click on images to see them larger. all images copyright Ellen Warfield.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Proverb of the Day
76. The shade of the palm tree does not benefit it. - Proverbs of the Sene-Gambian by Bamba Khan and Mariama Khan
Friday, June 10, 2011
L'énergie
Right down the road from where I am is a nuclear power plant that produces a third of the electricity for Paris. The steam rising from it is quite beautiful in a way to me, the sheer mass of the cloud at all times is impressive. France has the highest percentage in the world of electricity produced from nuclear power, almost 80%, and they also sell energy to neighboring countries. 
It looks very familiar to me somehow. Ah yes.
It looks very familiar to me somehow. Ah yes.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Proverb of the Day
230. Pretending to own a farm will not satisfy your quest to have one
-Proverbs of the Sene-Gambian by Bamba Khan and Mariama Khan
-Proverbs of the Sene-Gambian by Bamba Khan and Mariama Khan
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
J'aime la pluie
I have begun my second Artist-in-Residence tenure of 2011, at the CAMAC Centre D'art in Marnay-sur-Seine, France. The gray skies and clouds and rain all agree with me, as do the cheese and wine, plus I think it will be 99 degrees F tomorrow in NYC. Yikes! The building I am staying in is literally 10 feet from the banks of the Seine, I could slip in and swim to Paris.
the small village of Marnay-sur-Seine in the rain
La Seine
reeds in the river
Everywhere I go there are horses.
the small village of Marnay-sur-Seine in the rain
La Seinereeds in the riverEverywhere I go there are horses.
Proverb of the Day
I found a little book called "Proverbs of the Sene-Gambian" here in the shelves at Camac. I think I will share some with you from time to time. This book is from 2004.
98. If you are accused of being a witch, avoid being seen with meat at night
98. If you are accused of being a witch, avoid being seen with meat at night
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Lisbon, day 2: No more nuns
I am in France now, but I need to tell you about my last day in Lisbon. First I visited the Belem church and Jeronimos Monastary. It dawned on me that maybe we have such problems with unemployment because there used to be many people living as monks and nuns, but no longer. I have visited countless abandoned convents and monasteries in Europe and there are quite a few in the US as well. I personally have no interest in this lifestyle - just a thought.
This is the number 28 electrico tram that runs through all the older parts of town. They have newer trams now but keep this line for the tourists.
The Manueline ceiling of Belem
Here lies Vasco de Gama, explorer and colonizer extraordinaire!
I studied this flat-faced guy for a few minutes and finally decided it was meant to be a lion. There is very little chance that anyone in Portugal in the early 16th century had ever seen a real lion (and especially not the sculptor) so it was probably very impressive and I am guessing meant to signify Jesus, as he is the "Lion of Judah", from the book of revelations.
Then I went to another part of Lisbon to visit the Gulbenkian Museum. The outside resembles a prison somewhat, as do many buildings of the late 1960s, but the collection is remarkable and a testament to the vision of Calouste Gulbenkian. It is amazing what money can do in the right hands. They have several Turners and Fantin-Latour that are wonderful but the real prize to me was the room dedicated to Rene Lalique. Pictures could never do the pieces justice, so I didn't bother. You should just go see it for yourself.
I love this painting of Madame du Barry.
This is the number 28 electrico tram that runs through all the older parts of town. They have newer trams now but keep this line for the tourists.
The Manueline ceiling of BelemHere lies Vasco de Gama, explorer and colonizer extraordinaire!I studied this flat-faced guy for a few minutes and finally decided it was meant to be a lion. There is very little chance that anyone in Portugal in the early 16th century had ever seen a real lion (and especially not the sculptor) so it was probably very impressive and I am guessing meant to signify Jesus, as he is the "Lion of Judah", from the book of revelations.Then I went to another part of Lisbon to visit the Gulbenkian Museum. The outside resembles a prison somewhat, as do many buildings of the late 1960s, but the collection is remarkable and a testament to the vision of Calouste Gulbenkian. It is amazing what money can do in the right hands. They have several Turners and Fantin-Latour that are wonderful but the real prize to me was the room dedicated to Rene Lalique. Pictures could never do the pieces justice, so I didn't bother. You should just go see it for yourself.I love this painting of Madame du Barry.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Lisboa, day 1: Castles and rain
I visited the Castelo de S. Jorge yesterday soon after arriving in Lisbon. I have loved medieval times since we had to build a model of a castle in 3rd grade, yet I probably would have been a scullery maid back then and lived to 24. Life was rough.
This hilltop has been used by kings and rulers since the 12th century, but there is an archaeological site from the Iron Age on the site as well. The day I visited there were 50,000 Portuguese cub scouts tramping around and I noticed a large condom dispenser outside the bathroom area. Really? Are there condom machines at the Statue of Liberty? I guess there should be.
I also walked around a lot of central Lisbon and waited out a rainstorm in the Chiado with lots of other tourists. 
This hilltop has been used by kings and rulers since the 12th century, but there is an archaeological site from the Iron Age on the site as well. The day I visited there were 50,000 Portuguese cub scouts tramping around and I noticed a large condom dispenser outside the bathroom area. Really? Are there condom machines at the Statue of Liberty? I guess there should be.
I also walked around a lot of central Lisbon and waited out a rainstorm in the Chiado with lots of other tourists.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)