december fotoplay : gallery 9

These winter mornings, anticipating the Fotoplay cards that might be waiting for me in my inbox, I just can’t wait to get out of bed. And this morning was beyond inspiring. (What’s the word for beyond inspiring?)

Above is the lovely watercolor piece made by my friend in France, Camille (who I met at the Vermont Studio School in 1985). Camille wrote me this email as well: Cher Marcie, It is that time of year when feelings are all mixed up. Excitement, expectations, disappointments, assessments, new plans and dreams… Your card arrived a few weeks ago, and I was not in a good state of mind. So much going on, so much not going on. But I am never in a good state if I am not in my studio painting, and I haven’t been, for a long long time. You would not believe how long. We will talk about this some other time. But for now, I will tell you what happened to me because of your card. I know I will get teary eyed as I write this to you, because I had what we might call a “breakthrough.” On Christmas day, my daughter gave me a gorgeous coffee table book, Bonnard. For days I have been lost in this rapturous book. How could I have forgotten? How could I have forgotten how magnificent this work is? I fell in love again. Oh, Bonnard. The sunlight that emanates from those paintings. The feeling of ennui, and yet, at the same time, a deep meditative sense of presence… he was so there, he was so so so present in his world, in his life, in the moment, with the sun and the fruit and his wife and his dear dachshund. What an accomplishment. I hate to use that word, but that’s what it is, really. Bonnard was able to stop time, and stretch it out, and capture it in the most beautiful way. In the midst of my feeling utterly swept away with the spirit of Bonnard, I began to paint small watercolors. Not my own compositions, but copies of Bonnard’s. And then this past Sunday morning I reached for your card, and created a painting that is my gift to Monsieur Bonnard, for all he has given to me, and my gift to you, for your steadfast inspiration. I’ve included some of my favorite vignettes from his paintings: that mystical tree from “Decor a Vernon,” the lemons from “La Table,” the floor pattern and mirror from “Intérieur au Cannet avec femme a sa toilette,” the window panes and golden landscape from “L’Atelier au mimosa, Le Cannet,” and finally his little dachshund from “Nu dans le bain au petit chien.” Bonne année et bonne santé mon ami! Camille.  Bonne année to you too Dear Camille! Such a warm painting…

Yesterday I received via snail mail the envelope above, filled with nine puzzle pieces. It was from another new friend who I met through this blog, a reader who lives in New Jersey. In a note, Cathy told me that inspired by my post on making puzzles, she set her four year old daughter up with my Fotoplay card, some crayons, and some watercolors, so she could make a watercolor resist puzzle. Completely adorable…