My love for art… and for Suzanne Valadon
Suzanne Valadon “Le jardin de la rue Cortot”, 1928, huile sur toile, en dépôt au musée de Montmartre - from the book “Suzanne Valadon, The Exhibition” by Centre Pompidou
I had the utmost magical experience on my birthday yesterday, it was a crazy full circle moment...
I have always loved art - ever since I was child I have felt art in my whole body. My first experience was Swan Lake when I was only 3 years old. My mom asked me in the pause if I wanted to leave, but I was mesmerized and wanted to stay to the very end and started crying when the ballet was over. I still get this intense feeling in my chest when I hear the overture to Swan lake, like being hit and almost losing my breath…
A while back my dear friend and art sister Paulina Ree sendt me a copy of a presentation she had made and I saw a photo of a woman laying on a bed with a cigarette and - BAM - I got that feeling of art “hitting in my chest” again. I thought I would send her a text asking for details, but life happened and I forgot…
… THE BIRTHDAY GIFT…
So, back to yesterday - my birthday - Paulina comes with a gift she has bought for me from Paris, France, where she saw something she felt I would like - and my oh my was she right: it was the book of Suzanne Valadon - the exhibition - and a note book with the art piece I had seen in her presentation. BAM! Full circle. I felt my heart jump of joy.
I had the best time sitting by my self in a library cafe reading this beautiful book and seeing the stunning art pieces made by Suzanne Valadon. Imagine my joy reading that Valadon had a “tumultuous relationship” with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, one of my favorite artist from when I was 22 years old participating in a course in French about French art and learning about Toulouse-Lautrec. BAM, full circle again.
Another full circle: In the book made by Centre Pompidou it says that in the art of Valadon "(…) Some motifs are recurrent, like that embroidered piece of material called suzani (…)” and what was I wearing as I sat there? My favorite clothing of all; a kimono made of suzani. BAM! Oh, but not finished yet.
Suzani kimono (the flowers around my neck is not my usual “bling”, he he, but given by my mom on occasion of my birthday)
Suzanne Valadon “La chambre bleue”, 1923, huile sur toile, Paris, Centre Pompidou
Just look at that beautiful piece of art “La chambre blue”. I don´t smoke, but WOW she looks so cool and effortless laying on the bed with a smoke, so confident in herself, the colors, the vibe, the palette… so I had to post this picture on Instagram and then a beautiful and very talented artist reached out because she too loved the painting and we had such a wonderful and giving “talk”. BAM!
And to the core of it all: how very beautiful is it not that an art piece made over 100 years ago can inspire and have such an influence that I felt Valadon´s art in my heart - directly from Valadon´s soul to my soul - over 100 years ago - and from my soul to another artists soul across the continent? That is the powerful definition of art if you ask me.
“That the success comes or not is of little importance: painting for the joy of painting is enough”
Oh, my dear Suzanne Valadon - I could not agree more, painting for the joy of painting is enough! It is even more than enough! Thank you for your beautiful soul awakening art.
Love and light, until next time, MC.
