Catherine Stock's Blog, page 19

Henry Moore

One of the best exhibitions I saw in London was the Henry Moore show at the Tate. His principal and enduring subject was the human body, through which he believed "one can express more completely one's feelings about the world than in any other way."

Tentative submissions of final art

Here is a detail from the art I am working on for After the Kill, a book by zoologist Darrin Lunde. Was a little anxious about submitting the art as it's a bit raw, but as soon as I "tidied" it up, it would lose its energy and impact. Susan Sherman at Charlesbridge is a fabulous and very supportive art director. I got a enthusiastic response...so I'm off to London for a long weekend to celebrate.

Alien beings

I stupidly watched a very disturbing WikiLeaks video late last night of American helicopter pilots gunning down innocent civilians in Bagdad, including two children. Twelve died, including a Reuters correspondent whose camera was mistakenly identified as a weapon. The jocular tone of the pilots on the sound track sounded like young boys playing a video game. "Nice!" was heard more than once, as civilians were hit.

At dinner the other night, a journalist friend said there are three credible the...

The Castagnet children

Two recently completed portraits of my neighbour's children. I messed up the little boy and had to rework it from a photograph. Hate doing that but sometimes it's necessary. The one of the little girl was done from life and captures her slightly naughty yet charming personality.

Spring

The cows finally emerged from their barns this week. The nights are still crisp and a fire in the grate very welcoming, but the days are gloriously sunny. Snowdrops have been replaced by shy violets and daffodils in the woods.

Between Gym Tonique, my stretch class, speed walking three times a week for a heart study program in Toulouse, and walking the dogs, I am getting a fare amount of exercise. For an annual fee of 60 euros a year (about 80 dollars US) I participate in the state sponsored e...

Fame

I gave up a fairly successful career as an illustrator and portraitist in New York to come and live full time in in this small cottage in France. I tell my friends that I committed financial and professional suicide by doing this, yet I have no regrets.

I subscribe to Robert Genn's bi-weekly internet newsletter, and a few days ago, fame and celebrity were his subject. Two quotes made an impression on me:

Winslow Homer noted, "The most interesting part of my life is of no concern to the public...

Things are never quite as they seem...

Two days after I booked my ticket to Zimbabwe and South Africa, my house sitters informed me that they had just been offered a gig in Greece and were leaving.

After a total meltdown as feared I wouldn't be able to find anyone else to look after the animals and would have to forfeit my ticket, I received an email from Opodo, my internet travel agency, informing me that they had annulled my ticket as the price had increased before they could process my credit card.

As my dogs had been accused of...

Blast from the past

My lovely friend and neighbour Linda Olle, alias Parsley Cresswell, in New York has published a cookbook, including a recipe and a drawing of mine. Check out this fabulous video that she has just posted to publicize it. Really brings back memories of my old Upper East Side neighbourhood.

Rough day

Had a rotten day. A couple of commissions seem to have fallen through, foul sleety weather, massive internet hassles, but those irritations paled when a neighbouring farmer arrived to tell me that Sam and another dog had killed one of his lambs early this morning.

So terribly distressing. I have ordered an invisible electric fence to cordon off the property and am hoping this will keep Sam from being able to wander off on his own at night. He always manages to slip out while we are schleppi...

Concert at the Chateau

I thought I was being so discreet at the concert last summer in the courtyard of a beautifully restored castle near Gourdon that no one would notice me, tucked behind some bushes scribbling on stretched paper with pencils and watercolours.

It was a magical evening. The glow of the late summer sun turned the sky a pale green gold and small stars emerged in the darkening royal blue skies, while Schubert and Chopin enchanted the audience.

Yesterday I got a call from our host. Not only had he no...