MOROCCO~AFRICA

Sultan of Morocco, (1845) Eugene Delacroix

When I was 8 years old I played the part of Scheherazade, a legendary Persian Queen and storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights in a school play. Since that time I have been fascinated with the exotic images and stories of that part of the world. With Sultans, and deserts and camels and such.

Scheherazade

Then 6 years later in 1962( I was 14) along came the movie " Lawrence of Arabia" with Peter O' Toole and Omar Sharif, handsome men riding through the desert with white turbans flying...I was hooked!

I really love the art and textiles that represent that part of the world, Eugene Delacroix a french painter spent time there and his paintings from that period are rich in color and details.

I was fortunate enough to see the painting "Sultan of Morocco" in Toulouse, France several years ago.It inspired me to go to Morocco and see these things for myself.

In 1832, Delacroix traveled to Spain and North Africa, as part of a diplomatic mission to Morocco shortly after the French conquered Algeria. He went not primarily to study art, but to escape from the civilization of Paris, in hopes of seeing a more primitive culture.^[13] He eventually produced over 100 paintings and drawings of scenes from or based on the life of the people of North Africa, and added a new and personal chapter to the interest in Orientalism.^[14] Delacroix was entranced by the people and the costumes, and the trip would inform the subject matter of a great many of his future paintings. He believed that the North Africans, in their attire and their attitudes, provided a visual equivalent to the people of Classical Rome and Greece:

I finally made my way to Morocco~ first stop:

Marrakech مراكش

My time in Marrakech was brief, however, it was everything and more than I imagined it would be. I absorbed a lot , fascinated and mesmerized everyday and I continue to process the smells, sites , colors, images and sounds of this amazing city.

The Souk, was full beautiful items to purchase, everything is made by hand and sold directly to you. Leather goods, glazed tiles and ceramics, antique jewelry, Berber rugs, clothing and lots of food , like dates, olives , spices , local fruits and vegetables.

Each small booth lined up side by side with some of the same items as the one before.

The country sport is bargaining with the shop owners. They start high, you start low and you meet somewhere in the middle on a price.

" What's you best price , your best price,inshallah"

It was fun, but exhausting...I think the point is to wear you down.

The Souk

The Main Square, where everyone congregated in the evenings, was reminiscent of a county fair. With smells of food as it was cooked fresh for you in a Tagine and the strange music of the snake charmers to mesmerize the cobras. ( I stayed away from this area). Groups gathered around belly dancers and small plays while all the youth rode their motor scooters around and around. Many people set up temporary displays of items to sell, similar to a garage sale. It was a montage of activities and sounds.

The Streets are packed in the medina where we stayed. Cars, bicycles, motor bikes, donkeys with carts and horse drawn carriages...and of course, people! People walking, people talking, people selling and buying vegetables, meats, clothing, and home products. Along our path to the souks, we passed many small ateliers , where crafts people of all ages were making their wears. Beautiful rugs hung high on the terrace above me drying in the sun.

Enjoy these images of Marrakech

Stop back for more on my fantastical trip to Morocco.

Love to all~

Marti

Farewell to Paris, New Friends, New Images & New Thoughts

As I marcher les rues ( walked the streets ) of Paris in the last days, I am taken with the sites, the smells, and overall ambiance of this amazing city. My camera flashing as I peered into windows and enjoyed each speciality shop.
I was fortunate to meet and make new friends like Susie Holland of Vingt Paris Magazine, an art lover who has lived and worked here for many years, helping connect all mediums of the art world together.

http://www.vingtparismagazine.com/
She introduced me to Grace Teshima, another art lover who hosts art exhibits and Parisian Salons in her third floor Paris apartment on the Rue de Abbesses, Montmontre.
http://www.parisiensalon.com/tag/grace-teshima/
Grace took me to an art opening held at "Les Frigos" a big art space with graffiti all over the walls


and then on to "The Soul Kitchen Dinner Club" with owners Christian and Alexa, who made me feel so welcome as they cooked and served a traditional french dinner of Cassoulet, French baguette, and poire tart and coffee, and of course great french wine!in their beautiful apartment.
It was a rare opportunity to really meet and talk with artisans like myself, about life as an artist and how that is really the same all over the world.

http://soulkitchensupperclub.com/


One of the highlights of my stay in Paris was going to the Musée d'Orsay and viewing some of my favs , like Gauguin, Matisse, Modigliani, Rodin, and more. It was so thrilling to actually see the energy in the brush strokes, and know that they were authentic. Paris is the best for me in this way!
I loved strolling along the Seine, to see the artists, painting as they sit with their work exposed, hoping for a sale. I felt their excitement when a passer by would stopped to discuss a painting, and the disappointment when they continued on with out it!
Visiting the bookstore Shakespeare and Company and purchasing a novel by George Sands a female french writer who I admire so much.

http://shakespeareandcompany.com/

I hope you are able to view the photos I am attaching, images that will always remind me of this week in Paris and the things that inspired me.


















Now on to Morocco ~ Africa

Chez Moi ( my place)

Welcome to my Paris apartment located at 12 Rue de Germain Pilon in Montmartre. An authentic Parisian apartment with parquet wood floors, fireplaces in each room and comfortable beds, it was a fantastic choice. Not far from the Metro Abbesses, which provided fast and convenient access to all of Paris, it was all I needed and was a wonderful home away from home. With 2 bedrooms , a full salon (living room) full kitchen and bath, Beth and I felt comfortable and safe.
At the end of the day, we would come back to relaxed atmosphere and catch up on that day's adventure. The small terrace was a nice nook to have a moment to rest outside and watch the people pass on the street below.
As I soaked away in the tub each evening, I could listen as the concert pianist played classical music in the apartment below me.



My bedroom looked out over the garden, with big french windows, with a beautiful view of a chestnut tree and rooftops. Quiet and secluded I enjoyed the privacy it provided after a long day on the streets of Paris.
I loved the old art deco armoire that was my closet in my bedroom.







au revoir pour le moment
Marti

MONTMARTRE ( The Hood )

My Apartment is in the 18 Arrondissement MONTMARTRE.
Montmartre is a village within Paris, it combines the atmosphere of an ancient village with trendy shops,fabulous restaurants and artists. High above Paris in Montmartre is the Basilica Sacré-Coeur the beautiful white church whose moorish style architecture is world famous. I am taken with the curves and arches ,shadows and light and the magnificent view out over all of Paris.

As I roamed around the"Place du Tertre" where the artists have set up their easels and sold their art for a hundred years,I ran into an artist whose work I purchased in 2007 "MAZOY" and met his artist friend Aram who creates delicate pen and ink renderings with watercolor washes of Montmartre as the small village it use to be before the tourists began to crammed in.
After an afternoon with the artists and all those creative juices flowing, I went on a quest to find an art supply store to purchased watercolors and paper to sketch few memories for myself.
I found this wonderful art supply store with a Westie outside the door, I knew that this was just where I needed to be.!!
Enjoy these photos of Montmartre my neigborhood!!

LE BON SOIR DE MON PARIS DE BEAUTE(Good Evening from my

LE BON SOIR DE MON PARIS DE BEAUTE!!!
You can see by the smile on my face that I am one happy girl!! It's midnight with a full moon on my first evening in Paris and the weather is amazing. Je suis désolé if I am but another francophile cliché. J'aime juste cette ville( I just love this city).
I will post mostly images as I go along, not too much text, this will give all of you the opportunity to enjoy Paris in your own way.
Feed back would be great, and I will try to respond to questions if you have any.
Well