Jacques Genin & Context Travel tour

I took a tour with Context Travel for a foodie tour of the Maris. The last stop was the pastry and chocolate shop of Jacques Genin, a self taught chef. When we arrived someone was taking professional photos of him in the middle of his shop and later interviewed him at a table in the tea room section. The shop is in an old building which has been modernized. It is on three levels with wooden floors, display cases and many tall vases of flowers. The vases were about four feet high filled with green and white flowers. I took some quick photos because I wasn't sure what their policy was about taking photos. Many shops of various kinds are very firm about not letting you take photos.

The photos just below are of a Saint Honore pastry which tied for my favorite with the Fraisier I posted about earlier. He also has the best caramels I've tasted in my life. They are 110 Euros per kilo. I also bought a box of chocolates to bring home which were beautifully contained in a slim metal box. I had such a good time picking them. I had a brief conversation with Jacques through his employee since he only speaks French and I barely speak any. What a fun time!

The photos below are from the tour. The first one is of the leader on the left and the others were participants. We went to the new Popelini shop where they make small cream puffs which are filled and topped with fondant. I didn't care for them but thought the decor of the shop was great since they used their own packaging. Small single boxes were indented into one wall. Very clean and simple decorations. Too bad the sweets aren't better.

We stopped at a bakery where Barbara Austin showed us the difference between the usual baguette and the traditional one. We had goat cheese from a fromagerie. We also stopped at a 200 year old spice store. At each stop we could buy whatever we wanted.

It was nice to be on a tour with English speaking people and to not keep track of where I was on the map and just follow and listen to an informed guide.

Just yesterday my favorite foodie blog posted about Jacques Genin at Paris Patisseries. Go take a look because he has wonderful photos of the chocolates. This didn't want to load so you may have to copy and paste.

Two pastries from Paris

This is a Fraisier from La Patisserie des reves,

on the left.

The best pastry I had while in Paris and purchased on my first full day there. The picture on the right shows how they prepare the box. The pink picks are pushed into a layer of foam core and they do not move. The Saint Honore was one of the worst pastries. Too bad, because it looks wonderful and is from the same shop. The glassy looking sugar coating was too thick and used to anchor the three cream puffs as well and was just inedible.

Paris trip

Angelina's Paris May 2011

I recently returned from a much anticipated and researched trip to Paris. I spent 12 nights in an apartment in the 6th district which is a residential rather than touristed area near the southwest corner of the Luxembourg Gardens. The area had a very neighborhood feel with all kinds of shops nearby. It took me a while to find a grocery store and other services but I really liked being in an apartment rather than a hotel.

I learned to use the Metro, found the nearest taxi stand and never figured out the bus system. I did a good deal of walking with 5.5 miles the first day and varied between 2.75 to 4.17 miles for the other days. Not bad for all the terrain which was dirt, gravel, concrete, cobbles and miles and miles of stairs of various kinds. I also had a large blister on the left big toe and banged my right big toe and just lost that toenail last Sunday! I walked a lot and saw so much of Paris. Not enough, of course, but it was all new territory for me anyway. I learned a lot about the French, Paris and myself. What more could you ask of a much studied and personal trip?

The weather was very warm and sunny. The flights were on time and no problems at all.

I took lots of pictures and am working on learning a new iPhoto application now in order to edit and sort them out.

While I didn't eat out too much I made sure to sample lots of pastries and chocolates which I read about on the internet before leaving. There are a lot of very good blogs about Paris and food.

A few of the food related blogs to read:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/

http://megzimbeck.com/

http://parisbymouth.com/

http://www.parispatisseries.com/category/pastry-reviews/?src=tab

http://doriegreenspan.com/index.html

Planning a trip

I haven't spent much time painting for some time and do plan on getting back in gear after I return from my trip to Paris in May.

Most of my time has been spent on researching my trip and planning what I'll do while I am there. I've turned into a drudge with a single focus and probably am boring everyone I come in contact with lately. OK, probably for several months since I use airline miles and that has to be done about 11 months in advance.

I promise to return with lots of photos and stories. I am traveling with my small sketching kit and plan on taking some time to just sit and sketch. Hope I can stick with this plan! In the meantime here is a photo of the Hotel de Ville in the 3rd district.

Drawing practice

Not much painting going in my studio recently or for several months really. Lots going on and much of it just daily responsibilities and duties. I've also had a fair amount of company which is always good and I always put people before painting. Not that I don't miss the painting but it's hard to pick up the thread of previous work and so after each long absence from painting requires a new start. Which leads to some introspection and much thought as to which direction to take.

I have a new book by Steven Aimone called "Expressive Drawing" which is full of exercises and photos of art work created in classes he teaches. Since he teaches mainly in Maine and Florida I probably won't be taking a class any time soon but the book is very clear so maybe the class isn't necessary in this case. The reason I like the book is because it's something I don't usually do and is helping me bust out of a rut and gives me some refreshing new ideas.

I had a recent email from a friend who said I was a fine painter and really didn't need any more instruction and why did I want to attend more workshops? Good question. I learn something new even from a bad art class but mainly I go for the time away from home to concentrate on my art and my thought processes without any distractions. I also enjoy being with people who want to talk about art all the time! What a luxury.

Right now I'm thinking about two classes in New Mexico in September. The first one is in Taos and taught by Gwen Fox. And the following week is a class near Santa Fe taught by Virginia Cobb. And I could spend the week end between classes looking at the art in Santa Fe. Well, I wouldn't want to waste any time since I would already be there. Sort of my duty to look at lots of amazing abstract art in one small place. Right?

Below is painting #1 from Aimone's book which is automatic drawing. Hold the brush on the end, step away so you have to lean into the painting and take a fencing stance. Add an adjective.

Number 2 is use your non-dominate hand and attach your brush to a long stick. I used a yard stick.

Number 3 below is working flux non-objectively and is done quickly with instructions to draw, veil with white paint, obliterate, draw and back and forth until you're satisfied. I used some old papers and some house paint.

Number 4 below is doing the same instructions as above but use narrative and symbols.

Number 5 is a conversation between orientations-horizontal, vertical and diagonal. I enjoyed this one very much because you start all three at the same time with mainly straight lines in all three orientations. Then step back and decide which ones will be which orientation.

Why we like abstract art

Why do we like abstract art? Well, not everyone, but enough to make us wonder why.

Here's a description (thanks Leslie) of a class in Florence that says something important about understanding an art work. If it were easy to solve we could just walk away and look at the next painting. I want to know why a painting draws me and keeps me interested. The best example is the work of Joan Mitchell. Each encounter leads to revealing more.

Here is a recent Robert Genn newsletter that says something about how we're hard wired to solve puzzles.

I want to paint the painting that draws us back time and time again. Not a simple chore but a good goal to work toward.

Orange

One of my favorite tasks is doing color sample boards of all the colors I have. I've been keeping the orange with the red in storage. It's a search and scramble every time I want a specific color. So today I created an orange sample board and feel much more organized for now!

Take a look.

Using our own voices

Here's an interview from EmptyEasel about a mixed media artist. Lots of good ideas to think about but the thing that stood out for me was about being influenced by other artists. We have a new idea or see a work we really like and then study the techniques and the new media. Then the real work starts with making it our own and being focused on what we want to say. We see inspiration everywhere we look and who can say what will spark a new direction. But always it must be our own voice and vision as well as the all important focus and concentration.

I admire artists who can focus on their work every day and not be sidetracked by duties, responsibilities and the ever present needs of others. How do they do it?

Technology and creating art

Here is an excellent article from FineArtView newsletter which I really agree with and it makes me think about how much time I spend on the computer.

I can't imagine being without the cell phone, my computer and the ease of sending emails. However, when I upgrade or get a new computer I spend hours learning the new operating systems and the new upgrades. I can hardly use iPhoto right now because it's been "improved" so much. Some days I would gladly wish it all gone.

So enjoy the article by Keith Bond and see if you think you should have some technology free days. It's sounding good to me right now.