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: What We'll Find Next

 

Swimmingly  Laurie Fox Pessemier  acrylic/paper  8.5 x 11"   22 x 28cm   90.00

I had one of my very best meals in Italy this week, after a trip to the beach at Santa Severa.  It was our third choice of restaurant, the first one never getting their act together (at 12:35 the waitress insisted it was 12:20 and could not seat us.  We showed her the phone time, to no avail); restaurant 2 was in a shopping center; finally, we arrived at Ristorante Rosetta.    It was a giant banquet hall sort of place, anticipating extended families of at least 12 members on Sundays, ample parking. Spinning  Blair Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas   12 x 12"   30 x 30cm   475.00 We ordered the Rigatoni with mussels and pecorino (this was not an entirely Italian restaurant, where mixing shellfish and cheese are strictly prohibited); it was absolutely divine, with large grindings of peppercorns for crunch.   We followed up with a Rombo (turbot), which was cooked to buttery perfection, and deboned (for the first time anywhere in Italy).   The potatoes accompanying the fish were thinly sliced and perfectly seasoned, beautifully arranged on the plate.   Although dogs were allowed, we left Berlino in the shaded car to sleep off serious playtime on the shore.   We were eating cat food, in any case. Net Mending by the Sea  Blair Pessemier acrylic/canvas  18 x 12"   45 x 30cm   475.00 It was a rugged beach day, very windy, and new rivulets of water after heavy rains punctuated  a normally smooth walk across the sand.   Berlino somehow saw through to get his toes wet.   There was lots of flotsam and jetsam.   I bid hello to Harika, whose ashes are dispersed here.  At 11 AM we were the only folks on the beach, and even though I had my swimsuit, I didn’t go in.  This may have been the first time I’d been there when no one was in the water, regardless of the hour.   It’s been a hard winter. New Home for the Genie  Laurie  Pessemier  Acrylic/paper   17x 23.5"   40 x 63cm   275.00 Santa Severa has a marine museum, and a small Etruscan museum.  It is in the center of the “Etruscan” region, between Tarquinia and Ceveteri (where the Rosetta restaurant is).   If you’ve not explored Etruscan history, it’s worth a look – many people feel the Etruscans were a more sophisticated and developed civilization than the Romans.  The Romans just spread further. We drove back to Stimigliano in the afternoon, where we are hanging at the moment.   The house here seems very small, but the places to go are closer in.  Who knows what we’ll find next? The Jolly Joker  Blair Pessemier acrylic/canvas  11 x 14"   28 x 33cm   475.00 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.  NO POLITICS please. 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