Today was a big day for me as we went to begin emptying my 12 year old storage units ! When with my partner in 2006 we decided to move first to China and then to Sao Paulo Brazil I put all my things into storage and contracted a mover to ship it all over in six months. It took me more months to figure out my visa without which I could not ship my stuff and my contract with the mover ended and I lost all the money I paid him. I then asked some friends to move the stuff from my expensive Parisien storage to a more economical country one which they did. I had 40m3 in all spread over 5 units. Over the years I have paid a lot to keep all this despite people telling me to let it go but there are things from my family and childhood and archives from work along with over 100 original works of art. This morning we rose at 6h30 and got lost on the way spending hours on the wrong motorway but we did get there and emptied two of the five units. Tomorrow we go back! I am already dead on my feet.
Above is one of the paintings I retrieved, it is called Eos and was the first oil painting I ever did. I copied it from a postcard in bad lighting before beginning to wear glasses ! And I had no idea how to use the oils with glazing techniques , I just winged it. I love greyhounds, they are so graceful.
Eos was painted by Sir Edwin Landseer who was a master animal painter and did hundreds of animal paintings over his career. The original hangs in the Queens collection at Buckingham Palace.
Below is the original, much clearer than the photo I worked from, this WAS a pre internet period! To the right you can make out a velvet covered chair, in the photo I found you could not distinguish it clearly so I painted a sort of gold frame instead. The original is a million times better but mine reminds me of a period of country calm with no stress, some thing that I am trying to realise today.
Hello Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a hassle you had to go through for storage. I am glad you are going through them because this painting is lovely. You are very talented.
Big hug
Giac
Thank you Giac, yes its hard work and also exciting as some stuff has been in storage for 20 years ! Over 100 paintings and a ton of books , not to mention all my textile archives. Much is damaged but such is life. Huggs Stephanie
DeleteWhat a wonderful painting, you have captured the essence of the original perfectly. I wouldn’t be able to let storage units go without at least going through them to discover forgotten treasures either! I’m glad you are going to retrieve what you can, especially what must be a wonderful collection of paintings.
ReplyDeleteYes I am finding treasures and also damage which is normal after 12 years stored !! It's like travelling into the past but too too much stuff !!! huggs S xoxo
DeleteI have a double car garage and have so much STUFF stored in it that I have to park my car outside. Oh well, maybe this summer.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile I LOVE your greyhound painting, Stephanie! Your Artistic talents never cease to Amaze me over and over again.
Perhaps you could shrink you painting down to 12th scale, just as you've done with your immaculate embroidery! :D
Double car garage ? Here this house is large, 7 bedrooms converted to 4 plus three storage attics ( huge! ) a barn plus a second house. I dreaded getting this stuff out but there are things I haven't seen in so many years. I have enough china and silver for a hotel ! luckilly I have a friend who has just opened a guest house and we have similar taste. I have already packed 22 crates for charity and am filtering my HUGE collection of fabrics for sale. After so many years in high end fashion you can imagine! Today I found my collection of bronze greyhounds so amidst sorting I am redecorating the house, not the best idea. Yes it would be fun to do a mini painting. I love painting as much as I do sewing but since I have started making minis all my ideas and efforts go into this. Pictures will follow , hugggs Stephanie
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