Labor Day

"Noelle and D" by Hilary  J. England
charcoal on paper, 18" x 24", 2012

Yea, Labor Day.  The official end of Summer.  That makes me quite happy!  I come out in the morning, and now I can feel the cool, faint, barely existent smell of Autumn, but soon, it will be here!  The crisp, clean air, the beautiful foliage, the harvest moon.  Yes, I look forward to Autumn with the same enthusiasm as I have since I was a kid--it was always my favorite season.

I have been working away, and have completed another mixed media work (I have yet to photo or post either of these works), and am working on a third.  There will five works in all in this series, each addressing a different topic/emotional issue.

For now, I will leave you with this charcoal study entitled "Noelle and D" charcoal on paper, 18" x 24".  It is a study for my "Rural American Youth" series, and I did several drawings in conjunction with that series. I'll post them as I photo them...I've been lazy in the heat, plus working on commissions.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Busy bee

"BFFs" by Hilary J. England
Digital Fractal Artwork

I have been working very diligently for the last few days, framing work, painting, working on a charcoal series, working on the mixed media series, and negotiating with several galleries for upcoming exhibitions, two group, and one solo show.  So, I am rapidly approaching exhaustion.  I don't think the cross-training boot camp class I have been participating in is helping matters, LOL.

So, lots on the horizon.  I feel a feverish drive to work at this...I don't think the world will end in November, but we may have upheavals no matter which way this dastardly election works out.  I don't want to think anymore about it, or hear anymore about it.  It's infuriating, and depressing.  I stick to watching TCM and great movies from the Silver Screen.  They keep my spirits buoyed and give me hope for the human race, so I can continue with peace in my heart.

Pulling it all together

"Goose stepping" by Hilary J. England
Digital fractal art, 2012

This is part of a digital series I've been working on in conjunction to my "Rural American Youth" painting series.  These different media artworks are being pulled together for an exhibition, which also include drawings, charcoal work, 3-D mixed media art/sculpture, and photography.

I have been working away, really enjoying working in different mediums, and the freedom of it.  I feel the inspiration burning like a fever, and it sets my mind ablaze.  It's like opening the windows and feeling a clean breeze come rushing in.  Yes, moving into different mediums has been a very cleansing experience.

I have been working on 3 dimensional mixed media pieces as well, consisting of ready-made and found objects, along with papier mache, and different textures.  What a great outlet!

So, more to come in the next few days!

New directions

"Flunkies"
Digital Artwork, 2012

So, I am working on a few shows around the country, and one in Rome.  I have been working feverishly these last few days, on some new mixed media works, including sculpture, digital art, and other works in my "Rural American youth" series.  I have been adding works in all mediums, and I enjoy that IMMENSELY.  Working only in paints gets stifling to me after a while, and drawing, sculpting, and other mixed media work really makes me feel unshackled.

This piece is called "Flunkies," and I had a lot of fun working with these carefree kids, as always.  More to come in the next few days!!!

Fly to Jesus...

Rest in peace, Noah.


It's a beautiful day, but attending a funeral is a sad way to spend it. These types of occurrences, like the loss of a 20 year old young man, challenges my heart and my mind, to understand, then I realize, there is no understanding, only faith.

Noah was a sweet, vibrant, talented, and ambitious young man, who was a friend of my daughter's, and he drowned a few days ago in freak accident at a popular swimming hole here in the neighborhood.  Nothing strange involved, no drugs or alcohol, just a group of young people frolicking and having innocent fun on a rope swing, and then the current of the river took him away in front of their horrified eyes.  They tried to help him, but could not reach him, and so, Noah was lost.

Today was his funeral, and what a wrenching funeral it was. To see the anguish of his parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, cousins, friends, and the community at large, as we all sadly remembered him and the potential that he had, all gone in one blink of an eye on a bright, beautiful afternoon of happy play, a day just like today.

I could only quietly weep for their helpless pain, their eyes that met mine, that met each mourner that came, and that desperate pain that each person has when a sudden death comes into the midst of everyday life.  Why?  Why him?  Why now?  Why does a horrible thing like this happen to a nice, promising young person?
We will never know, not on this side of Heaven, so the only thing we can do is accept, grieve, and remember.  Remember Noah, and how he was a good friend, and how he was loved.

Rest in peace, Noah.  Fly to Jesus, and live.

Dog days

"A world within a world: Fletcher 2" oil on canvas panel
12" x 16" , 2012

For me, August has always been the most oppressive and forlorn of all the months on the calendar.  The days are hot, lazy, fat, and stagnant, with blistering, humid heat, yet, in our parts, usually drought-like conditions.  It's as if the days are pregnant with water, and yet never give birth to a tremendous storm that will release the sweltering, sultry heat.  I have abandoned my studio altogether for now, this summer.  The conditions grew unbearable, as if I were painting in an oven.  No fans or paltry old air conditioner could touch the incredibly claustrophobic and suffocating conditions.  Inside into the relief to paint non-figurative color studies and other related activities--it was the only choice I was left with.

During these Fletcher color studies, I have also ordered a large amount of books on art, philosophy, and cultural connections.  Some of the reading was pleasant, other books not so much.  As an artist, it is a constant war within my mind to grapple with and understand why I create, what is my place in the "machine," and which direction my voice should be aimed to echo into the darkness that is the unknown.  I do not believe that art should be created just for the sake of art, nor do I believe that the "mission" of my voice as communicated through my work is to sway people to my belief system.

Ultimately, I believe that art is a type of religion in itself, a connection from the physical into the metaphysical, and each piece connects with the viewer in a private way, so that they can contemplate not only the surface beauty, but the message and symbolism contained within the work.  Part of the struggle is finding the correct medium to convey both the emotion and the symbolism intended. I also believe art affirms order and beauty, even if the piece is ultimately about destruction, because there is a dark side to life, but, that is only one dimension to our existence, and not the dominant direction, at least not for me.  Life is inherently a gift, and not an absurd and meaningless proposition, so my goal as an artist is to chronicle that.

I know that the bulk of modern art is alienating and requires an intermediary to intervene on behalf of the viewer.  That reflects a degree of Catholicism in my mind, where I would need a priest to intervene and petition to God for me, and then communicate back the answer, the map of how I can gain cleansing through an accepted protocol of actions.  I recoil at that idea, yet, it is the norm of the day, in a culture that claims to be secular, we have embraced the same ideals that we so openly spurn.  How ironic. To me, tucking myself away and leaving the realm of the people, through elitism or any other apartheid, is depressing and not my goal as an artist.  So, I continue to push ahead, in the direction I feel I am called to move in, whether or not it is acceptable to the Establishment.

Into the rabbit hole!

"Into the rabbit hole: Fletcher 1"  by Hilary J. England,
Oil on canvas panel 12" x 16", 2012

It's been beastly hot.  I manage to get some work done in the early a.m., and sometimes, a night or two in, but my studio gets to the point of near suffocation by midday, even with the air conditioning chugging along on turbo, so it is just impossible.  I hate the summer, literally.  I hate stifling heat, I hate bugs, I hate humidity, and I hate having to stay in air conditioning, since it dries out my sinuses and drives up the electric bill into the stratosphere.  So, there is my rant for the day.  I would rather be in the most frigid cold than in blasted heat. I don't know how my ancestors lived in the tropics!   I guess that's one of the perks of believing in God, the hope of escaping eternal heat! LOL.  No offense out there to the thin-skinned.

I have been working quietly inside, actually getting a lot of studying done.  I started working on an exploration of Fletcher's Colour control theories, and it is extremely fascinating (thank you Myron, once again, you brilliant man!).  I am just intoxicated with this theory, and the simplicity, yet complexity of it.  I started doing some very controlled abstract color studies recommended to get a "feel" for this system, and I am just loving it.  Above is the first one. It's part of a study series called "Into the rabbit hole" and this is "Fletcher 1."  I like the idea of vertigo, and going through layers to get to a strange place!  The color scheme is entirely based on Fletcher's theory of split complimentaries, value, temperature, hue and intensity, and it was a very interesting and absorbing study.

So, aside from simmering indoors, I also plan on making another few trips down to the Philly Museum of Modern Art to the Rodin installation, just to stay cool and draw from his sculptures...a rather relaxing way to pass these hot days.  I started a new abstract color study, hopefully it will be done in the next day or so, I have to wait for the oil layers to dry thoroughly between each application, so the colors stay vibrant and unmuddy.

That's all--stay cool my friends.

Warsaw, Poland

Ah, it was an interesting day, but I am tucked away in Warsaw, in a really nice room, waiting on room service (decided to stay inside in the air conditioning, after sweating for the last three weeks, haha) of Polish style duck and other delights.

Fast forward an hour, and I just had the most delightful dinner!  The tuxedoed waiter knocked softly, and viola, there was a tray laden with some absolutely amazing food.  Polish-style roasted duck, seasoned roasted apples and potatoes, warm, freshly baked rolls with three different types of whipped butter (one was garlicky, the other sweet cream, and the other had parsely and dill in it) , and a heavenly, fluffy, vanilla and chocolatey dessert, which was gorgeously decorated with chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream, and some very fresh raspberries, plus a steaming pot of espresso.  Wow--nothing beats high quality restaurant food and service while you're chilling in your pajamas!

I was very impressed with how clean and beautiful the city is.  Plus, the Polish are very efficient, really.  Their service is very perfunctory, but it is done with a smile.  I appreciate that.  They are really very good caretakers and don't mess around when it comes to service.  We need a bit of that back home!

So now, I'm just relaxing in my suite, sipping some espresso, having a smoke (yes, that's another thing, even though they are an extremely progressive and modern city, you are still allowed to SMOKE).  Room service is bringing up a bucket of ice for me for the overnight, and I'm going to watch a movie, probably "Hugo," since I want something light-hearted after not watching any TV at all for the last several weeks.

I am looking forward to going home, being with everyone, and am very thankful for the wonderful couple of weeks I had with the artist's residency project.  Just awesome.  I'm looking forward to the exhibition in Berlin this fall, and new adventures!  But for now, I will be happy to sleep in my bed again, wake up and see my family, and snuggle with my dog.  Life is good :-)  Goodnight--time to relax and watch my movie.

Nice Day 18

"Cours Saleyas" oil on canvas, 8" x 11"

Tomorrow I fly out to Warsaw, and then on Monday, home.  I am actually looking forward to it now, since (I know this may sound strange) but I have had enough beach for the time being.  I am looking forward to seeing my family, and my dog.  If they were here with me, that would be different, but even still, when I stay for more than a week or so in a foreign place and have seen all the sites I set out to see, I'm kind of ready to move on to new adventures.

I am going to head out for one last night at the beach, and then back in and hopefully all goes well with no hitches tomorrow, in the airport, since LOT was giving me fits this morning trying to check in for tomorrow.  The website kept stating "no record" of my booking.  That always makes me a little uneasy, especially when I can't get through to their offices in New York.  I will take it as it comes tomorrow when I get into the airport, but, I've put Mark on it in the meantime. He's good with things like that, whereas I am not.  I just want to reach my hand through the phone and strangle the other person at the end of the line.  Yes, patience is still something I working to perfect.

So, I couldn't resist, and did one last painting of the Flower market, the very famous Cours Saleya market.  It was quick, because I seem to melt anytime I am out in the direct sun these days, and a hat makes it even worse, so I have to work really fast or I feel like I am dropping dead, LOL.

Speaking of feeling like dropping dead, I had another panic attack last night, this is the second night in a row.  I haven't had one in AGES, yet I woke up again last night out of a dead sleep, completely breathless, wondering again if I was having a heart attack or something, and after a few hours, it just went away, and I fell back to sleep.  It's the worst feeling, because you don't know if it really is some weird panic attack, or you really are having a heart attack (hey, at my age, it's not out of the realm of possibility, as I did push past the big 4-0 now), and then you start thinking, "great, they'll find me all stinky and dead in a foreign country."  Bad bad road to go down, LOL.

Anyway, I didn't get much sleep afterwards, plus I was made miserable by the heat, and getting bitten up by mosquitoes because I forced to keep the windows opened because of the stifling closeness of the apartment, and again, I'm pretty much beat up today.

So, I hope you enjoy my last little offering of artwork from my stay in Nice.  God willing (and stupid airline staff put aside) I will be back in the USA on Monday, and I am looking forward to it now!

Nice Day 16

I didn't post yesterday because I spent my day enjoying St. Paul de-Vence and the surrounding areas.  "Vence" is a medieval village way up in the maritime Alps, not too far from the coast, and is quite remarkably preserved.  It' s cobbled streets and ramparts and vegetation all give you a glimpse of what the city must have looked like a thousand years ago.  Very interesting, very impressive, and very lovely.

It is also now very much a tourist trap, but that is OK.  I enjoyed it anyway.  I had a very nice, very delicious lunch of steak tartar, fresh mesculin salad, frites, and a really delicious tapenade of black olives and olive oil with crusty french bread.  I enjoyed this while looking out over the entire valley, with a nice cool breeze blowing.  It was quite heavenly.

I also had the most delicious "bisquits" as a dessert.  Actually, the dessert was unintended, but delicious none-the-less.  I came into a quaint old confectionary, and it was quite an amazing shop.  There were cookies piled so high they defied gravity, and nougats, chocolates, and every other confection you could possibly dream of all crammed into this delicious-smelling shoppe, and an older woman was walking around with a mound of little "sample" cookies.  As I gazed cautiously around (afraid to knock down the towering cookie displays), this woman came up to me smiling, and began a rapid-fire stream of French, presumably about her wares.  As I opened my mouth to say I didn't understand her, she literally shoved one of the little cookies in my mouth, with a smile, LOL.

I was kind of taken aback, but, the deliciousness of the cookie replaced the shock, because it was a little lemon cookie with a sweet and tart lemony interior, with the exterior cookie part being a soft, crumbly, buttery type of shortbread.  It was one of the best, if not the best, cookie I've ever tasted.  As she saw my expression, she smiled and nodded.

Needless to say, I wound up buying more of her cookies, and each was even more delicious than the next.  I bought an almond and anisette cookie, which was delightful, and then the King of all cookies, the one with the gooey chocolate interior.  This one was a cookie that you might trade a family member for, haha!

Later, as I boarded the bus headed back for Nice along with some other tourists, I noticed several were carrying the Confectionery shoppe bags as well.  Her method of shoving cookies into unsuspecting mouths must work pretty good, because I saw a lot of cookie bags around the village ;-)  I thought of this with a laugh on the ride back.  What if the person was a diabetic or hated cookies?  Nah.  They wouldn't be in that shop.  Her method of shock sales would be akin to me taking one of my paintings into a gallery and bashing the curator or client over the head with it, and when they came to, them being so overwhelmed with the goodness of the creation, they forgot all else.  You have to be pretty sure of your product, and make sure it's a damn good one, to utilize this method!!!

Anyway, I will be leaving here soon, and I am sad about that.  I really did love it here, and as the old saying goes, "parting is such sweet sorrow."  I look forward to seeing my everyone, but I still feel sadness at returning.  The "same-old same-old" is not appealing or comforting to me, as I thought it would after being gone for several weeks.  Maybe it's time to examine why I am feeling this way...maybe it's hormones!  Or, maybe I dread the jet-lag, or, maybe it's more than that, either way, I'll have some time to grapple with it at home for the next few months before Berlin.

Well, enough ruminating.  Time to get out and make the most of these last two days!!! Got some shopping to do for everyone, and some more swimming at Florida plage later on.  Bon jour!

Nice, Day 14

"Rendezvous" by Hilary J. England
Oil on canvas, 22" x 28" x 1"
July, 2012

As I was doing my smaller en plein air paintings, I was tossing around ideas for my "signature" piece of artwork summarizing the essence of mood of my time here in the Riviera.  My assignment and task was to create an artwork that most totally expressed my weeks and experience here, both of the people, places, and culture, artwork in particular.  If I distilled all of that information down, weeding out the obvious images of the Riviera, which is quintessentially, the beach and ocean, and looked harder at the beautiful history, culture, and people that reside and pass through here, I felt an overwhelming urge to compose a painting infusing all of those elements.

I was particularly struck by a little place in Biot that was marked, "Vox Populi," or "voice of the people."  I saw many young, old, glamorous, and age-weathered people, but the Riviera is a beautiful place, known for its stylish abodes, clothes, and people, so I chose to focus on the glamour, beauty, and positive side of this paradise.

I thought this was a bit ironic when I saw a very lovely young girl chatting obliviously on her cell phone, under the writing of "Vox Populi."  To her, the history of this probably means nothing, because she seemed coquettishly arranging a "rendezvous" with a male admirer.  I thought it was intensely relevant and encapsulating to both the subject of my painting, and to life in general:  We should not take things in life from one extreme or another.  We cannot get so swept away in the negative to forget the happiness of living, like this young girl was doing, enjoying her romance and possible tryst, but we also cannot look in the other direction and forget the past, which this writing on the wall soberly reminds us.

I think this sentiment is important to all cultures, and as an American, I am particularly reminded of it today, Independence Day.

So, this is how I came to arrange this painting, "Rendezvous."  I worked faster than I have in a long time, for a painting of this size, but I desperately wanted to make sure it was done with time to dry before Saturday, so I can deliver it to the gallery. I did it, and rejoiced!  Now I can fritter away my last days here.  I am sad to not paint anymore (they certainly won't dry in time to make the journey), but maybe I'll squeak one more out tomorrow--I just can't help myself.

So, for my American friends, have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!  To all else, God bless.

Nice, Day 13

"Cliff hangers" by Hilary J. England
Oil on hardwood panel, 8" x 11"

Roman ruins of Cimiez

I woke up with a stomach ache.  Yuck.  But, at least it was so nice and cool, with it being cloudy and ominous, and a lovely fresh breeze blowing on me, it was heavenly.

I spent yesterday evening at the beach, relaxing, swimming, and pondering.  The Mediterranean was pretty rough with large waves, and after struggling a swim, decided to sit it out on the beach. I was deep in a rather morose reverie when I began watching these Chinese people clambering about on the pier.  The women were very smartly dressed, with lovely sundresses, hats, flowing scarves, the works.  There were three women, an older one, a middle-aged one, and a young lady in her early twenties, all elegant and well put-together.  The also had a young man with them, who was carrying an expensive camera, and acting as the "photographer."

He had them posing out on the edge of the pier, and they took several shots like that together, and then he began to photo them individually, each one striking her own unique pose.  The middle-age woman seemed to be unhappy with the results of her photo session, and decided she wanted to have a retake.  I watched as she would pose, go back and look at the picture, yell something in Chinese at him, and then go back again for another retake.

As I was watching this little scene unfold, all of a sudden, a large, rogue wave came up and broke over the pier, literally almost knocking this woman out to sea.  She got up, and she was completely wet like she HAD been washed out to sea.  The other three came running to her aid, as she spluttered and squawked on the pier, and I just burst out in a huge belly laugh!  It was the funniest thing I'd seen yet on this trip!!  The people sitting next to on the blankets around me just goggled at this (they apparently watching too), and when they saw me laughing, all burst out laughing as well.  The whole beach that was sitting around the area was in hysterics and a real uproar!

But, the Chinese lady was a good sport about it.  Seeing everyone laughing, she began to bow and laugh herself, even taking pictures with some of the dusky local teenagers, like a celebrity.  It was all in good fun.

So, anyway, I leave you with this painting I painted this painting the other day when I was in a working frenzy.  The view and the flowers were so beautiful and peaceful, I couldn't resist, and it didn't take that long, it just "flowed."  I was happy that I did, because it took me out of the grouchy mood I was in from the previous painting.  Some paintings are easy, some are hard, but you love them all, just like your children.

Now, out to the beach!

Nice, Day 12

"Wishful thinking" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 11" oil on hardwood panel

This painting was extremely difficult for me, not so much that it was a difficult painting, I just was really cranky throughout the entire process.  The heat is definitely taking a toll on me.  I despise working with goopy oil paint, with sweat dripping from every pore in my body, and all of it landing in my eyes, LOL.  There are also stealthy ants, and other annoyances to deal with.  I thought of chucking the whole thing and just going to the beach and laying in a hammock, but my stubbornness got the better of me, and I finished the work.  I feel happy to have stuck it out.  Quitting things is against my nature.

I thought this painting was very much the flavor of the Riviera, beaches and beautiful landscapes put aside.  People walking around leisurely, looking at super expensive items, and longing for them.  Lots of people seem to feel that if they acquire that next great piece of jewelry, or fabulous car, or admired work by a master artist, they will be on their way to making it!  Although this is not a concept I subscribe to personally, I can understand people admiring beauty and being fascinated with the idea of being able to possess it, so I do not formulate any opinion about peoples love for glitz and bling, haha.  It's just human nature.

I am heading out today, to Charvin, to clear my head, and to have some peaceful time.  It's thundering today, which is wonderful, because it gives me an excuse not to paint outside!  I do need a break, but I am feeling the crunch to complete the larger picture I am required to finish in the next three to four days.  It will require some larger brushes than I am currently working with.  Hopefully, I won't have to mortgage any family members to purchase them.

So, that is it for today from the beautiful Riviera.  More tomorrow, God willing. :-)

Nice, day 10

"Un chien" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 11" oil on hardwood panel

It's dawned to be a very nice day.  I hear that we are suffering a heat wave across the pond in the USA, but here, the temps have been holding steady in the mid 80s, the problem is it has become overcast, so the weather has become humid and sticky, which is rather uncomfortable.

I am sitting on my terrace, drinking coffee, and mulling over what I want to accomplish today.  I began working on ideas for the bigger painting, and I'm debating whether to to stay in and work on that today?  Actually, I'm feeling a bit "stir crazy" after yesterday's long work hours both indoor and out, so I'm thinking first things first, a very long walk along the shore.  Then, I'm definitely meeting up with some of the locals that invited me out for coffee tonight, so maybe I will take a bus into Antibes in the inbetween, and save the work on the big painting for tomorrow. I think that sounds like a plan.

I worked on this painting "Un chien" in the nice cool of an alley way in the backstreets of some little village we went through called "Biot."  Apparently, there is a great deal of Crusader/Templar history here, and that is very tantalizing and appealing to me.  I couldn't resist the ancient alleys and quiet corridors, and of course, the mousy, brown, little mutt of a dog just roaming about on his own.  Very old school, haha.  I feel completely at home and connected with these ancient villages...like being on a soul journey back in time to where we came from, and directly visiting the villages and towns our ancestors lived and walked and played and died in.

So, that is the sum of these middle days here.  I am still working at a furious pace, and would like to even step it up further, if I can.  I haven't been sleeping too well, since the bed is very lumpy, and my back and neck are starting to protest this (lucky I have a good supply of Ibuprofen gelcaps!).  I have resorted to pulling the window barricade down to prevent the sun in the morning, and also sleeping in the opposite direction from the foot of the bed (seems less lumpy cause it gets "less traffic").  Other than that, I am very motivated to complete the mission I am here for.  Now, off for another day of work, sweat, and intrigue.

Nice, day 9

"Flowers of Cap Ferrat" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 11" oil on hardwood panel

The weather is very nice today.  In the low 80s with a very nice breeze, and now overcast, so it makes for excellent working conditions.  I woke up early and was able to get out and about, and hope to complete another painting before the day is out.

No beach for me today, strictly work, but that is good.  The old saying about "making hay" is a worthy one, so I have no problems working through into the night tonight, and returning to the isolation of my room to plot out tomorrow's work adventure.

This painting is called "Flowers of Cap Ferrat."  What more can I say, this place is surreal in it's beauty.  Magnificent, Stupendous, Dazzling.  There aren't enough adjectives.  I am looking forward to more painting, so I must get moving out the door.  Enjoy!!

Nice, Day 8

"Wallflowers" Oil on hardwood panel, 8" x 11"

Blazing hot again, no rain yet, but maybe some tonight.  I spent the day working, in the cooler areas, and then headed to the beach, just floating in the sea like a seal, but even that gets hot after a while, so I headed back to my apartment, and took an icy shower.  Felt good for about five minutes, and then I started to sweat, haha.

So, I'm lying still, just reclining and relaxing, and enjoying the little breezes that come through every now and then, and that feels very nice.  Tomorrow, I'm off to Antibes and Cannes, and then over the weekend, St. Paul-de-Vence, where Picasso and his crew used to hang out.  Should be interesting.

I did this painting of these two locals, very quick, and very quirky.  They seemed so incredibly French, sitting in their slacks and long sleeves, not a bead of sweat on their brow, and leathery, craggy complexions composed in a stance of complete serenity.  The backdrop of gardenias and other flowers on the wall was quite interesting as well, and I am thankful that they would sit and leisurely pose for me, as part of the local culture and flavor of the area. I'm calling it "Wallflowers."  Pun intended, hehe.  They were very sweet.

So, that is it for now.  I am supposed to meet up with some people later on, but I don't know if I will have the energy.  Maybe.  I have an hour to think it over, or I can just stay in here in my underwear, and relax in the cool of the breezes.  I think I like that idea better!

Nice, Day 7

"Flowers of Cap Martin" oil on hardwood panel, by Hilary J. England

Just outside of Monaco!

One week today!  I am finally getting used to the blazing heat, and that's no easy accomplishment for me.  I am not very good in the hot weather, and my paints don't want to hear it either, as they have become sticky, gooey messes, and trying to get that to adhere to a panel is quite an arduous task that takes some getting accustomed to.  But, I blunder on, haha.

I went up the coast to Monaco and Menton today, stopping off in Cap Martin and a few other "Caps" as well.  Very beautiful.  I was most grateful for the air conditioned bus!  I tried to pair my supplies down to a bare minimum, but even so, and in this relentless heat, I wound up nearly dead from heat exhaustion.  Every inch of my body was sweating, even parts I didn't know could sweat!!  I packed it up just in the knick of time before I went down for the count!  I was quite surprised at how the sun and heat just crept up on me,  am just recovering my equanimity at having been beaten by the the Sun.  Literally.  Sun 1, Hilary, 0. ;-)

While I was languishing in the weak shade of a palm tree, I did happen to recollect my wits enough to look around, and people watch awhile,  and see the beautiful Mediterranean architecture,  the posh shops, and posh people.  I guess I didn't look very appealing to an Arab billionaire, all covered in sweat and paint, LOL.  I guess also that for a weird woman painter, not all dolled, pinned, powdered, and primped, they didn't know what to think.

I noticed that many women here are walking their dogs and just window shopping in high heels, designer dresses, and full war paint.  I guess to each their own, but for me, as a woman, I hate the idea of not being able to be au natural without being conspicuous or judged by both men and other women. The women here enjoy being dolled up and being adored and validated for that, their outside appearance, and from the view of an outsider looking in, that seems to be their entire life.  But again, it IS their life, and they are free to live it any way they want, including spending it as a Stepford wife.  I just don't get it, and wonder what goes on beneath the surface, if anything at all...

I guess I'm an odd person as a woman, but I am what I am, so I don't lament it.  I always was a tomboy, but never to the extreme.  I like getting dressed up when the occasion calls for it, but that doesn't mean rolling out of bed and spending three hours doing hair and makeup to walk the dog.  Ah well.  I guess that's as foreign to me as I am to them, and that's why I am lugging my paints around the Riviera covered in sweat instead of lolling about drinking champagne on the deck of some billionaire's boat!  But, I must say, I do admire the pure glamour of these women, and they do make the world beautiful with their efforts at their appearance, even if I don't understand it, they are still very charming and elegant to look at!  And the jewels some were wearing, wow!!!  Very impressive.

Aaaaaanyway,  views were beautiful, and although Monte Carlo is the playground for the wealthy, I didn't notice a huge glut of yachts, just a handful littering the Mediterranean.  Maybe it's the hard economic times, or maybe yacht season isn't in full-swing, but either way, I don't really care.  Yachts and cars and clothes and so on don't impress me, BUT, the natural landscape absolutely blew me away in it's endless and unabashed beauty!  The soaring rock cliffs, the caves with the gulls flying in and out, the scrubby landscape that was still verdant and lush with exotic flowers, and of course, the never ending azure of the Mediterranean, all so gorgeous, I didn't know which way to look first.  Truly a paradise, if you can have one on earth.

I painted the one particular crag of a precipice as quickly as I could, working against the elements, particularly and ostensibly, the sun.  The flowers were just a lovely profusion of color, and because I am not local, do not know what genus or species they all were, just lots of bright color and breathtaking beauty.  Trying to transport the little panel became difficult as well, but I got it back in tact, where I could touch up the damage and places that needed help after my hasty abandonment of the area.

Anyhow, I hightailed it back down the coast, and literally took a flying leap into the shower as soon as I dropped all my stuff at the door.  I stayed in there like I was on fire for at least a half hour, no joke.  I thought about taking a dip in the ocean, but all of the gear for that was too tiresome.  I didn't feel like lugging an umbrella, putting on sunblock from head to foot, packing water and a beach bag.  Nope, the shower did the trick just as handily.  Maybe tomorrow if I don't decide to head into St.Tropez, Cannes, and Antibes.

So that's my recap of todays "Caps," haha.  Pun intended.

Nice, day 6

"Gardens of Nice" by Hilary J. England, oil on hardwood panel,
8" x 11"

I better make this a quick post, since the wifi is on a downer tonight.  It took me the last hour to make a stable connection, and this one is weak to put it mildly.

Spent a very nice day at the beach, swimming, and that was it.  I couldn't fall asleep until about 5 am last night, between the mosquito buzzing in my ear and the house party across the courtyard that didn't break up until then, so I just kind of tossed and turned and then got up around 10 and headed out to Charvin suppliers, which brought a big smile to my face!

I have been working away, and I will post the first painting I did.  It is hard to get a decent picture of it, but this is the best I can do working with my portable camera and little else.

This little plein air painting was done in the area of some Musee or Palais, I wrote it down on a piece of paper and then threw it away by accident, haha.  I will get the name, but in the meantime, maybe someone will recognize it!  I have been wandering aimlessly like a nomad, and haven't been keeping very good track of the places I've been to within the city, just know that I have kicked around the old city for the last several days, and seen some pretty interesting and beautiful stuff--this was one place that really stood out to me.

So, friends, that's that for tonight.  I'm going to try to get some sleep tonight, if it will be kind and visit me!

Nice, Day 5

Well, Rome was not to be on this particular trip but I am not too anxious about it.  God willing, I will be back soon enough, and I can plan a visit to Rome then.

I have been busy working away, and have completed two paintings.  I am trying to do a painting a day en plein air, plus mulling over what larger painting I will do for the project as well.  The smaller paintings do keep the juice flowing in my mind, as I have no TV, and had no internet until a few moments ago, but that is a good motivator as well.  I do think I may be smoking too much though--all of this time on my hands makes me wound up.  I literally don't know how to sit still.

I guess I am not alone, because when I take breaks away from drawing or working on my paintings, I can see other people either on the street, or from my balcony, and a bulk of them are either on their phones, on their computers, or watching TV.  As a global people, I don't think we know how to exist anymore without technology.  What on earth would people do with themselves?  I think the digital "have nots" are actually better off than the digital "haves."  If the internet ever went down for an extended period of time, we might collectively have a rash of suicides!

My sunburn is starting to dull, and it is all icky and blistered and weeping.  Next it will itch and peel.  Yuck.  But, I have an umbrella, and I think I will attempt the beach tomorrow after 2 pm, when the sun is slightly less strong.  I have to say, the sun stays VERY strong until at least 6 pm here, so now that I know that, I am prepared a little better.

Nice is quiet now that the Ironman has gone away, and the streets are leisurely but still bustling, especially towards Old Nice and the shopping district.  I am planning a trip to Monaco in a day or two, stopping off in Cap Ferrat, and maybe head over the border into Ventimiglia Italy.  Cannes is on the list as well.  I know the locals encourage a stop in Monte Carlo, but "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" isn't really my cup of tea, nor is gambling, so I am not so sure I will stop there.  I would like to take a ferry to Corsica, as that has a lot of history to explore, and Roman ruins are definitely what I love about the area.

So, it is nearly midnight here, and still we have activity in the balconies.  I hear the guy next door loudly and repeatedly yawning and yawning (Go To Bed Dude!), and two other ladies in the balconies below have been ironing clothes literally for hours.  What is up with that?  Ironing is a big deal around here.  I see a lot of women doing that at various times of the day when I stop in,  and I wonder about it...it is an especially mundane and thankless job, LOL.

I have been going to sleep fairly late, and waking up fairly late as well, but when I breakfast on my terrace, I notice I am not alone, so later sleeping hours here seem to be the norm.  That makes me feel a little better and not like some lazy loser who just likes to sleep until 10 or 11 am.  I would NEVER do that back home, haha, but around here, it seems OK.

I guess I will clean up a little, read my book, and enjoy this delicious breeze flowing in from the balcony.  I have not slept with the door closed yet, and I don't plan on it tonight.  It's kind of like camping out, only better, haha.  Goodnight and bonne nuit!

Nice Day 4

It was a rather relaxing day, as the Ironman triathalon competition basically shut the whole Riviera down, LOL.  Seriously though, it did, from like 8 am to almost 9 pm, the whole Promenade was shut down, the bus service, etc.  Which leads me to my next sentence:  I can't get to Rome because the trains were mistakenly double booked due to the glut because of the competition, and we did not confirm first.  Big time bummer.

I am going to try and make an attempt tomorrow morning, but it's not looking too good.  If it can't be done, I will just take it as a sign that it was not meant to be this time around, and I will get there on another trip.  Can't really gripe over things beyond my control, so that's that.

The flipside of the coin is that because of the Ironman, I was able to walk around through old Nice, which is very picturesque and pleasant, and have a gelati!  Yes, they are quite good here, I will give them that.  I had a pecan and praline gelati, which was quite nice.

Well, I am not going to go on.  The wifi here is just intolerable, and I just lost the original post I had written, and I am too tired to go through the events of the day again.  Just remember folks, I am on public wifi here, and this is what happens when the government owns everything:  it all goes to crap.

On that note, I bid everyone a good night, pleasant dreams, and bonne nuit.