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Two days of work, although most of the detail flattens out into the dark and the dark doesn’t show any of its gradual changes… artist nitpicks.

It seems to be coming along quicker than the last acrylic painting that I did. Which of course is always the fact with working on art. Well until the curve has been accomplished and then insert all the new ideas and techniques to slow it back down. ..The air here is really dry and my paints keep drying up quite fast no matter what I mix into them, so I have been experimenting with having the lid off of my kettle as I have the burner on low so that it will evaporate and add water to the air. It seems to be working, but it could all just be in my head.

The more I work on this with all the blinds closed the more that I forget that there is snow everywhere outside and I almost trick myself into thinking that it might be nice out. I have been playing my music in the living room while painting and I can’t tell if the person who lives above me is stomping because they want the music turned down, or if they are just really not graceful or light of step, or if they just weigh a lot and it is unavoidable. Meh..

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So, I haven't written much lately.. but from the doldrums of the end of semester I then entered a time period of a flânerie across France. A last hurrah. Jessye came to visit again and the tiny room was packed up all into a few suitcases, the largest being named Bertha, and Rennes was left behind, although not before having a picnic in Thabor for the last Saturday market... We got the essentials. Madeleines (where as I reached the front of the line the vendor greeted me with a question of, '6 madelines?') with a few more of that vendor's delicious delights, like those bite size rolls with jams and caramel and chocolate.. Then of course the impossible cow cheese that acted like goat cheese and was rolled in Provencal  herbs. And of course a baguette from the amazing bakery covered in tiles. A trip to Thabor with Jessye was never complete without a stop at the aviary. And some people watching. A mohawked punk rocker walks a little girl hand in hand through the park.