I SO wanted to have one more Schmincke bonbon to show you before I left, but nothing worked out. You know how that goes. So, I'm leaving tomorrow for France. Because of a temporary health problem of a member of our family, my husband will not be going with me. Also, on Tuesday there will be another nationwide railway strike in France and no one knows how long it will last. This means I've had to cut short my stay in Paris, because I canNOT be stuck there when I'm supposed to be in Clermont-Ferrand at la Biennale du Carnets de Voyage! Your attendance is required if you're in the show--- plus, I'm going to be a speaker on a panel there, as I've mentioned before. I'd planned to take the train to Amboise the day the strike starts, to visit Casey, Deirdre and Ronell for one day and one night. But I'm now staying for a couple or three days, hoping to ride out (as it were) the strike. If the strike is not over by the time I have to be in Clermont-Ferrand, I'll rent a car and drive the 150 miles from Amboise. My husband is going to try to make it to France in time for the show's opening day. See what I mean about plans going awry? Still, I'm going to have a blast in Amboise with my buddies, artists all. We're hoping to paint together and I will post what we come up with!
Speaking of paints, here's my new Schmincke tin of bonbons, with its added pans and half pans from my old palette. I wanted to show you how it can accommodate extra pans.
This week, I received copies of a new book of poems by my brilliant friend Margaret Rabb, latterly of Seattle, currently professor of creative writing at Central Oklahoma University. She's a wonderful, excellent, multi-prizewinning, stupendous poet and one of my dearest friends in all the world. The cover illustration is by someone you know---any guesses ?
Wish me luck, please, on my much-altered, many-legged, hopscotching trip to France!
Beautiful Cover!!
Posted by: Nina | November 27, 2007 at 09:46 PM
Bon Voyage!!! I hope your travels are wonderful. Come back soon wtih more marvelous paintings.
Posted by: Donna | November 18, 2007 at 06:00 PM
I've added a link to your blog under "Blogs I Like". I hope you don't mind. I'd like to keep up with your sketches and travel. Wonderful read. Thanks, ns
Posted by: Nancy Standlee | November 18, 2007 at 10:52 AM
Your drawings look simply splendid on the book cover.
I read about the train strike in Paris when reading about the Eurostar's inaugural journey from St Pancras but didn't realise you were being caught by it too. I hope travelling was fine in the end and everything is going well. Fancy being able to say you've been in a 'Biennale'! :D
Posted by: Katherine | November 16, 2007 at 05:44 AM
La couverture (la "couv" comme on dit) de ces carnets de poésie est immédiatement reconnaissable! Bravo -- et si les talents en poésie de ton amie valent tes talents en dessin, alors ce doit être quelque chose à lire.
J'espère que tu n'as pas trop souffert de cette grêve abominable! Quelle honte pour tous ceux qui doivent travailler!
Posted by: wagonized | November 14, 2007 at 06:57 PM
Oh MUCH LUCK Larua, and no matter what direction the strikes take I Envy You - have a wonderful time and I hope your husband makes it safely also. Be sure to POST!
Posted by: sandy | November 12, 2007 at 04:28 PM