I do not wish to expiate but to LIVE. My life is not an apology but a life. It is for itself and not for a spectacle. What I must do is all that concerns me. Not what the people think.
From "Self Reliance," by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
These are words that incarnate Dr M.
Versatile is another one.
He is one of the few people I know who is capable of both meeting me in the forest at precisely 6am on a cold, grey winter's day, in the rain, for a spot of mountain biking through the mud, and hitting the cocktail bar that very same evening, chic as ever, without changing his character.
We are alike in that way. Extreme. But adaptable.
Unlike me however, he quite simply doesn't give two hoots what any one, whoever they are, could possibly think of him!
Which is why, I'm assuming, he picked THESE colours for me to decorate his walls with!! Not that I don't like them of course. I love them! I just rarely have the opportunity to paint them.
"Ange, paint what you like! Use the phrase that you like...But it has to have these colours! And you know I don't like things too straight and I love lots of texture!"
Here is my response Dr M: The phrase is you! The colours are you! (Think I'm pretty close to what you wanted, and I can tell you my pigments have never played together so much in their lives).
The metal is you and the wood is you! And I know YOU well enough to know that you will tell me honestly what you think... I am consequently biting my nails in anticipation of our meeting next Thursday. Oh dear! I will endeavour to put it out of my mind until then (NOT!)
FINI! C'est FINI!!! Je l'ai FINI!!!
Phew! Now all I have to do is hang out the two loads of washing that have been waiting patiently in the laundry since this morning, vacuum the floors, go get the messmonsters from school and paint both a chandelier and an antique mirror to take with me to see My Fabulous Friend L on Sunday, all before my mother in law arrives this evening...
Forgive me Dr M but to change my scenery, I believe I need a bit of ... sparkly grey!
Going to have a great weekend teaching L to 'patine' everything from chandeliers to lamps to mirrors to maybe even her Mr FF. Be warned! The girl with the paintbrush is coming...
Back on Monday, paint-stained and happy with the Paris Episodes: my first apartment in Paris! As in :"That's not an apartment, it's a closet!"
I LOVE this piece - it's very me. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI've borrowed the excerpt from Self Reliance to hang on my wall. Thanks for sharing it with us. I too will have paintbrush in hand as I try to paint toboggans and winter ice skating for a winterlude scene. Will stick figures work? Wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteOh how I would love to be there learning with that gorgeous miss frenchie! Have a marvelous weekend my friend and I will hope to chat with you soon!
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I can't believe that Dr M will be anything other than thrilled with this!
ReplyDeleteLove the chandelier!
I love your piece and this post. VERY much!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the encouragement! Maybe I'll be a real artiste one day afterall. As long as I keep listening to the advice of those quotes I keep using!
ReplyDeleteScribe - stick figures are all the go...easy and naive;-)
Lulu - more chandeliers in the garage (slightly smaller though as all big ones sold!)
Mimi - One day I'll click my heels and we'll do the weekend, I just won't be able to get the paint onto the plane I imagine
Sopia - I love your socks! And congratulations again on your new blog...
I want that chandelier in my house, it doesn't go with a single thing but I don't care! It's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou Mother-in-law arrives this evening????Oh my word...no wonder you sound a little bit stressed!
ReplyDeleteHope the weekend is wonderful and I love that chandelier.
Best wishes always, Natasha.
ange, what is a real artist? I have been having a chat with another blogger about being creative verses being an artist. I sense there is a difference and also that is it a matter of perspective. I feel a bit confused with the different Mr. M and Mr. FF, but this is fine. I love your art.... each time.
ReplyDeleteThey are nice colours your Dr M has chosen. And in answer to your question - my parents spoke French as their common language when I was growing up.
ReplyDeleteHi Ange...thanks for the congrats over at Julies on my winning the charm. I love it that you are in the contryside in France...Dzintra♥x
ReplyDeleteSo interesting. Someone just sent a link of Emerson's "Self-Reliance" for me to read. A bit of synchronicity!
ReplyDeleteYour piece is gorgeous! I love how it turned out. And oh, the gray chandelier!
You ARE a real artist, and that's a beautiful quote! I hope you are having a fabulous time with Leeann. If she doesn't want the chandelier, please post it to me!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the 'monday' post!
Stunning chandelier! x
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your comments possums! The Fabulous Woman and I have decided that it is time to start teaching people to do these chandeliers up themselves ... so if you want to come over for a bit of a workshop you're all welcome!
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