Art in Residence

(click photos to enlarge)

When I imagine winning the lottery, I dream of a lot of things, and yes Paris figures into those fantasies. But more than likely, I would start purchasing pieces of art...all different kinds of art, my tastes vary. But, it feeds my heart and soul in a way that I can't explain well in words.

When you come into my house, there is an eclectic collection of sculpture, photography, prints and original paintings that I have collected through my travels, often spending my last dime and scraping together pennies to purchase a piece that I couldn't go home without. And I have never regretted an art purchase that still to this day makes me smile, or comforts me when I walk by and look at it and remember when I found it, or what I know about the artist and what inspired him or her to create it.

My favorite pieces are in my bedroom, as this is where I spend most of my time. When I write, I do it in my bed, surrounded by pillows and my comforter, with my laptop glowing in front of me. On weekends, I often stay in bed all day on Saturday, glad to escape from work, watching movies from the comfort of my pillows in my pajamas. So, my favorite artist's creations surround me.

The three pieces pictured are: (from top to bottom) Standing in the Rain by Janet Davis-- Janet is a Hawaiian artist. Only a few people close to me know the story behind this painting, but I will tell you, if my house was burning down, and I could only take one worldly possession, (after my cats, of course) this would be it.

The second is Christmas Night by Patrice Cudennec. I bought this on my last trip to Paris back in 2001. I was there over Christmas and wanted so badly to buy an original painting by an artist. I had found a gallery on my first trip to Paris and had seen his pieces there before, but they were all huge canvases and way out of my price range. This one was small and overlooked and the gallery owner took pity on me and cut me a deal. I treasure it.

The last one is a reproduction I bought from an online store that carries a lot of French wanna-be stuff, but it makes me smile. (the picture doesn't do it justice). I look across those painted fields, and imagine I am in Provence for a weekend, taking leave of my Paris apartment for a few days.

....sigh.