The Birds are Chirping; Time to Paint.

by Jessie Brugger (MFA 2010)
A couple days ago, I woke up at six in the morning with a bolt of energy, so I decided to go for a run through the town of Giverny. That might sound like a huge athletic feat, so I will leave it at that... Okay, truth is…The town is incredibly tiny. But it is incredibly packed full of life! Buzzing bees, gurgling cooing doves, little red insects that look like flattened lady bugs, chirping crickets. (You might guess that I am not a insect and wilderness "guru." In fact; I think I have been in the city too long because the sound of silence is something that scares me out of my boots.) I have fallen in love with it here, though. It's gorgeous and it's an Artist's Paradise. It's lush and the colours are stunning, and the evening light warms up the whole countryside.

Here's a recap of yesterday at the Louvre…
Yesterday was Amazing! We were treated to a Lively, Entertaining, Educational filled tour by our fearless leader and Academy instructor Wade Schuman. We spent seven hours soaking in all the stories that Wade could give us about the artwork. Though there were about fifty billion tour guides there with leaders and flags, Wade refused to carry a flag and was adamant about counting his “ducklings” every time we reached a new painting. Even a girl from the Czech Republic stuck close with us to take in Wade's entertaining lectures. I've never heard so many funny little anecdotes about artists' personal lives and their relationship to their art.

Studio-mate Steve sinks into Peter Paul Rubens'
"The Landing of Marie de Medicis at Marseilles 1623-25"

Wade snapped a photo of Jacopo Bassano's
"Two Hunting Dogs Tied to a Tree Stump"

We left the Louvre to find some delicious French grub, and hot chocolate. I wandered off to find an ATM and got completely lost. That's not the first time... and it probably won't be the last - Paris is one of most beautiful cities because of the tiny little streets that wind in and around architecturally beautiful buildings. But for a person like me who gets lost in anything other than the ever-so-easy-to-understand New York grid, it's very confusing, but who doesn't want to get lost in Paris?

Ian's still life - in real life.

Tous bien, we made it back to Giverny happy and safe. Last night, a few of us walked up a hill at midnight to watch the meteor showers. I have never seen so many stars in my life. It was beautiful.

Today is a work day. Off to the studios! I am working on drawings and maquettes that I am turning into a stop animation. Next to me in the studios, Ian has a chicken, into which he has made one of the most beautiful still lifes. Everyone here has such a different approach to their artmaking and that makes it very exciting and inspiring.
We have a crit with Wade soon; so gotta get to work. 
À plus tard, Cheers!