Transition Time

It's been a while since my last post... a good four days or so, I think this might be the longest stretch that I've been silent on this end. To be perfectly honest, I kind of got sick of hearing my own 'voice' on here and went on a blog diet for a few days.
But now, oooooh now, I do have some things to report on.

First of all, I leave Montcabrier tomorrow. I seriously cannot believe that it's almost been a month since I arrived- time slipped through my fingers. Something about the weather, the food, the atmosphere here makes it seem like you're in a time warp. I didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I had planned but I am still pleasantly surprised with what  DID get done; I am excited at the progress that has been made here.

 If you've been following me on Facebook, you will have noticed that I switched mediums for a while. Along with painting, sketching, and my black and white drawings, I added collage to my collection of artwork. After painting for three months straight, I needed to switch things up for a few days. Collage has added a new dimension to my artwork- causing me to analyze colors and textures in a new way that will also help me with my paintings. Collages allow me to create images that I just wouldn't be able to with paint and canvas, and sometimes there's messages, feelings, and ideas I want to express that can only be communicated using collage. So, this allows me to interact with a larger audience AND I don't feel so burned out.

One of the collages made this month.

With that said, my painting style is evolving as well. I have returned to my style of painting using simplified shapes and lots of contrast. This style isn't as popular as the more drawn-out landscapes, but, I am not aiming to please an audience. I paint for myself and God and if people like it- great! If not, well... I guess I can add another painting to my wall back home. =)

Simplified shapes and contrast: my favorite.

So that's that in the art world. Thanks to all my favorite people for putting up with my constant barrage of paintings on Facebook and postings about art. =)

In other news:
A man in the village, completely drunk, barged into my apartment yesterday. He knocked twice and then let himself in- I stopped him and turned him around. He followed me into the courtyard when I tried to lead him away from the house (and me). Then he pulled a picture out of his pocket- a picture of himself hiking in the woods- he pointed to the picture and  said,  'Souvenier' and gave it to me.
 After he handed me the picture of himself, he pulled a small piece of paper out with a phone number on it and pointed to the number and then pointed to himself and then pointed at me (number, him, me). It didn't take a genius to figure out that he wanted me to call him sometime. Well, since I am leaving and all and since he barged into my apartment, and since he's about 60 years old AND since he seems to have a habit of being completely wasted at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I declined his offer of his phone number with a, "Sorry, I can't."
I felt bad for having to turn him down as he obviously had grandiose plans for the two of us, but... a girl's gotta draw the line, right?

-I went to a Zumba class yesterday with Sally (the residency director). It was completely in French, but it wasn't hard to follow the moves: monkey see, monkey do. It was a good workout and that's a good thing since this whole baguette and sorbet diet I've been on has added to overall size of my, um... derriere. I tried on one of the dresses I brought from home and had a hard time getting it over my, um....derriere. It was right then and there that I decided it was time to get back into shape- right after I finished my lemon sorbet & compote dessert, of course.
The problem with being in Europe is that you don't want to be such a dietary stinge that you don't have any fun or enjoy the local cuisine. But then again, a person might go a little overboard with welcoming the cultural dishes and end up being a guest on the next season of 'Biggest Loser'.

-A couple of weeks ago, I walked into a pottery shop and heard some fabulous music playing in the background, I fell head-over-heels in love with it and asked the sales gal who the singer was. She told me and I immediately purchased her album. The lady's name is Melody Gardot- a little jazz a little..'jena se qua'.
I'm a fan. Maybe you will be too. If not, well, ok.

I bought this cool bowl at the pottery shop. 

- Two nights ago, I had dinner with Sally and one of her friends (Joselyn). First of all, I would like to say that Joeslyn is pretty much the funnest, coolest, greatest person ever. She and I were instant friends. She is 66 years old and works in the porcelaine  factory in Puy l'Eveque. Joselyn studied opera for years and, after a few glasses of wine, she sang a few songs for us.

Then, she asked us to sing something. My contribution to the evening was singing "Guess I'll Go Eat Worms" from Wee Sing Silly Songs- it ain't opera, folks...but it'll do in a pinch.

Well, that's about it. I am headed to a store today to buy some jeans- my khaki capris just aren't cutting it anymore and the rest of my clothes are, as Sally would say, 'tatty' (meaning- ugly, worn out).


-Let's see....my plans for the next month look something like this:
September 28-October 2: stay in Moissac and paint scenes around the church there.
October 2-29: Stay with my generous cousin and her family in northern France. I hope to help out and earn my keep there.... no mooching allowed.
October 30: Paris (I haven't been IN the city yet, just the airport).

Thanks for tagging along on this little adventure of mine!