Connexions

Doesn't the French spelling of the word Connections seem to imply MORE than the American version? It is more appropo for me since Connexions are SO important in making a life for oneself and one's partner.

The image above was created for the anniversary of Karen Kincaid's birth. I will miss the big shin dig back home but she should know I think about here ALL the time. The dog depicted in the photo card was caught doing his business in front of a gorgeous gate in the Marais. The elegant clock shop here is located a few blocks further down rue du Vielle du Temple.

I've been settling into my atelier at the Cite over the past 10 days or so.
When one is settling into a another time zone life if a series of ups, downs, twists and turns - or les torsions et tourne, as the French might say. After days of wanting to throttle clerks, get this space in "working order" and attending to a sore throat I've finally succeeded in making some connections that aren't artful in nature but equally important.

I have once again caught up with a long lost cousin I grew up hearing about more than seeing. I've only spent a small amount of time with he and his French wife as an adult since they have been living in France since some time in the 80's. He studied painting and is also a writer. I was told he was writing for People Magazine when I was in highschool and there are memories of me searching People's Masthead for his name while in the checkout line of Kroger... and of wondering if this Richard Oliver was REALLY my cousin. Most of the relatives we saw regularly were farmers or lived close to the land on farms they grew up on. Not Richard. I am looking forward to introducing he and Sonja to my beloved Harry when he visits in March.

Another unexpected connexion occured this evening as I made my way in the mist to the Supermarche. I heard someone near the Metro St. Paul speaking English - a familiar voice - and a familiar HAT... and it was Maria and Norie, two delighful and brilliant Australian artists I met here in 2004. Their work is interactive in nature and designed to be seen on the web and is linked the title of this post. They are here filming addional footage for a project they will complete at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire during the next two months! Tomorrow we'll get together with another Australian I've met, Irene Barbaris, and catch up over a drink before we head out to a few openings in the Marais/Bastille neighborhoods.

My work here is in a very preliminary stage at the moment. I felt some excitement after seeing the Vienna show at the Grand Palais but then I started to get sick after standing in line for three hours to see the Melancolia exhibition there the next day. And so it goes. I was thinking of dashing over to the Palais de Tokyo tonite for a vernissage but it is raining and I am starting to lose my voice. I think it needs to be nursed with hot soup and liquids tonite - oh, and maybe a little Bushmill. Tomorrow....