Vence

We arrived in Vence on Sunday, March 28, 2010 to blue skies and a very warm welcome by our host and gallery owner/residency sponsor, Jacques Putzeys. To say that he has been kind and gracious is not enough, but we will thank him personally every chance we get. The south of France, spoiled in light and beauty, is where we have spent the past six days and where Matt will continue to live for the remainder of April after we leave on the 13th. The gallery is located in the historic area of the city of Vence--filled with galleries and fresh food markets and even an old Roman cobblestone street. A tight fitted spiral staircase leads you to four floors above the street level gallery (which opened with Matt's work yesterday). Each floor contains one living space and the third, fourth, and fifth floor make up the apartment by which we eat, sleep, and well, paint.
My french is getting us by, barely. After six days, I am feeling a bit exhausted at trying to translate small conversations and trying to think in french. There are a few English speakers that give us a bit of reprieve but I wonder what Matt will do when I a gone. Lock himself in the studio I suppose. Otto is curious about the language and I've been trying to teach him a few things to say to the children so he can play along with them but he is intimidated and needs a bit more time. Astrid is not sleeping well, which means I am not sleeping well, which means I am kind of cranky. Though, I was able to walk around a little bit yesterday and enjoy the quiet of the afternoon. That was nice.
We have visited Grasse (dirty) to see the perfumery museum. I think that and the chapel with three giant Rubens paintings are the only reasons for visiting Grasse. We also stopped in Pont du Loup to visit the candy factory. There isn't much else to see there. Soon I will take the kids to Nice and we will also go to Monaco and Tourettes Sur Loup
This weekend we will visit with gallery friends and Matt's sister from Germany and family. We are very much looking forward to meeting her children and letting the kids play together. It is a long awaited reunion with she and Matt and the first time we will meet as well. I will write more soon...Au revoir!