Friday, August 12, 2016

LE ZEBRE 40 BLVD DE MONTPARNASSE

"Le Zebree acrylic on canvas 1995

AJENTA memories of the cave paintings

"Ajenta" water color 2014
memories of the cave paintings in India

Monday, August 8, 2016

NOTRE DAME DE PARIS

Notre Dame de Paris acrylic on canvas 2009-2016

FISHETTES Ipad drawing

"fishettes" Ipad drawing 2016

Saturday, August 6, 2016

BELLE DE JOUR rue Tardieu Paris

"Belle de Jour" acrylic on canvas1997

My very wonderful next-door-neighbor.

I am always in awe of their windows and the art of perfume.

https://www.facebook.com/galeriebelledejour/

Friday, August 5, 2016

I spent two months in the Bordeaux wine region in 1992. The Bordeaulais are very proud of their wine formost in the world. I didn't feel they felt the joy from drinking their product and all that goes with that. Wine is to taste déguster very pretty and hilly." and judge. The weather was to worry about.

Chateaux Laroze is in Saint Emillion. Very hilly and pretty.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

CAFE LES DEUX MAGOTS

"Cafe les Deux Magots" 1996

I painted this café on Boulevard Saint Germain des Pres twenty years ago. Here is the story

of how it happened and what happened after.

Eastern Wisdom with a Japanese Slant

One summer evening , I ran into Issam Kahn while walking Ruby on the rue des Abbesses. Painter, poet, occasional actor, Issam is tall thin, talented and stunningly handsome with dark skin and flowing white hair. His guru look, straight from India overwhelms many and probably helps him sell paintings. He invited me for a glass of wine and I gladly accepted.

I showed him photos of my recent work; many from our Abbesses rue Lepic neighborhood. He asked me if I had ever painted the Café Les Deux Magots. I told him that I preferred quaint street corners. The Saint Germain crowd was too blazé for me. Issam in his twilight wisdom said, “If you’re ever really desperate for money…” his dark eyes glaring,” paint les Due Maggot. It so famous you’re sure to sell it.” I didn’t respond.

The following morning I got my gear together and took the 67 bus down to Boulevard Saint German. I set up my easel next to the traffic light on the concrete center island in front of the famous café, and began painting. Les Due Magots and its neighbor Café de Flore are historic sights. Picasso was a regular at both as were Fitzgerald and Hemmingway. I found both of them over priced and touristy.

After three hours, I had a good start, but was vexed by the continuing question, “Doesn’t the traffic bother you?”. I was so concentrated I had been ignoring the cars and buses zooming by on both sides.

Then, I felt someone close behind me, not speaking, just standing there. I finally tuned around. An elderly Japanese man, elegantly dressed, smiled and bowed 30 degrees . I smiled and did the same and went back to my painting musing that if he had been wearing a camera I would not have been so gentile. Tourist love taking photos of me while I’m at work. If I catch them before they click, I tell them “NO.”

The next afternoon, back on location a young Japanese man approached me. I saw him coming; walking briskly on the crosswalk looking straight at me with a a smile that almost laughed.

He began straight off. The president of the Café de Flore in Kyoto saw me painting the day before and would like to commission me to paint the Café de Flores here for his café over there. I told him I had already painted Café de Flores and pulled out my little book of photographs.

Mr. Tada, as he introduced himself assured me the president of the café de Flore in Kyoto would buy it.

No , he couldn’t come to my studio in Montmartre, he was too busy leaving for Japan the following evening. We made a rendez-vous at 3 o’clock the following day. I would bring the painting.

The next day at two minutes after three on the boulevard Saint Germain, at the intersection of rue de Rennes, I had my first encounter with Japanese business procedure.

Mr. Tada and the president of The Café de Flores in Kyoto, ( no name) arrived. Small bow from them. Small bow from me I pulled out the painting of the Café de Flore from a Fran Prix shopping bag. The president of The Café de Flore in Kyoto muttered something in Japanese.

Mr. Tada looked at me. “Trop petit.”

The president of the café de Flore in Kyoto examined the canvas I had started of Les Deux Magots, and spoke in his tongue. Mr.Tada translated. I responded. Yes. I could make one as big. Yes, bigger. Yes much bigger. How much? I don’t discuss business in the street. I was biding my time to get advice. He preferred a different perspective than the one I had made.

I offered to make some sketches from different angles. I was to meet with Mr Tda the following week. Sur place. Café de Flore. The deal worked. It led to a bigger deal that Mr Tada brokered also. Three of my café images were used as a promotion for a big café chain in Japon. 1 00,000 agenda covers!

Issam Kahn moved away from Montmartre before I was able to thank him for the good fortune, I had from his simple suggestion. Maybe he did have a special visionary sense. I miss him.