LUX ART PRIZE + CANNES 24 inspiration « Strange Way of Life » – Storytelling

INSPIRATION CINEMA

STRANGE WAY OF LIFE I EXTRAÑA FORMA DE VIDA
by Pedro Almodovar with Ethan Hawke & Pedro Pascal

EN FRANCAIS : CLIQUEZ ICI : 🎬

CHAPTER 1 : written 6th January 2024

It’s a special movie for me … it follows me or I meet it… It depends on the point of view and that before the beginning…
I always follow my heart when I do things, that always be like that, it will never change. I keep a part of the mystery for the first « Why » of this subject for my art project,… But, I can start my story where I want… I’m the scenarist, right so : « Once upon a time… » 
We start the story after the beginning of the « Why », in Barcelona. I was there for my exhibition of ExpoMetro « the Art Tunnel » in the Metro in Passeig de Gràcia. I found a lovely hotel « the Granvia » created by a Chilean couple (1st sign, I should have been more attentive). It was really to some steps of the metro station L3-L4m where was shown my self-portrait.
On the way, I saw a cinema (around 300 meters from my hotel), and I’ve always wanted to see a movie in a foreign country (in a language other than mine), a good occasion. Well, I’ll go after the opening to see if I can watch a movie before returning to my hotel.
And I recognized the poster the closer I got to the cinema, and … « Extraña Forma de Vida » was shown. I bought a ticket and waited to go inside the piece. The man said to me in Spanish (I understand a little, but I don’t talk, just a few words…)
– Ten cuidado esto no es una película, señorita. (Be careful, this is not a film, ma’am)
– Si señor lo sé, gracias (Yes Sir, I know, thank you)

Tickets in Yelmo Films Barcelona for Extraña Forma de Vida

Little prediction was made somewhere by me on the web when announced for Cannes 2023… I said « It smells for prices »… Mmhh… Perhaps in 2024, I had seen that announced to the Oscars. (Good prediction by the little Lady in Art? We’ll see )

Well, back on topic :
The door opened and I got to my place… black… and music…

CHAPTER 2 : written 7th January 2024

"When you follow your intuition, you already have the answer before to know the question a year before" 

The Little Lady in Art waits in the dark for the first images. I was surprised to hear the language of Shakespeare  and not the Spanish, (okay the subtitles were in Spanish, that could not help me if I didn’t understand several words…) But, I was more confident when I listened to the actors…

Very good surprise for me, I near all understand (when you come back to learn English, without the help of the French subtitles, it’s very cool)

It’s in exactly the spirit of my first volet of artwork creation, that I finished just before to come in Barcelona in middle of June 2023.
Now, in the beginning 2024, we can say that I am working on another way to interpret the 4 elements.

CHAPTER 3 : THIS WEEKEND ! – info of the 11st Jan. 24
I need to work on the canvas ! I have a lot of gluing to do and I need to allow time between each one , to have a good result and I work all day so… painting by night !

Things promised… things due.. the rest… ( a little part today and for Saturday a little more)

CHAPTER 3 : written the 12th Jan. 24
Meeting with « Santiago de Chile » & Prince in Barcelona

The day after the opening, I decided to go to the metro station of the Passeig de Gràcia to take some souvenir photos for my art book, and I was very happy to have met a lot of artists in the place. On the day of the opening, I made an artist friend now… from… Santiago de Chile ! We were on the same board with our paintings. It was a nice wink for me, I had just finished a painting of the city for my 2nd Duo for the Lux Art Prize 2023 with a view of Santiago before coming to Barcelona, and of course, we know a guy who is from this town.

For this moment, I haven’t had the idea to do a painting on the theme of the short Movie Extraña, the idea was coming later… We talk about it in the next chapter perhaps …

During my stay, I had a coffee in the Hard Rock Coffee in place Catalunya, and I visited the place. I thought of my next painting for the Lux Art Prize, I would do it on the thema Purple Rain, like in acting I’ve studied months before the subject to be in harmony and the energy with it.

I wasn’t sure to be enough ready for all I wanted to do. The first time I was doing a so big painting (I was a little scared because I knew it was a challenge to finish it on time for the contest), and on the stairs of the Hard R. Coffee… I met Prince in person, and I was amazed. I let you see the story of my Purple if you are interested, you’ll find my big boy in the section Gallery 2023.

Prince was okay to work with me, I was touched for the signs I had in place. I was on the right way, so a little less afraid to take the challenge.

Why this little apart with Purple? To explain a little part of my « artmatical » way of creation… I followed my intuition, and I was already working, without to know at this moment consciously on the theme of the cinema for the next year… Purple Rain is a song and … a movie, so I was working on the link with my work of today. Strange no? With me… not really, I have a lot of fun discovering the next part.

Next part… tomorrow

CHAPTER 4 : written the 14th Jan. 24

Back home, I follow the advance of Purple to finish by the end of September (the last deadline of the LUX). One day in August, I took a break in my creation, (it’s good to take some steps back to have solutions), in my walk, I wanted to go to the cinemas. I stop in front of (and that is the real name of one of the 4 cinemas in my city), the « LUX » (you want to do it on purpose, you can’t, this kind of thing happens regularly to me😅)

Well, I buy my ticket. and here we are again. This time… I have the subtitles in French to help me, I’m happy I understood the movie in Barcelona the first time. The movie follows me… Okay, we keep in touch.

CHAPTER 5 : Little Lady in Art in New-York I Written 19th Jan. 24

Back from Barcelona, I found a possibility to submit a file for an Art Show in NY. It was a dream of a little girl to go to the USA (NY or LA), when I was a child, I wanted to be an actress, it was my choice of life. But life is sometimes hard and you must make choices (you’ll find that in Extraña Forma de Vida too), and I put all my dreams of theater and cinema in a little box on a shelf. (The box takes the dust… but my heart inside was sleeping, waiting his time)

MISSED RENDEZ-VOUS WITH MY TWO MENS

I found an Airbnb in Brooklyn, not far away from the Barclays Center. And in this Christmas 2023, I saw a photo of Ethan Hawke on Insta, and I recognized the typical architecture of the houses from Brooklyn… So in October 2023, I was living 15 minutes from his neighborhood, and I was around the Barclays during my trip for the metro too, and for a little shopping, I did not know…

Crazy and stronger, on the last day of my presence in New York, I was « physically » not far away from Pedro Pascal on the 21st of October 2023, some hundredth meters from each one. He was in the show of the Saturday Night Live (SNL). We were on the same date, in the same city at the same moment. I did not know.

_{I let you click on the picture up, if you want to read better the text and if you want to come back on the story, click to the back arrow of your navigator or escape 😉}

CHAPTER 6 : Paper of Brooklyn I written 21st Jan. 2024

This weekend, I’m in full creation in painting and gluing. I bought a beautiful paper inlaid of wildflowers and leaves in an art shop in the neighborhood of the Powerhouse of Arts on my October trip, which I used for a part of the top of the 2 canvases, for the romantic touch you have in Extraña.
And I have 2 more pieces in nice brown for my « Wanted », but these 2 pieces aren’t for now.

The green of the jacket of Pedro inside the movie inspired me to test an effect… The first time, that hasn’t worked (tried on Friday). But, I was sure it could work, so never give up… Second time yesterday, and … YES, I recreated the effect of the green flash on the 2 canvases, the exact moment of the meeting between the sky and the sun or moon, how you want, the last ray of light before the night or before the morning. Magic! The painting becomes a living light.

And the paper that I bought in Brooklyn is really, really perfect. And like every time, the paper found its place on the canvas with the play of the brushstrokes and pigments, my dialogue with the matter.

CHAPTER 7 : Man, not cream on top, but coffee please I written 23rnd Jan 2023

I’m in a western with my 2 men, so the coffee (aka beverage from heaven) will be used today to make some punch on my top with my paper Lokta for the 2 canvas. I used this technique with my Memory of the Andes, and I think it’s a good link in this creation to put again this noble matter like pigments.

I take another perfume of coffee, with the same roaster with whom I had to have the Colombie Medeline (because pur origin ! I want true elements). This time I use an Arabica pure origin grand cru (of course, only high quality for my 2 cowboys, what else?): the Guatemala Antigua Pastoral of course from the region of Guatemala: Antigua (like that, I’ll have a memory of Spanish history, in 2 words, Antigua is a Spanish colonial town).

Memo of the Little Lady : @20 pm : I’m back in a moment, just eat something and I follow before gluing 😉
@22 pm : back with my coffee (to drink, not to paint… the one to paint is already on my table for the dyeing), some words before using my coffee grounds on paper.

Well, in a moment I’ll take my coffee grounds and let it speak to me, when all is dry tomorrow, I’ll see which paper will go for Ethan or Pedro.
Now I’m in the part of the composition like a technician who recolors a movie, because for the moment my 2 actors are in black and white, and I must have them in colors in my mind in all the process and to imagine them already in their place on each canvas with the colors warm and cold (the recolorization needs to be done at the end of the work just before the applying of the gold leaf).
Here, I have no choice but to be self-confident and to let the matter and my intuition guide me with intensity, the sweetness, and I’ll discover when I’ll wake up the messages written on the paper.

CHAPTER 8 : WAITING… AND FIXED I written 25th Jan. 24

Yesterday, I had left the 2 pieces of paper stained with the ground coffee, and they gave an aspect horse seal. The papers were dry and I have fixed the « pigment » with an acryl spray high resistance UV like usual. For the moment, I need to let all have a well-deserved rest.

Me, I would like to work more, but I have one of my wisdom teeth that hurts me, so I’ll try to sleep with a pain killer, and next step for tomorrow evening is the gluing of the top and a little work with the brown to have the leather effect well integrated.

CHAPTER 9 : COFFEE TIME ! SOOOOO NICE

My paper effect leather is ready to be glued on the 2 canvases, with a sweet smell of Guatemala coffee, and I already see some interesting forms inside (heart, horses, letters…).

In the preparation for the coffee, I didn’t try to make a form with the glue and draw something. I put the glue and drop the powder of ground coffee and integrated it into the paper to make parties more massive and parties more light to make the balance, like in a dance.

Well, I started my 1st gluing with Ethan, and on his paper, the powder had taken more place with more parties massive than the one of Pedro. It is really perfect to have the balance with the color of the blue pigments which was more light than the red pigments of Pedro.
Second canvas, gluing with the one of Pedro, and to have a good line with Ethan’s canvas, I put them side by side on my table to be sure to have the same distance and continuity.

I let them again to have a sweet night, and to dry. I’ll take care of them next night. It’s possible, that something hidden is revealed during the night… I’m going to sleep too, it’s later 2 am, and I start earlier tomorrow. Have sweet dreams my sweet friends… I take a little coffee and zzzzzz.

CHAPTER 10 : CHILL DAY I THIS WEEK WAS HARD

Not well with my tooth and…short. So chill day for Saturday to keep the energy to work tomorrow to advance the canvas. I’m already happy with the effect of the strata of papers.

Next step for Sunday :

1. to well fixe all the pigments on them
2. a little painting to consolidate the links with part of the papers and paint
3. to start the last big and important part of gluing with the emplacement of the base of the « wanted »

Like that, I let all drying the time that I recover from my surgery of Monday (impossible in that statement to produce something acceptable)

CHAPTER 11 : WISDOM THOOTH AWAY , WINK, PAIN I Written 30st Jan. 2024

Well, I took away my wisdom thooth, and I’m now 3/4 less wise, the funny of the situation it’s during the intervention the analgesic doesn’t work, and I always felt something… So the dentist used a « gun » to fall the zone asleep.

Well, I’m always in the Western mood, so connected with my creation. Ouch… that hurts…

I’m not enough better to work. When your body says: « Stay quiet and take care of yourself », you do what it says. And no choice, because I couldn’t sleep and eat and painkillers were not really efficient on the day of the surgery.

Fortunately a day later, a little better, I have always pain but a little less. Today I try to eat and stay quiet, and tomorrow too. So I hope to work on Thursday evening and during the night.
Let’s go to baby’s food, with avocado, mango, apple, and yogurt without lactose (I don’t support lactose)

So take care of you, never give up, follow your dreams, and never mind what we say around you.

CHAPTER 12 : I FEEL BETTER I SO I CAN CREAT AND I’M LESS SQUIRREL 😉 I Written 2nd Feb. 2024

I look like a little less of a squirrel, that is a good thing, even if it’s cute. And I think I have the final step for my two guys. Always take the teaching of a break time even if it’s with a tooth that stops you, finally an away tooth. My surgery had given me pain because my roots were deep and strong.
That had given me matter to think during my momentary life like a squirrel.

I paint with my emotions, my heart. There are always colors incorporated in my art, you don’t see them with your eyes, but it always happens inside something when you are in front of it. I think that is a color palette used by the artists to touch the soul and every one of us has his/her tint.

My color palette is composed of tints of light, strength, truth, root, love, joy, a little magic (my princess side), and perhaps other nuances that I’ll discover more I’ll advance in my creation. It’s why the art is a marvelous expression. (art in the large sense)

Why speak about that for my composition? Simply, because I paint on two spaces, the one for the eyes and the other for the heart, like speaking upper. And for the heart, I need to understand, like the actors and actresses the « soul » of the character. It’s essential. Otherwise, you aren’t right in your play, and that sounds false.
The theater was my first love of art, and I’m very grateful to have had the chance to play on stage. That is the first key that life offered me for understanding my emotions and using them in art (always in the large sense)

My roots are deep, and even now, I always work to root myself more and more deeply, and you know what, this week, the moment I understood that, my pain goes slowly away. Mind and are body always connected.

So my big job this end of the week is to finish the 2 canvases while taking into account the essence of the 2 characters (with my feelings and my interpretation, after the 2 viewings I had last year). But, if I continue to be confident with my sensibility, the links will take their place, like the roots of the trees in the earth, and for the moment, my two trees are very beautiful, I enjoy myself to see them finish growing.

I am for the moment a little more chipmunk or «little suisse », it cannot be invented. Well, my head is quieter, my heart is again in its place between my sides and no longer in my jaw. So, I can use normally my color palette for this weekend to do a big advancement. Never give up!

CHAPTER 13 : WORK WITH ETHAN & PEDRO ON SUNDAY I Written 4th Feb. 2024

Today afternoon I worked with M Hawke on the 2nd step on 4 (perhaps more…) and it well went. So I’m enough confident of the plane in my head. I’m on a good way.

At this part of the evening, I finish the 1st step with M Pascal and follow the way with him like for Ethan.

For the beginning of next week, during every step of waiting between the work with Ethan, I’ll work with Pedro and so on until the final step of strata, I’ll judge necessary to have the rendering that I want for my two men. I use the same technique that I made in place with my portrait of Prince, and the result is gorgeous. So I’m very excited to see the final result, I think, mhhh by the end of next week, if all goes well.

Nice program for this week to come, for the evening and night, like I’ll be always with Porride for baby, I win time… Always see the good side, more time to create.

CHAPTER 14 : FIRE IN CHILE 💔 Valparaìso I Written 7th Feb. 2024

I had been so touched by the tragedy in Chile with this fire in Valparaìso not far away from the city of Santiago de Chile, I have the heart a little loud. And I was working this beginning of the week with the draw on Pedro, not easy to be connected in creation when you see all the distress of the people who lost everything in place. I wanted to do something to help in a way, and I had seen a post of Pedro on Insta with information for a donation. I found the website and I started to read. I understand a little Spanish, not all the words, but I’m not bad in foreign languages, so I understand the essentials. I’m not very rich, but It echoes in me to give what I can with my means. It was the right return of things, because Chile was a part of my inspiration for my 3rd Element « the Fire » for my file of the Luxembourg Art Prize 2023, and I received a beautiful gift at the end of 2023 with a certificate.

You receive good, in balance, I give with heart. Chile is a country that I have on my travel list, so no hesitation.

And like I had written last year, it looks like some lands of my home Valais, Switzerland. And I know what it’s do when you lose your home.

I have put the link for a donation if you want to do your bit on the home page of my website. You have several possibilities to give, and it’s easy for foreigners too (ps. it’s in Chilean pesos CHF 1 gives around CLP 1’090,02, you can be surprised by the amount to write. For example, if you want to give CHF 100.- you must write around CLP 100’000.-, I rate you to give online an exchange rate converter)

To end this chapter, I send all my good vibes and my Love to the Chilean people in place.

CHAPTER 15 : DRAWING WITH PEDRO I Written 9th Feb. 2024

Short chapter, but long work. Finally, I finished the drawing with Pedro this night, the pencil is fixed, I let him off until tomorrow, and after I’ll glue it on the canvas when I’ll be back from the job. Ethan is already ready for the 2nd step. I’ll work on the second step with him during the drying of Pedro.

CHAPTER 16 : NEVER GIVE UP ! Written the 11 + 12 Feb. 2024

What a weekend of intensive painting! I had a little moment of « panic » when I had a problem with one of the delicate steps of gluing in my strata from Friday night until Saturday afternoon. And sometimes, all passed not well. The matter has its rules and you have no choice to accept that. But I really have a cold in my stomach, I was afraid to not arrive to finish them in the timing.

I tried to make some strata with papers, and that never worked, not the right effect, too much or too few. And I felt empty inside when I looked at the 2 canvases in progression. So I knew, I wasn’t on the good way. So I decided to stop working and have a good night’s sleep to start on Sunday.

Today, I fought again for a part of the day, but nothing worked, and I understood why in the middle of the afternoon. When you stay « aligned », you always have the help you need, and if you listen to the little voice in your heart (better right for me than the head), you always have the solution.

In my head, since the beginning, I follow the movie when I’m painting. All the parts up of my canvas were really « easy, light » to set up like the start of the story of Extraña, and more more heavy until the morning when Jake followed his responsibility to arrest the son of Silva, and the confrontation between the two men. So I was exactly at the end of the movie today if I may so say.

I knew inside me, that my vision was right. Today, I had done another step in my evolution of painting, like in my 1st duo of the Lux 2023 or with My Purple Rain.

I’m writing this line very late in the night or earlier in the morning. Now my last strata and colors are dry to put the final touch (my favorite part of the job) on the pose of the gold leaf for my two friends Ethan and Pedro.

It’s not the end credits, I have the gold leaf, and to sign them, see you for the next chapter.

CHAPTER 17 : THAT’S ALL FOLKS – MY MEN ARE HANDSOME ! I Written the 14th Feb earyl morning 😉

I’m someone stubborn and when I say something to someone or myself, I start and I finish. And that’s all folks! I decided to finish them for Monday and I finished my 2 canvases at 5 am on Monday (the 12th Feb), at 7.30 am I went to work with my canvas in my arms for the shooting in the end afternoon after my job for all the advertising for my exhibition for Cannes + the Luxembourg Art Prize (1st session)… And I took some pictures of me too with my photographer, yes I do the model.

My 2 men are handsome, I’m very happy with the result, it’s very classy and I’m very excited to show them in Cannes during the Film Festival.

And… I have done something magic… Do you remember I spoke about the green flash… I work now for the SFX to make this horizon alive for the exhibition, my next challenge, is I have a little idea of how to do it.

I’ll write something at the end of the day, when I’ll be back home after work, so see you soon.

Inspired of the short movie « Strange Way of Life » – « Extraña Forma de Vida » by Pedro Almodóvar with Ethan Hawke as Jake & Pedro Pascal as Silva.

Mixed technique on canvas XL with OKASHI paper, LOKTA paper, « Brooklyn » paper of my 1st trip in October in NY, pigments, drawing with pencil, graphite, coffee grounds pure arabica grand crue Guatemala Antigua Pastoral by Grain Noir Switzerland, orchid petals white and purple, acryl, phosphorescent ink, pure 24 carats golden leaf « Manetti »

CHAPTER 18 : WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINES ? I Written 14th Feb 24

What a crazy weekend last week. I had done a huge session of painting. With Purple I had painted a day until 8 hours non-stop, but for the work on my 2 guys… I had done it from Friday evening until Monday morning 3 sessions between 12 and 15 hours non-stop… I broke my record.

Like I said up, I’m stubborn, and when I have an idea or a goal to reach, I have a crazy energy to advance, I don’t know where it comes from. The timing was short but possible, even if it would be impossible for something can’t stop me (with some moments of doubt when the matter decided to do its life without my consent), I never gave up, it wasn’t in my nature. You always have the solution, when you dare to do it and you believe in yourself. Next time, I’ll listen to the little voice in my head, because, she told me a way to work in a moment, I haven’t heard… so the matter wanted not to take its place on the canvas. When I listened finally to it, all took place, and I finished on time to take them for my shooting on Monday

I have lost all a week of painting because of surgery, and in the statement of « squirrel », the pain was always present day and night for 3 days, and a little better at the end of the week, it was impossible to be enough concentrate and aligned for a good reception of inspiration.

But my canvas was already painted in my mind. My body said stop, take care of you. Okay, so I am taking this time I can’t creat to plan for the steps for the next week.

When I’m painting, I always speak with my canvas, and it is sometimes like that I find the solution. And this weekend, I discovered new effects to use!

I know when the energy travels inside the painting, I literally see it vibrate. I saw that for the top part, it’s like I knew if I was on a good way for the middle and the bottom of the paintings. When I put the gold under Ethan and Pedro, all the energy made a sort of dance in the canvas, It was like a warm wave to the canvas to my heart.

This project was living with me before I had seen the movie in Barcelona, and I’m happy about the transcription of the feelings I had kept. I had hesitated a long time before to take this « Way » of inspiration. But I had done in end 2023 a painting on the Icon of the cinema, and for making a file for the Lux, I like to have a story to tell like a theater piece which is a language I like and has a big importance in my life. I was on Broadway in December to see a theater piece in the Hayes Theater and just to see the scene, I had an electric current in my spine, I miss it.

It’s in the theater that I decided to take this way of working on the Icon of the cinema, and Strange Way of Life was a perfect challenge. I’m happy and grateful for the travel I did with my two men, I have learned a lot in technique and about myself.

I do the St-Valentine alone with my two men. Tomorrow, I’ll see how to make alive the green flash, I would like to do a little installation that I could activate during the exhibition in Cannes. I tried a test with a lamp and the effect is unreal.

I do my « star » with my two men, I offered this shooting with my photographer in addition to the photos of the canvas for my artist book.

CHAPTER 19 : LIFE IN MOVEMENT FOR THE LITTLE LADY, CHILL END OF WEEK I written 22 Feb. 24

I haven’t had the time to write something since my last chapter, a lot of movement in a short time, but today, I take the time, because my « Strange Way of Life » is on the road for me. Perhaps, I’ll speak more later…

CHAPTER 20 : WHAT TO DO ? written 1st March 23

I feel a little better, after the emotional shocks last week, I take care of myself and follow up this weekend too before starting another creation(s). It’s why I haven’t written before.

I’ve been ready since one month before my 1st deadline for the LUX. It’s good for me, I have like that time to find the conductive line for my file of this year.

Two possibilities are on my way. I can stop the story of Extraña and go on to another inspiration in the cinema, or follow with the short movie and dig a little into the subject. It has been working in my mind for one week.

And when an idea comes at a different time in my mind, I’m not far away from the solution. That has been the case since this week. And it made an echo for me in my life at this moment too, with a symbol of freedom, space, and sensibility: the horses.

We are in a Western, so horses are of course in the landscape. And a scene of Extraña was coming a lot of time front my eyes: the horses running in their enclosure in Silva’s ranch. But if I worked on this subject for the 2nd deadline, this scene was the end of the movie, so I asked myself if I didn’t do better to end with this painting for the 3rd and last deadline of the LUX in September…

I must take an important parameter: « the time », the second deadline is at the end of June so I have 4 months for painting by night, because I work all day, and I have the weekend full time, but I must be more careful with my health and to keep real chill days, even I’m passionate to create new art.
And I have some chill days in May in Cannes 🥰 ohh yassss, not sorry I’m so excited and so happy. Because I really need to have time to make my level of joy and energy up.
And until September, we are seven months from the last deadline, that more acceptable for this landscape.

I have my landscape in my mind and it’s a big, big challenge. Because I had never drawn horses. I already know the format: 1/2 Purple Rain = 40 cm by 120 cm (15.74 in x 47.24 in).

Well… I have the beginning of the story with the introduction of my two men Jake and Silva. The end with the landscape. I just need the middle… If I take again another formula of art equation, it’s done :
2M + 2?? + 1L =SWOL-EFDV => 2 Men + 2?? + 1 Landscape = Strange Way of Life – Extraña Forma de Vida

I have in totality for the moment 3 canvases (2 readies, 1 to put in creation) and 5 it’s for me a good number, which means to found an idea for 2 canvases to do for the end of June and to work on the same times on the landscape until end September. I like to have a sort of presentation like a piece of theater that gives me a balance.

I had decided to write until the end of September on my way of creation, and as you have understood, I dig inside the story of the short movie, of course, and I’ll find the middle.

Please, take care of you, love you. See you in the next chapter xoxo

CHAPTER 21 : NEW CANVAS ❤️@HOME & Pedro Almodóvar waiting Light I written 05th March 2024

YES, they are @ home my 3 canvases! I was a Little Lady hidden by my 2 cardboard boxes, but they are in my living room aka my artist studio.

I have perhaps a start of an idea for my middle story. I was this chill day weekend, to see an expo at the « Devil’s House », yes we have that in my city, it’s the Fellini Foundation, and we have the chance to have a lot of interesting exhibitions. Now, we have Wim Wenders with « my Polaroid friends », with Polaroid from the movie The American Friend.
And I found a little art book « Waiting for the Light » made by the Foundation when Mr. Pedro Almodóvar made his pictures exhibition in 2021. Good reminder of the expo, and ….to wait… no I don’t wait for the light, I have it, but the light… it’s a track to dig deeper…

CHAPTER 22 : STUDY OF LIGHT I written 10th march 24

For my 1st participation in the LUX, I had to work on the 4 Elements + one to have a resume. My way of creation last year was parallel with the Elements and the energy of the female and male part by the duo, in a first section physical and a second section emotional.

This edition 2024, I follow the same way and I push deeper into the reflection:
1st duo « Physical » with a couple of Jake and Silva, a mix of the cold and hot.
2nd duo is « Emotional », okay I have a beginning of the « emotional » already in the 1st duo. Now I need to find my road in the desert.
My actual idea is to go on abstract (if the matter is ok with me, of course), to cross the emotional with a little physical. It’s perhaps why I haven’t a clear picture in my head, because, it’s more an emotional work to get in shape.

I like the view of Mr Almdóvar trying to imitate the painting and not the photography, and just wait the light through the windows.
My mom is a professional photographer, and I studied with her when I was a child on silver photography the work of the light. My way of painting is a balance the shadow and the light, to find the « right moment »; like in photography, to wait for the sun making this run in the sky to give you the « light » for your picture.
That turns out well, we are going on Spring, and the light changes, you have in the air more sweetness and lightness. I hope like last year to have the help of the light coming through my window, it was for my painting « Oriental Perfume », an inspiration of a part of my origin.
And now, I have my DVD of the movie, and I think I’ll paint with the movie endlessly in several sessions, to have the energy of the play of the 2 actors in my ears and inside.

CHAPTER 23 : STUDY OF COLORS I written 17th march 24

I haven’t forgotten you, but a lot of things to put in order before the « Croisette », some articles to finish for art magazines, exhibitions to plan … And to be ready to start the 2nd part of the LUX… and I found perhaps a key for one of my other facet in art… File to follow.

Well, I’m working on a little painting, not to show in the LUX directly, but on a study of colors to gauge the strength of the tints for the part: formatting of the feelings. My way is to translate as much as possible the emotion of each character (one that touched me the most played by Ethan H. and one played by Pedro P. in the movie). For the moment that is not defined, I’ll see when the time comes.

For the format, exactly the same as my 2 men, of course, to have a mirror, for the composition. I have 2 ideas that grow in my mind: absolut abstract (okay it depends on what wants to be on the canvas) or a part graphic + abstraction. The « emotion » that will remain in me for each one will determine the structure.

And I need more time to fill my batteries (emotional shocks to absorb), painting helps me, that is a good tool with some little walks in nature.

Please, take care of yourself, don’t let people hurt your heart. xoxo

CHAPTER 24 : STUDY OF COLORS AND LIGHT ENDED I written 25th March 24

Short chapter, just to say I had finished my study of colors and light with a little canvas that I found enough nice. And I saw a movie by M Almodóvar this weekend « Dolor y Gloria / Pain and Glory  » at the end of the study, to get the power of the colors in my eyes … And a little week on the screen of the computer of Salvador (interpreted by Antonio Banderas) a file named « Extraña Forma de Vida ». Well, well… you again.

I’m happy with the result, I dared to put some strong colors in dialogue, and the conversation had been very interesting. I’ll do the photo tomorrow, when the battery of my camera is full, and I think, I’ll go to participate in a contest with it in LA… I’ll see the quality of the shooting.

I am preparing for Cannes with some advertising and other exhibitions too, so busy … And I’m working on training that touches one of my dreams waiting for since my adolescence… File to follow.

Take care of you, enjoy life and all the little part of light you’ll find. See you in the next chapter

CHAPTER 25 : TO START OR NOT TO START… I written 30th March 24

I’m doing my training, and some exercises are moving me inside and using a big part of my energy. It’s a good thing, but my feelings are deeply touched, and in my life, it also moves a lot. So I’m not in the mood for painting. I need to have a little break to be ready to work on the 2nd part of the LUX before going to Cannes (ooohhhh I’m so excited to be there), and I need to build the box for my 2 men!
I have my dresses… red or black… I don’t know for the moment which one to choose 😉😁

Take care of you inside and outside, it’s important for your balance. ❤️

CHAPTER 26 : FREEDOM AND RESISTANCES I written 6th April 24

I’m happy, I won a little award today in a contest in Los Angeles with my study of color, that’s given me a lot of joy and trust for the next part of the LUX.

In parallel, I work on a project close to my heart like speaking before, and it’s literally in the line of the 2nd part of the LUX with the approach of understanding and letting go of the resistance, in fact how to find your freedom. I won’t lie to you, I’m afraid to see some part of me in the darkness, my resistance to being. Even the fear is present at the top of my stomach, I see those fears aka my resistance to be like a step to my real me, I need to clean the place for more freedom. Okay, I’m a warrior, let’s go in the battle. The work wasn’t a problem for me, I signed a contract with myself to go from the beginning to the end of these 2 projects, and I’m stubborn, so no choice, when I start something, I finish it.

It’s a great tool for my 2 next canvas, and for me of course. I’m happy with the little results I have in one week.

I let you… I am going to prepare my day of lessons for tomorrow, yes I work on Sunday too!

CHAPTER 27 : SUNNY DAY AND 2ND PART OF THE LUX I written 13th April 24

CHAPTER 28 : IN THE DEPTHS I written 20th/21st April 24

I’m working at the same time on my 2nd project and on the 2nd duo of the LUX. In my advancement, the 1st serves the 2nd. I travel in my emotions in the heights and the depths. I’m cleaning my « inside » and I discover and understand myself better. It’s sometimes really frightening at the moment like you discover a spider on your wall (I hate spiders 😖😱), but I know where I go and the gift I receive in every step I cross.

I’m working on the base of the canvas. I have some colors coming in my head for each character, and my first idea of work has evolved, always in the tracking of a transcription of the feelings of Jake and Silva. The hardest for me is to keep my balance, to find the right alchemy between the work on me and on my canvas. It’s interesting to see the correlation between my understanding of the feelings and the colors now.

I’m interested to see where will all this take me.

CHAPTER 29 : CONNEXTION WITH ME & WORK ON PAINTING FOR LUX + BETWEEN PROJECT I written the 30th April 2024

What a week! I had finally clicked inside with my training, what a joy! I was so surprised. I have some road to do, but I’m on the good way. No matter the time of my journey, I take the time, my time to advance. I find again a part of me that I missed for a long part of my life. And my inspiration takes a level up, I’m interested to see where I’ll go now with an awakening of my instinct. Never give up (not my kind at all, it’s great), I go to my exercises and my colors, two ways, in the same direction. And I need to prepare my packaging for my 2 men, for a safely travel with me to Cannes.

Oh and I work on a painting in parallel of the Lux, between two dryings, just for pleasure, kiss 😘😉

CHAPTER 30 : AWARD FROM LOS ANGELES FOR MY 2 MEN ! written 6th May 2024

I just received in my email inbox a certificate from a contest in LA for my diptych inspired by Strange Way of Life. So good vibes for my exhibition in Cannes next week! So happy to win an award with my two men! I’m in preparation of the packaging for my canvas, I’m good in my timing so no worries.

I always work on my 2nd part of the Lux on emotions way this time as I had explained and at the same time I’m working, digging into my feelings and that’s a very powerful challenge. I’m in full studying and I’m already amazed and so proud of the Little Lady, I have done a wonderful job, I thank me for giving me this gift. I let you I have my lesson in a few minutes

CHAPTER 31 : AWARD BY ME FOR ME I written 09 May 2024

I’m so happy and proud of myself, I pushed myself in my exercises for my second project, and I found yesterday a piece of freedom inside me, hidden. What a gift. I have less « painting », but the bases of the 2 canvases are ready. I felt the necessity to work on my feelings, and my emotions to have a better connection with me. And the meeting with my real me is so delicious. I’m so grateful to have found these lessons and to have made this journey to this meeting with me. I’m very very impatient to see the difference in my painting and in other art’adventures!

But for today, I’m doing som DIY in packaging to take my 2 men with me to Cannes for the next week!

And when I’ll finish my packaging, I’ll try to work on my canvas if the weather is warm and sunny to work on my second part of my artist’s workshop.. aka … my balcony, I take place where I have it.

CHAPTER 32 : BACK FROM CANNES 2024 I written 21st May 2024

Very, very busy those last days, in preparation for my trip to Cannes, working on my 2nd « heart » project (everyday exercises) in parallel with thinking of my canvas for the 2nd part of the Lux, my actual « food » job that I finish this Friday, to start a new one in the beginning of June, that let me more time to create and the preparation for several files for art projects.

I’m back from my exhibition in Cannes, I loved the place and the energy. My 2 men and I arrived at the place safety, that was fun to walk with my big carton down the street of Cannes until the Croisette. I arrived in front of the rise of the steps, tired of the trip (always a little stressed to take my canvas in the aircraft hold). I make all the Croisette by foot to my Airbnb not far away from the Juliana Hotel, the place of the exhibition, and I could let my 2 guys to the curator.

Trip to Cannes with my 2 men-well arrived on the place and direct on the red carpet!

I am working on the theme Strange Way of Life – Extraña Forma de Vida for the Luxembourg Art Prize, and like I said, I am working at the same time on a 2nd project that is useful for my painting and the most important for me, the dream of my life (I cry in the same time, I write those words) … to act.
I’m not interested in the « shinny » of the celebrity, I love the idea of diving into emotion, to make a character (me) alive, and to be like in my way to paint to be amazed about what is coming. And with the help of the universe, I found a formation, an awakening of my instinct. I finished my last day of lessons in Cannes, the same date as my opening at the Fine Art Biennale on the 17th of May. 🎁 What a gift. And, I received the day before a reminder from my coach (the day of my arrival in Cannes on the 16th) if I would continue in the level-up… A group will start the next week. I was sitting on the board of the Croisette, to look at the sea and the Festival Palace. I placed my attention on my heart, and I heard a « yes » inside, clearly in the middle of the effervescence of the crowd. And the day of the opening of my exhibition, I do the subscription.

Now I’m back home with my two men, and I go on my 2nd jump inside me for the next level, and to work on the 2 canvas on my table for the Lux (deadline 30 June). I feel more free, more present.

I’ll write more often, now I have time to create, and I want to share with you more about my discoveries. Take care of your, xoxo by Little Lady in Art.

CHAPTER 33 : MY NEW LIFE : IT IS THE (MY) WAY I written 26th May 2024

On Friday, the 24th of May, it would have been the birthday of my grandma, and that day was my last day of work in the job I had. I start a new one on the 1st of June, which will give me more time to create and to put my artistic projects alive. I’m happy to finish the « past » this special day for a new beautiful beginning. (Sushis time with my auntie, aka my painting teacher, to celebrate that)

I’m working today on the « physical work » (I explain to you that) for my 2nd part of the Luxembourg Art Prize, with always my inspiration of Strange Way of Life – Extraña Forma de Vida.

I, in fact, started the work one month, with my reset. It was an incredible journey, rich in discoveries and connections with me. I found myself again, so sweet meeting, I missed me. And now I work with more powerful energy and a crazy joy, with surprises in my gestures, my whole body is painting with me, I feel like an instrument tuned, I am in the moment present.

The work now is on the transcription of the emotions of Jake (Ethan H. ) and Silva (Pedro P.). And I’m only in the first part, and the canvas gives already powerful energy, strong colors, it’s tasty.

I play the movie in my head and I pass from one character to another to feel the emotions and to feel all of that in my body to impregnate the canvas. I work at the same time on the two canvases with my two hands.

On the left with my left hand on a canvas with the color blue for Jake and the right, logically, with my right hand with the color red for Silva. I paint with 2 hands at the same time like a dance.

I follow the wave of my emotions when I think of Jake or Silva with the emotions they have during the different parts of the movie. Like I said, I play the story in my head, and some scenes stay in front of my eyes, I dive in, to capture the emotions of the 2 men.

The first session of 4 hours, perhaps a little more, was hard work.
I’m very happy with the result, and all the fun I had during the painting. I profit from my balcony, like last year for my Purple Rain to expand my paint shop and to profit from the wonderful sun of the day!

CHAPTER 34 : THE LIFE IN BLUE AND RED I written 29th May 2024

The 1st base is ready for the 2 canvas textured with white color in several strata to have more consistency
already done some months before. On Sunday (the 26th, see above) I did the blue and red colors in a lot of strata to give texture to each one.

CHAPTER 35 : DEEPER IN FEELINGS I written 31st May 2024

CHAPTER 36 : VOILES OF SWEETNESS I written 3rd June 2024

CHAPTER 37 : STRATA WITH FINESSE I written 9th June 2024

CHAPTER 38 : YASSS I FINISHED I written 12th June 2024

YASSS! I finished my 2 canvases for the Lux 2nd part tonight! I’m pleased with the transcription of the emotions I felt in the movie, I’m proud of my job, my diptych is powerful, true in colors and so vibrating with a little touch of magic, like the relationship of my 2 men.

I’m good with the timing for the LUX, the 2nd part is for the end of June. I have an appointment with my photographer to the shooting of them, so I have the time to make my file and some others stuff in art, I hope to have some great feedback.

On Friday, I go to the German part of my country to deliver my 2 canvases for my exhibition: one of my 1st duo of the Lux 2023 and one of the two first of my comebacks in art. I’m so happy to be in the energy of the Art Basel, the « Messe » of contemporary art, it’s a great experience for an artist to be in this event, I’ll profit from the day perhaps to visit the ArtBasesl or the MARVEL: Universe of Super Heroes, nothing on my program, I’ll see on the place.
Of course, I’ll be at the opening at 7 pm the same day!

CHAPTER 39 : ART BASEL & MEETING WITH A FRIEND OF MR. FANTASTIC I written 30th June 2024

A lot of things to prepare since I finished my 2 canvases and am back from Art Basel. I was in an exhibition at the Victoria Hotel, and I was thrilled to be a part of the energy in place in the city. I visited the Art Basel and I’m glad to have seen again a piece of Mrs Faith Ringgold that I had seen in February 2023 in Paris. I stayed a moment outside the building with an adaptation of the artist Agnes Denes with « Honoring Wheatfield – A Confrontation (2024) », land art done in 1982 in Battery Park Landfill, Downtown Manhattan – Green Wheat.
Perhaps two winks for a future exhibition in the USA… this year, I cross my fingers.

CHAPTER 40 : EXTRANA FORMA DE VIDA I written 1st July 2024

Here we are, (yes I wrote it many times today because I’m glad to show them). I love my 2 new paintings, they are on the wall in my small living room with my other diptych. And I like to change their place. I put Ethan with his feelings close to him and I do the same mirror with Pedro with his own.

The intersting effect with this work on feelings is that the 2 portaits of my lovely men are more present, more true, and they take a new dimension. It’s like the 2 canvases on the transcription of the emotions densified the 2 portraits. The « wanted » takes is full meaning.

New life, new challenges, and new discoveries are on my way as an artist and human. It’s like to found a new world to discover, and it’s big and rich in surprises. I’m excited to see where I can go and who I can meet.

For the moment I work in my mind for the 3rd part of the Lux and (I write it now, like a contract with myself, like that no choice, I’ll do it) >> horses<<. They have been running through my head since I saw the short movie in Barcelona, free in the field, and dancing in the dust, it’s the feeling I have inside me I don’t know how they’ll take shape, but now I have a beautiful tool to work, my instinct.

Every day, I try to do my best to be good, and right, it’s like that in our family and I’m very proud of that. Life hadn’t been all the time kind to me, but I saw that as a learning, and now I understand all the fights I had and the gifts I received, they are precious. And since my decision (or the knock of the universe on my door) I try to share my love and joy of life. So never give up and now it’s time to shine, to have fun !

It’s why I do my star on picture with paintings