Violets from the Garden   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/paper  12 x 8.5"  30 x 20cm  90.00

HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier.    Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier See all of our paintings at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and framed. Write to me at lfpessemier@gmail.com   sign up for Artnotes, our weekly art missive, by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com or https://mailchi.mp/341f508cecf8/artnotes

Artnotes: Another Week

 

Magnolia    Laurie Pessemier  acrylic/canvas  12 x 12"  30 x 30 cm   390.00

There is nothing like a change of venue to change one’s point of view.  I realize from this Munich trip how unique our own life is.  I am staying in a neighborhood, quite nice architecture, rich, lake nearby, but without a shred of life. “Joie de vie” seems a million miles away.   I feel like I’m at my late mother-in-laws retirement home, where I always wanted to run out into the courtyard and scream “go WILD”.   I am not complaining, just surprised. George     Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  12 x 12"  30 x 30cm    490.00 Vacation for me has always been a different than booking a trip and checking off monuments.  One year my resolution was “to live life so I never have to take a vacation”.  Vacation has crept back into my life, but instead as an experience that helps me see anew. “There is nothing to see here right now,” the clerk told us at the ticket counter of the museum in Buchheim.  It sounded like a lie, based on the people milling around the gift shop, but maybe they were just shopping.  So Blair and I slogged through the rain back to the car, where Berlino lay snoozing.  We decided to drive on to Gabriele Munter’s house in Murnau. Gladioli Laurie Fox  Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas 20 x 12"  50 x 30   490.00 Gabriele Munter was a key woman artist in the Blue Rider movement, and the partner of Kandinsky for several years.  Hers was like a grandma’s house, white with blue shutters -- I would estimate 1500 square feet, on three floors.  But what floors!  Kandinsky painted the stairway and together with Munter, painted much of the furniture.  It is the antithesis of what we think sophisticated.  There were paintings by the two scattered around the house, where we ambled about with a good size crowd.   One could look out the window and see the scene which was painted in the frame nearby.  It was wonderful. Glad   Laurie Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas  20 x 8"   50 x 20cm  490.00 We’re visiting many museums and odd sorts of places, picking gladioli at the u-pick lot.  Today, we decided to go the flea market in Munich.  I had my doubts (Munich is not known for its flea market, the guidebook reads), but to my astonishment, THIS was where the JOIE DE VIVRE was hiding!  All the things one ever wanted were spread out “unter der Linden” – dappled light illuminating rugs and old records, hand made clothing and toys (Berlino got a stuffed bear).   There were people and dogs of all colors.   It brought tears to my eyes and made me think, maybe we’ll stay another week. Trees by the Lake on Vintage Paper Laurie Pessemier Ink/paper  8.5  x 11" 21 x 29cm  120.00 each. HOUSEKEEPING:  We make art to order, including portraits by Blair Pessemier. Follow us on Instagram @lauriepessemier See all of our painting at https://paintfox.com Most of our work is available as reproductions, custom sized and framed, within the USA. sign up for Artnotes, our weekly art missive, by contacting me at lfpessemier@gmail.com or https://mailchi.mp/341f508cecf8/artnotes

Past Present Future

Bologna Gate  Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/linen    25 x 40"   70 x 100 cm   

Into the Night   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/linen 12 x 72"  30 x 183 cm

View of Cervo   Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/linen  13 x 18  33 x 46 cm

 Pine by the Sea  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/linen  13 x 18  33 x 46 cm

Lemon Tree Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/panel  12 x 12  30 x 30cm

Learning to sail     Laurie Fox Pessemier    Acrylic/linen  11 x 16"   27 x 41 cm

Fisherman's house    Blair Pessemier   Acrylic/linen  13.5 x 17.5"  60 x 45 cm

Ranunculas in full bloom    Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/panel   12 x 12   30 x 30 cm

Not so sunny-rise    Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/wood  10 x 14"  25  35 cm

Ranunculi in a Pot   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/linen  16 x 19.5   40 x 50cm

Guys at the beach   Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acyrlic/linen  8 x 10"  20 x 25 cm

Wave    Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic/linen  11 x 16"  27 x 41 cm

Past Present Future

For years, I have been wanting to go to the floral market at San Remo Italy.  Back in the early 00’s, when I was painting flowers all the time, we made a special trip to the Riviera di Fiori, the “flower Riviera” to see the greenhouses and flowers.  That time, we never got to the proper wholesale “mercato”, based on a bum steer from the hotel.   It has been the story ever since, and I’ve been by San Remo several times.

This trip, we actually got up to the entrance, but were too late for the flowers, almost.  In the dumpster outside, were a plethora of Ranunculi – I reached in and grabbed 2 dozen bunches!   It actually worked out perfectly, as I would have chosen these very flowers, and I didn’t have to produce my less-than-current business license (from France, not to mention) and these were totally FREE.

We’ve been painting a lot here in Cervo, Italy.  It has a lot to do with no interference and a change of venue, I think… NOBODY here speaks to us, which is a bit of a shame.  Meanwhile, I plan outings to new places where at least we can order dinner, ask directions.   I cannot understand what is making these people so grumpy – I realize we are tourists, but some don’t even offer a buon giorno when faced with ours.  It is unlike the Italy I know, from Rocca Malatina to Bologna to Modena. 

I tell people I moved to Italy because Pasquale, a Roman, moved into our building in Paris. Every morning he would greet me with a big smile and a “Good Morning, Laurie”.  I told Blair I wanted to move where he came from.  We got close (to Rome), but chose to be closer to friends in Modena and Castelfranco.  And everyone in Rocca Malatina wishes Blair, Harika and me a BUON GIORNO, or SALVE or CIAO!

Blair is working on a big painting and I am painting lots of smaller work.  My vistas are inundated with my favorite painting color, turquoise.  This also allows me to use the opposite color, my true favorite color, red.  I like to paint smaller, and try as I might to do the big painting, it just doesn’t suit me.  My memory eye is smaller, I guess, than Blair’s is.   It is like the screen at the movie theatre – if I must move my head/eyes to take in the whole scene, the effect is lost.  Small, I can recall/translate just how those dogs looked at the beach; how that fellow was holding his hand, the color of the sunlight as it peeked (and now it’s gone) through the clouds.  And even though I mostly paint en plein air, I depend on my mind/memory to define certain aspects of the picture.     It might account for Blair’s greater precision, and my humor.

I am constantly thinking about my home in Rocca M.  I’m cooking up ideas for the basement, which is a wonderful windowed space full of summer plants at the moment.  I am thinking of year round herbs, and a little wine tasting room down there.   I’ll hook up some wonderful light bulb system a la the champagne caves at Moet Chandon (can we serve it?).    It will be cool in the summer.    Ah, future.