Art resurgence

 Hadn't planned to go to last nights' vernissage since it was in Quillan and I don't drive, but a last minute offer revolutionised my thinking...

An American artist called Dave has opened the old boulangerie as a gallery and studio - not sure if it has a name yet - and he exhibited a handful works by his students. I'd forgotten how much fun a group of artists could be :) 

Dave put on a very good spread with lashings of blanquette. He has interesting plans for the gallery, involving trying to establish an art audience to appreciate the many artists of these parts. Life drawing is a pivotal part of his plans; drop in on him at 6, Rue de la mairie for all info. if you fancy it.

Esperaza news on Thursday

 Our neighbour Michell is here for a week from the Cote d'azure, bearing oranges and lemons from his orchard in Menton...

Also arrived are Margaret and John - in fine fettle - and Gert and Elsbeth, not yet spotted but here somewhere. You can tell its spring :)

The bad news is that the 8a8 will be closing for three weeks from Sunday. It's being made bigger and smarter and though I keep telling them its alright as it is, they will insist on change. Bah.

If you are one of the many who have their parcels delivered there, you'll have to go to Couiza - ring 0468 74 09 10 for info. 

RIP Frank Dunnett. d.20 02 2026

Frank left Esperaza with his (then) wife Liz in 2019, deaf to our pleas to get them to stay- 

they were a delight to be around and we shared many a meal, many an interesting conversation, many a merry evening.

Frank had the sweetest manners; we all know that Esperaza is the safest place one can imagine but he would insist on walking me home after many a riotous party. He and Liz were most kind to my appalling dog Lily too, knowing I was a vegetarian they'd keep bones for her. She adored Frank!

I visited them in the UK... here they are in Bexhill-on-Sea, where they'd relocated. Frank was a member of the yacht club and of course maintained his golf obsessions. He was well-known in Esperaza as the man who bought his wife a golf club he wanted for christmas. She didn't play.

Their divorce was a sadness but after 40-something years - and diverging interests - it arrived. 

Liz rang me today with the news of his passing and instructed me to let his old friends know.

                                                   All the best to her and to Franks family. 

 

Sun set last night

-not only beautiful but there were bats! Perhaps this endless winter has finally moved on. 
 

Early market

 Thick mist!! It'll be cleared, no doubt, when I go back for round #2 Below is Ruben, preparing our lunch. He's simultaneously hosting breakfast for the other stall holders, they take it in turns - wine, bread, cheese, pate. That's why they're always so cheerful :)

Day off in Carcassonne

 Most of France appears to be underwater which we've been spared. 

Again today, wind and rain.... so glad yesterday was sunny and hot because yesterday I bunked off with Rushton to the the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Carcassonne. We had a comfortable and ungormande lunch in the Place Gambeta and then tottered off to the show.

Here are the international artists showing a bit of work apiece, all of them new to me.

The work looked mostly familiar though, developing familiar themes... nice nonetheless.

One installation alone had an impact on me. By Yoann Ximenes and called Mantras, the artist had taken significant speeches from these times (and before), taken a copy of their soundwave patterns and translated that into hanging pieces, most ingeniously (layered circles of polystyrene), surprisingly beautiful.

 In case we missed the point, the actual speeches were broadcast in the gallery. Happy time trying to match speech to vision which made me suspect they were not an actual copy -  I've always been a pedant. Still worked as a sculpture and idea IMHO.

Speeches by Mandela, Churchill, Obama, de Gaulle,  Allende, Guevarra and the like - sound bites rather than speeches actually but enough -

Entry free, staff sweet, beautiful building (ex-monastery and old bank) Well worth a visit.

CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART - Office de tourisme de Carcassonne

PS just had a visit from a neighbour who has a friend who is having a vide maison, since his ma has gone into the maison de retrait. Forgot my camera! If you are yours are looking for good solid French furniture or any number of dinner services, lamps and so forth, you could do worse that contact Tim who is managing it for the family. Message Timothy Price on Fb.

consolations of a wet sunday

Not a lot of stalls in the market, what with impending rain and a bit of wind - hardly a patch on what we had been led to expect - Rushton and I had arranged to meet and were joined by Louise and Pete, below, and then Norbert... Nel is in recovery from her last treatment but doing fine.

Got home, where Pete was entertaining Bob... and offering a blessing :)

Water level of river down from yesterday and though the sky is grey, urgh, all is manageable.