Paris, Last Stop Before Home!!!

There is so much to tell you about this past week. We finished up our Trompe L’oeil module and I’m so pleased to tell you I’m excited about what we learned and how we moved through this session. Michel said we did things he’s never asked of his students before. That’s thrilling for me personally. I’ve posted two more panels that I still have work on to complete. I’m happy about them both. Have never painted a face or the upper body and it was wonderful doing it and the feeling of accomplishment when I stepped back and could tell it was a she and her body was in good shape was so rewarding!!

I had dinner with a new French friend. The woman in the Chanel shoes LOL. Her name is Christine and she and I are going to have dinner together again in January the first week I return for the last module. Amazing how small the world is. When she started sharing some of her story with me, I realized we had lived somewhat parallel lives. There was definitely a kindred spirit in her with me and I’m so glad to get to know her.

Saying our Christmas goodbyes in class was bitter sweet and Michel will not be returning in January for the landscape and mural module. He had committed to a huge restoration project in a church. We enjoyed his company.

The love and care we have for each other is a bond you cannot duplicate. It’s one that’s earned and our efforts in the class to succeed and learn as much as possible without going insane is commendable LOL. Our laughter carried us many days as we progressed.

I left class on Friday evening and took the train to Paris. Took a little over four hours, but that was great, since getting to Agen from the airport took over seven hours. I arrived very early in the morning on Saturday and rested a little before my full day Saturday.

The two women I had met at the famous school in Paris came by to pick me up at 11:30 in the morning and they were two of the most fantastic tour guides I could have ever dreamed of having.

Danielle is an Administrative Assistant at the school and works with the Director who is pictured on the blog. Danielle has been taking some classes and has been smitten with art and wants to learn more.

Marielle is an experienced artisan and has worked as an assistant and apprentice with Pierre who is also pictured. She is excited about her new career move in getting to teach at the school starting in January and has been featured on TV a few times doing demonstrations of her original wall treatments. She’s so talented.

Marielle took us around in her 2 horse power Citroen. It’s a classic car and Frenchmen all over were stopping her and talking about her car. See picture. When she drove up to pick me up, I was looking at that car and thinking, “OH MY GOSH, that car is awesome” and then I saw her wave and was thrilled to be getting to ride in it. It was very small inside like our old Volkswagens and reminded me of them years ago, but so much more.

I knew once Danielle arrived and they got inside the car with me, that I was in for a full day as they started pulling out maps and things they were determined for me to see. I have to tell you that them doing this for me and not even knowing me, was one of the most precious gifts I could have received here. They were so selfless and gracious and wouldn’t allow me to even pay for the fuel we consumed. They had a full agenda of what I was going to see and experience while here in Paris LOL.

To have two women who are so into art, to know what to show me and where to take me from an artist's point of view was so incredible. I couldn't have asked for more.

We went to the Eiffel Tower first where I barely got my foot out of the car door and was approached by a young woman asking for money. Fifteen seconds later, I was approached by another one. I asked Marielle and Danielle who they were, as they looked Middle Eastern and they told me they were gypsies. The first question out of their mouths was “do you speak English?” You can tell I’m NOT French with the blonde hair.

We visited and saw so many sights, I cannot possibly remember them all, much less the names and all the history, but will try to recap some of it. We saw The Moulin Rouge. This is the red light district and some of the names of the shops I cannot publish on this blog, they were so graphic.

We saw where Napoleon was buried and some of the statues he erected displaying names of Generals who served him, as well as some of the battles fought and territories conquered.

We went through the tunnel where Princess Di died and also to the Ritz Carlton where she spent her last hours alive.

We spent some time in Reciproque’ shops. These are second hand stores where true designer labels are sold. They were great shops, but still very expensive.

We spent a lot of time in Montmartre where Patrick is approved as an artist and will probably have to wait four years to get a spot there. It was fascinating and wasn’t what I expected. This area of Paris is my favorite so far. It was like a small village environment and there was a famous church at the crest of the hill just to the right of where the artists stay all weekend.

Alot of the artists there were doing chalk renditions of people who approached them to get their faces painted. There was alot of talent in that one spot and it was rewarding.


We had café and chocolate crepe at this wonderful crepery where a young Italian man was playing predominantly American songs and pouring his heart into them. I sat in tears at soaking in this moment and finally some American songs without the French accent to them LOL. He was great and watching his passion over doing what he loved, touched my heart. See picture.

The ambiance of this restaurant and all the small notes posted all over the walls and ceilings were touching, realizing how much history was in this one place and how many people had graced it’s doors. They are famous for their Brittany style crepes, which is where Marielle grew up in France. It is located on the northwest region of France.

We went to this famous restaurant for dinner called Au Pied de Cochon. Cochon translation in English is “pig”. When Marielle told me their signature dish is a pig’s head, I didn’t really believe it, UNTIL, the people next to me ordered such and I was revolted at looking at it LOL. The French do truly eat anything that crawls and do not waste ANY portion of the animal itself. It took us three hours to get served a simple three course meal.

One thing that I love about the French is their love for food and when they eat, it’s an event in itself. They take more than 30 minutes to an hour and a half just to bring you the bill and are in no hurry to serve your food, as they believe you are enjoying the company of each other. One thing that drives me crazy about the French is exactly what I said I love about them LOL. I haven’t fully decided which opinion will be mine ultimately.

In so many ways, Paris reminds me of Manhattan in the feel of the city, except that the buildings are far more exquisite and statuesque. This city is beautiful and has a charm Manhattan doesn’t. The architecture is something to marvel. The shops and close proximity you are when you are in the restaurants, as well as how small the shops and restaurants are, is so reminiscent of NY. Made me long for home!!!

We saw the Christmas lights of buildings and the Champs Elysses. I cannot describe for you how decorative and illustrative these Frenchman celebrate their Christmas. It truly is something that has to be experienced and is as elaborate and beautiful as the city itself.

As I got on line and was typing this, I was looking out my hotel window and watching Paris come alive with lights for the evening and saw the beauty even in the darkness.

I will tell you something, when we were working on the wood graining and marbles in the first module, I made an observation that will stay with me. The most tortured woods and marbles in nature, are in fact, the most beautiful. I hope you can see the beauty in this statement. I know something of this personally and now professionally. I am grateful!!!!!

I’m leaving in the morning and this will be my last blog entry until I return in January. Please be safe, relish the moments with your loved ones and know you are loved . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Tammy in France

Merry Christmas from Agen

Hello Everyone!!!!

This will be my last blog in Agen for awhile. I’m leaving this Friday evening to arrive in Paris late in the evening to find my hotel and spend two full days until flying out on Monday, YEAH!!!!!! I’m so looking forward to getting home for awhile before our session starts again January 5th.

I have some great things to share with you. I've been contacted by two magazines wanting to do articles on my experiences and/or blog here and am so thankful for these opportunities. Both of these will be coming out soon. One is local in the City of Greenville and the other one is international. I'm so excited to be a part of this with them.

I cannot finish this module without telling you about the new student we had join us three weeks ago. His name is Michel and don’t even ask me how to spell his last name LOL. He’s of Spanish origin and was very shy the first week, but man, did he ever come out of his shell after the first week LOL.

He’s a lot of fun and is constantly playing around and acting like he’s tripping himself and making jokes, all of which, we have to hand motion to each other or get translation to understand them all.

He spent time with us and found out how much fun we all have, and yet, how serious we all are about our art and what we are doing and he fit in perfectly with this class. You’ll see a picture of Michel in the Picasa web album. He’s a very nice guy who is a sweetheart. I speak to him in Spanish, English and try some French. He speaks French most of the time in his every day life and lives in Toulouse with his wife, where Brigette lives. Son just graduated college with an engineering degree. Congrats!!!!

We have been working intensely on the panel you’ll see on the web album. The” ripped paper panel”. Talk about details!!!!! We spent a lot of time just working on putting the little fuzzies created by string. Please notice the name tag, the transparent tape holding the paper together if you can see them on the picture on the web album. You’ll laugh, this morning we varnished this piece for safe keeping to travel home with them this weekend and as I was applying the varnish, I freaked out when I went over the tape, thinking I’d ruin it. Then, I realized, it wasn’t real, I painted it on. That’s real trompe l’oeil, when I can fool myself LOL.

We are finishing up two more panels this week, one of which is the green ornate molding one you see in the web album. We are putting a very ornate "Grotesque" period ornamentation on this piece and it's going to be even more beautiful. I'm so thankful Michel is challenging us the way he is and yet, loving, looking over our shoulders watching as only he can.

I’m going to get serious for just a moment and tell you that being here for all this time, 12 weeks, to be exact. Has been sobering, enlightening, frightening, wonderful, beautiful, painful, excruciating at times, such a great experience and loving on so many levels. The friends I’ve made while here with the other students and loving Michel and Kyoko the way I do and having time with them, is one of the great benefits.

The ways I’ve personally grown in my relationships with those closest to me is one of THE most rewarding things about being here. You find out who matters and what your priorities are when you are in a position like this.

I’ve also found out about me personally and when you are away from everything you are comfortable with, don’t have the same diversions you do in your daily life and are alone, living in a country you can’t speak their language, there’s mostly you, especially at night and on the weekends to spend time with.

Having said this, seeing the “real” you, the insecurities, the fears, the things you feel deep down about life, about yourself, about others, comes forward and it’s a “bear”, let me tell you. You have to face yourself and decide how much of you will be hindered by your insecurities and how much of you will not be forced to live this way anymore.

I can say, after thinking about these things and deciding to face my fears while here and moving forward and deciding to grow, that I’m so thankful for this experience and ALL that it entails. It stretches you like a piece of canvas and you feel you are being stretched and pulled on all sides. You can’t help but either crawl into a hole and hide, or you come out and face everything and challenge those things that can hold you back in your own life and your own personal growth.

If there were one thing I could give to you, it would be this gift itself, to know you. To know what you fear, what makes you laugh, what makes you cry, what you want and don’t want. To feel, to need, to sacrifice, to watch the love and feel it from others at a much deeper level than you can imagine because of your heart’s desires and needs. It’s all so beautiful!!!!!

That's the one thing about finding art in my life that is fascinating. You never get it, you always feel some fear when starting a project, and yet, you just go and do. I love the fact that I cannot conquer this and that it will be a lifetime of learning!! I love learning and growing.

BLESS you all for touching me so much and I am so grateful to so many of you who have truly walked in this place with me. You know who you are, I’ve told you. What you have done for me and how you have changed me by your presence in my life is astounding and I’m so thankful for you!!!!!! So, in your own ways, you have been partaking of this personally with me on this journey. You have been here with me in France.

I’ll try to write while in Paris, this weekend before I leave, but if I miss you, please know you are loved in France, that you are in my thoughts and prayers and that I’m longing for your physical presence in my life.

Thank you again, to my dearest friend and love, Tom. Honey, you are, like I said in an E-mail this morning one in ten million. Your sacrifice, love, respect, gentleness, support, kindness and unselfishness in all of this have been the biggest gifts of all!!!!! Thank you for sharing this life with me and believing in me!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Tammy Goben!!!!!

Grae

Just had to get on line again and let you all know what my grandson did this past Friday. He started crawling, sitting up and really moving around. He started crawling while Katie was on the phone and she was so thrilled. Today, I got to see this little tyke doing his thing.

Thank goodness, he loves the laptop and the picture on it and crawled right to me and the camera everytime they pulled him back to let me watch him. I'm SO thrilled over this news and am sad I'm not there, but will be soon.

Tyler and Katie put up their Christmas tree a week ago Friday and Grae was rolling wherever he wanted to go during that week and rolled under the tree twice and had to have a bath, because he kept getting tree sap on him ROFL.

He's the most beautiful little thing and I can tell has a very strong nature about him. I can't wait to hold him and am so thankful Tyler and Katie share him with me the way they do. How beautiful it all is!!!!!

In love with grandson - Tammy

Trompe L'Oeil Module

Welcome back to my blog!!!!

Thank you all for your kind words and Emails and Craig, honey, thanks for letting me know you were reading it. I'm so thankful for all of you and how you are participating in this with me. I'm thankful each of you take the time, even if you don't tell me, to read what is going on here in France and what my experiences are like. I hope you are enjoying the details of this while it's happening.

This past week was interesting to say the least. I visited an Osteopathic therapist for some major back pain I was experiencing and it was quite the experience.

I also found myself missing so much, just hearing English and hearing French all over the place. Was reflecting on this while in the grocery store after I'd checked out and was waiting on Michel, Kyoko and Marina to finish. That even though I'm not a nosy person, when you can't even understand what people are behind you saying, it feels like you are in a vacuum of sorts. I'm so longing to hear my language and be able to interact with people and just ask a total stranger, "how is your day going?"

I also noticed how all the students are trying their best to communicate and how difficult it is on so many levels. We are all working as diligently as we can, to interact and to get to know each other. Michel, the newest student is of a Spanish origin and I can speak more Spanish to him than any other language and I find myself, going from Spanish, to a word or two in French to a little English LOL. I can honestly say that I'm loving being with these students and there is a bond with all of us and we care deeply about each other.

I think Patrick even feels from me, this homesickness I'm REALLY starting to feel again since I know my time is limited and I'm so PAST wanting to get home. I told Tom this past week, if what I was learning wasn't so important, I'd be on that train to Paris coming home.

What we are doing in this module though and what we are learning and gleaning from this class is the LOVE of my heart when it comes to art. This is the Trompe L'oeil module and it's only four weeks. We are two weeks into this module and only have two more. I have posted some pictures of one panel that is almost complete. A green stone marble with a very ornate molding. Michel says it's not finished, so there will probably be something added inside this stonework. Also, a ripped paper panel we are currently working on, as well as one of the panels we will be doing in class in January with the landscape and mural class, but it will also have a live model we will paint and some other things added to it as well. The ripped paper panel, I had just started and it's much more complete than what this picture reflects. Please notice the penciled in part, vs. what the shadowing alone did to this piece. I'm SO excited about this particular piece. It's as ornate and detailed as the peeled off paint we did in the ATL class.

I had a wonderful day here in Agen yesterday. It's been five weeks since I was able to go downtown and just walk the streets and see the sights. I took off early in the morning and went to the market and have some of those pictures posted. I also ate lunch at this crepery restaurant I've been dying to go to for lunch and had one of the best meals here in France.

One of the things I love about the French restaurants is that they have individual items and entrees, then they have special prices for two, three, four, and five course meals. You can choose typically between two different items in each category. I love this, or just ordering one thing. The meal was delicious but made me want Robyn's chicken crepes too. Their crepes are different than what we make in America, but delicious. Especially the chocolate ones with creme!!!!!

I also stopped into two hair cutting establishments and got my hair done. I'm telling you, it's quite the experience not speaking French and trying to relay what you are thinking about. Even when they say they speak a little English, this means two words maybe. SO, I revert to smiling a lot and hoping and praying they don't totally mess my hair up. I kept thinking yesterday, "okay girl, it's only hair and yours grows fast, so do this and stop worrying." When you do find someone who can speak a little, they want to tell you about where they visited while in America. I have to tell you all that everyone who has visited America has said nothing but GREAT things about where they visited and they all want to return.

One thing that I cannot get used to here, is like I said the restroom situations and I cannot get comfortable walking into a restroom with a man in it. It freaks me out everytime!!!! I also cannot get used to how the French push you in line. When you are in line at the grocery store, if you don't hurry and get your groceries up on the counter, they will literally put their things either on top of your things, or just make you loose your place and have to hold your items if you aren't fast enough. I noticed in lines yesterday paying for things I was finding in the stores, how they push up against you. I'm not used to people getting all close and personal and speaking loudly their language in my ears. If I could speak French well enough, I'd tell them to back off LOL. It's just their culture and I'm IN their land, I have to adjust and understand what they do and how they do it. There are some things though, I will not emulate. Don't want to develop these habits. Others, I love about them.

While in town yesterday, ran into Michel, Kyoko and his daughter. It was so good to see them and while sharing a cafe' or in my case, a cappuccino, Mary Rose came by. We had fun and you'll see a picture of this as well.

I also saw this beautiful lady I'd met in the elevator this past Friday morning when I admired her shoes. Some things are universal with women LOL. She spoke some English so she told me what kind of shoes they were and smiled when I kept telling her I loved them. Literally almost bumped into her in a store yesterday and she was so kind to tell me she's staying here ten days out of the month at the same place I'm staying in and wants us to go to dinner in the restaurant downstairs two weeks from now, just before I leave. I'm so tickled to meet this lady and to find someone I can speak a little English with and to have dinner with her will be a delight.

I can't tell you how beautiful some of the women are here in Agen. Sometimes, when I'm at a cafe' or just in the grocery store around town, I see this absolutely drop dead gorgeous woman next to me or walking past me and I'm amazed and just want to tell her how beautiful she is, but can't LOL. Sometimes, I'll say magnifique, which is something they do understand somewhat. I wished I could take pictures of these women for you, but they wouldn't understand why I wanted to take their photos LOL.

I'm also finding that alot of jewelry people wear around Agen and Le Passage are very minimal. I've never seen such tiny gold wedding bands the men wear. They are all commenting on my diamond and think Tom is just Mr. Awesome, which he is LOL. They are also threatening to keep my diamong ring or some of my other jewelry to make sure I come back after the Christmas holiday LOL.

The comments about Thanksgiving and enjoying that custom Americans have and how great that experience was this past Saturday evening has touched my heart this week. Comments from Nikola like "Tammy, I thought I'd be nice and put everything on my plate and taste everything and then decide what I liked and eat it. The problem was, I liked it all and ate everything". It warmed my heart that these people were so open to an American custom and having Jean tell them all about Boston and the history of the pilgrims was great as well. You could see a sparkle in their eyes as they reflected on how new our nation is and how vulnerable and courageous our forefathers were to move to a new land and develop it.

I'm looking forward to Paris in two weekends and will definitely be in town with Merielle, who so generously is going to take me around all day on Saturday. Am more looking forward to getting home and need this time with family and friends. I cannot tell you how the smallest things are missed and longed for.

Today, it is actually sunny and I'm loving it and am about to go around town to a park I found nearby. I also want to look at a restaurant that Nostradamus actually lived in while he stayed here years ago. I'm wanting to check this place out and it's close to the park.

The French think the sun is out when it's totally hidden behind the clouds and not visible. This is not sunshine to me LOL. I guess, when you live in an environment where it's raining most of the time in the winter, they feel that at least they can tell the sun is supposed to be out, so they think it's sunny. These things are things I miss so much. It's been an adjustment being in this winter weather here.

You all take care of yourself and know this lady in France loves you all and thinks of you often.

I read something and am borrowing it from a lady I received an E-mail from and it's the epitomy of how I feel about living. LIVE IT LOUD!!!!! Gotta love that!!

Tammy

Thanksgiving!!!!!

HELLO EVERYONE!!!

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal last evening, thanks to Susan, Shelly and Tom. I cooked for over 5 hours and finished just in time to change clothes and start greeting the guests. We had a huge spread of food and others who came contributed as well. It was all so beautiful and as I sat there, at the wonder of it all and missing Tom, I couldn’t help but think of the three people who made this possible and what efforts they took to make this happen. I want you three to know you touched a lot of French and two other Americans. We were all blessed by your generosity and help!!! It was also GREAT to taste American food and products. I was really amazed and how much tastier the food was, compared to what I’ve been eating, even though French food has been great.

We sat, held hands, had a blessing from Annie, another American and went around the room giving thanks for things in our lives. This was a very moving experience in France and interpretations were given as each of us spoke respectively from English to French and French to English. This alone was touching to me, that we can go to another country and be embraced by each other realizing we are so connected and in need of each other. My thanks was to Tom for supporting me in this journey I’m on and them finding a little about my precious husband and his generosity toward me as well as them. Then, to meeting Michel and Kyoko this past February and following them to France and how the students and some of their spouses and the neighbors of Michel and Kyoko and her daughter and son in law have become surrogate family to me while I’m here. I’m feeling deep feelings for all of them and love them in a special way.

Mary Rose and Serge, their neighbors helped to delight the guests by providing the tables, chairs, table cloths, decorations on the table and the best Tiramasu I’ve had. I don’t typically like it, but hers was FAB!! I love Mary Rose and Serge and they have become very special people to me. You can see us all light up when we see each other, but we still cannot communicate without the aid of Kyoko translating. Mary Rose’s son in law told me she’s frustrated because she wants to talk to me about sewing, but cannot get around to it. I told her through Kyoko that we would take some time for us to do just that with Kyoko by our side. She says she has a lot of questions for me and there was such delight as she came in while I was preparing things and started looking at the American products and asking me what they were for and why. SO many things you cannot find here. She loved the Durkee Fried Onions LOL.

I have to share something funny here about Tom. This past week, when the care package arrived from the States, my sweet husband had put me some chocolates in there again. He also sent some peanut butter, which I typically don’t eat, but had been craving, probably because I cannot find it here in France. SO, the next day at class, I presented the peanut butter and the chocolate. Patrick said, after we’d partaken of it and enjoyed it immensely, “Tammy is good, but Tom is better.” They all toasted Tom for being so generous to send us chocolates each time a care package arrives LOL.

I’ll tell you a little about the people who came to this feast. Annie, who I mentioned above, is a 65 year old lady who is a wonder in herself. She applied to come to Michel’s school 6 years ago and when Michel received her application, he didn’t know quite how to handle it. He thought the class would be much too intensive for her at her age and with great distress, wrote her, Dear Annie . . . I don’t know if this class would be a good fit for you, as it is a very intensive course and . . . He bit his nails waiting on a response and looked at his E-mails everyday for two months waiting on her. She finally responded and said, Dear Michel Nadai, at first, I was angry at you, then I’m laughing at your ignorance. How many homes have you built with your two hands? I’ve built 14 and even the table I’m typing this message on my computer to you; I cut down the tree and made the table myself. A quick response was sent back from Michel, Dear Annie, please come to class. ROFL.

This woman travels around the world and spends at least two months per year in France in small villages with friends she’s collected over the past six years. She was a joy to be around and very down to earth.

Jean, was another American who I had the pleasure of sitting beside all evening. She and her husband moved here two years ago and they love the little village they live in called Penn. (Hope I’m spelling that correctly). She was a decorative painter and we enjoyed each other’s company. She kept mentioning my homemade pie crusts and finally I figured out she had been a pastry chef for years, a few of them being with the Ritz Carlton LOL. She and her husband have retired here and she’s painting for friends, family and her own personal enjoyment.

Mary Rose and Serge, obviously were there, their daughter Melinda and son in law and their two children. Nikola (SP?) speaks English very well and is one of the most charming men. He’s a pilot with Ryan Airways and was so sweet and kind to Marina and I, and has been each time we’ve been around. He’s very thoughtful and asks me constantly what it’s like to be in a foreign country not speaking their language and being away from my husband and family. He also brought me some white dessert wine because he found out during the Light of the Canvas ceremony that I’m partial to them.

Patrick and Cathy were there as well as Brigette (little Crevette), Michel (the new Frenchman in class) and his wife. Marina and I enjoyed getting to speak English to the two Americans and Nikola.

Interesting things about the French: Again, some of these things are NOT my opinions, but things they have said about themselves. When you go to the grocery store, from what I understand, they don’t trust the French to return the buggies, so they charge one euro. You put the euro into the buggy itself and when you return, you click the chain from the previous buggy into yours and your coin pops out enough for you to grip it and take it with you. They are really into recycling and you have to purchase your plastic bags or bring your own method of carrying your groceries home. I like this concept and think more American stores should do this.

There is dog poop ALL OVER the ground. They are supposed to pick up after their dogs, but don’t. You literally have to watch where you place your feet no matter where you are in France, including Paris.

It is nothing unusual to see men with men purses, where they carry their essentials and a lot of them have pouches for their cell phones.

Their grocery stores include an entire menagerie of other stores, such as clothing, dry cleaners, shoe repair, jewelry stores, etc. Like this concept as well. You don’t have to get in and out of your car so much to get something done.

One of the things that’s been the most difficult for me is not knowing when you enter a restroom if it is just going to be women in there or men. EVEN if it’s got a women’s sign on it, the men will just walk in and do their business and be done with it and we are all washing our hands together. The first time I experienced this, I literally freaked out. I was in a store in Bordeaux, where they make you pay in some restrooms to get in. Kyoko and I were inside and she was waiting outside my stall and I heard this man beside me. I almost screamed. Now, it’s common place and I have to tell you that there are times I won’t go into restrooms and will wait because of this, as there are small shields in some of them where the men are visible, but using a urinal. OH MY GOSH!!!!

Because they are charged 20% taxes on everything, you get a discount for carry out in restaurants up to 12% because they aren’t charged as much for customer who take out. The French don't do doggy bags. They deny themselves nothing and typically finish everything, including the women. Kyoko literally has to explain to them that the fact that I didn't finish my meal, is not offensive, but that I have a petite stomach as she calls it LOL. Then, they realize I'm appeased and they will try to find things to give me to take home.

TV – well, this has been an experience. I decided to watch some French TV not long after arriving here, so I could get acclimated to their language and maybe pick up on some. There’s one show similar to our Wheel of Fortune. I’ve been shocked to see what transpires on this show. There is this beautifully sculptured (and I mean plastic surgery all over) blonde who is toying and being very flirtatious with the game show host. So much so, it’s way over the top. One day, while flipping through the channels, I saw him actually unzipping her dress and them playing with this. I also saw a show where it was the same as our America’s Got Talent, a group of women came out and were naked, except for these tiny G-strings LOL. They are much more open about women’s bodies here than we are in regulated TV in America.

The French pay 4,000 euros for babies here. We don’t know if it’s just the first born or all of them. They are trying to populate their country. This is with full payment of the birth of the child, as they have healthcare included in their taxes. Wonder why they pay 20%, on top of the taxes in their salaries? This is my main concern about Americans wanting a total healthcare system.

Guess what the weathermen tell you every weekend? That it’s going to be beautiful and sunny LOL. Word is, they don’t want to discourage you from going places, so they don’t tell you what the weather is actually going to be if it’s not the best of weather. To be honest, it’s cold here. It was below zero this week in the a.m. It rains more than I can explain and it’s a drizzly cold rain. It’s cloudy most of the time and that has been painful for me at times. I NEED some SUN!!! We have been blessed, however, lately, with some sun actually coming out and each time it does, I get so excited and just look at it. I MISS our winters LOL.

You all take care of yourself. Know that Christmas, as you are preparing for it, is about caring for others, and not the stress we put on ourselves to get the perfect gift. When you are in a position such as I, presents seem so superficial in so many ways. The gifts I relish are E-mails and cards from friends. The things that touch the heart are the best gifts. Please keep this in mind as you busy yourself during this season. People REALLY just need you. Figure out ways to give of yourself . . . that’s what we need and is more expressive of love.

I’ll be home three weeks from tomorrow and am rejoicing in knowing this!!!! Know you are loved in France. Love knows no boundaries!!!!!

Tammy

Paris, New Studio

Hey there, sounds Southern doesn’t it??? LOL. I’m trying to find things here in France to remind me of my Southern heritage. I am remembering old recipes from my childhood and cooking them at night some. They bring such comfort and I just smile as I remember all sorts of scenes of these times and how much they mean to me while here.

There is so much to share with all of you about what has been happening. We finished up our wood graining and marbling module – all eight weeks – this past Friday. Our last project was a marquetry project and it was not easy, but beautiful and we enjoyed it. I’ll put pictures on the blog in the next couple of days, when I remember to take this particular panel.

There are so many things I want to share with all of you regarding what I’m learning about the French while here. Even though they are a Capitalist government, they have so many rules and regulations you cannot imagine. For instance, they regulate how many sales you can have as a retailer per year. Only two and even at that, they regulate how much you can mark your merchandise down. If you are going out of business and don’t sell all of your items, you just have to give them up and allow someone else to take them over. It is illegal to sell something lower than what the government says you can offer it. I’m amazed by this. I told Kyoko and Michel I’d be upset if I had to pay full price for things all year long, because the government says I have to.

They also have interesting laws such as, it is illegal for you to see someone hurt and not stop to help them. I wonder how they would feel about having their motorist help those of us who take our lives into our own hands while crossing the crosswalks. I actually had a man run into my legs last evening while I was trying to pass in front of him. He was in the round about and was at a complete stop. I walked in front of him (pedestrians are SUPPOSED to have the right of way when at a crosswalk), was in the middle of his car when he decided he didn’t like me passing in front of him and proceeded to move forward and hit my legs and my hand landed on his hood. I yelled “Excuse me”. I think I’m going to have to fight one of these French drivers before it’s over here LOL.

They have round abouts; instead of traffic lights. As I’ve said before, this particular round about is located right next to Appart Valley and is very dangerous in a car, much less walking.

The French have a Saint’s Day to celebrate EVERYDAY of the year. Amazing.

The French I’ve met who speak English are so wonderful and as a rule, most French will stare and say “she’s American” when I’m around. They are very curious about me, as I’m an anomaly to them. I guess they don’t get many Americans around Agen and Le Passage. Too far south from Paris.

We had an official “Lighting of the Canvas” ceremony this past Tuesday evening for the new studio and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The canvas, Michel painted on a small scale and they hired a company to blow it up, is at least 12’ high and over 60’ wide. It had more than 360 fluorescent lights behind the screen and we were amazed at how beautiful it was lit. The Mayor, who I’ve become somewhat friends with was there and asked me to move to France and to bring my husband with me. LOL. I told him, I’m going home when this is done!! We also met a lot of the City of Le Passage workers who came to give their support. We are having a lot of people just drop by out of curiosity and our school, as well as yours truly made it in the local paper. I’ll be bringing one home, albeit all in French.

I also went to Paris this past weekend with Michel and Kyoko. It was a long drive, but a beautiful one. While in Paris, I visited the famous IPIDAC School. There are some great people working there and I enjoyed meeting them, the Director of the school who invited me to come back to see them anytime I wished, as well as other artists and instructors. The famous Pierre was there and I got to watch him do a marble display, as well as speak to the instructors. Michel is very admired and respected among these artisans who have been teaching for years. I enjoyed hearing these comments and finding other people in France who could speak English LOL. There were three instructors who came to get Michel to sign his book for them and all three of them said this is their new bible. It was a successful day for Michel and while he was there signing his book, Kyoko and I escaped and went on the Metro and tooled around Paris.

We ate lunch on the Champs Elysees and had a great cappuccino and then went on a search for shoes LOL. I found some and asked Kyoko if people in France negotiated. She said “no, but I’ll ask if you like.” She did and they accepted my offer and there you go. I found some BD gifts for my friends and sisters and the cutest little T-shirt (finally) for my little grandson, Grae. There aren’t tourist things here in Agen.

Got to meet and have dinner with the publisher of Michel’s book and his assistant and husband this past Saturday evening and enjoyed it immensely. It was such a privilege to meet the people who are significant in Michel and Kyoko’s lives and talk to them. It is a small world when you get to talk to others. Found out the assistant’s husband is working for a company called Precision Valve. When I told him I’d called on them in the Greenville area when I was in sales, he exclaimed that they were planning on moving all their manufacturing to Greenville, SC, we all just smiled. They live just south of Paris.

I also have a great opportunity from one of the artists I met while in the school to be taken around in an old Citron car with two women when I return for three nights in December. They are talking about taking me around to wherever I want to go on Saturday the 20th. Classes finish in this particular module on the 19th and I don’t fly out until the 22nd to come home for Christmas. I’m SO looking forward to being with them and having that local connection to Paris. One of them doesn’t speak any English and she’s the one who made the initial offer, then solicited a friend who does speak English to help with this venture. I’m so grateful to both of them and look forward to this.

I also got to see the famous Notre Dam. Walking in that cathedral and knowing there was such history there and seeing the statues and stained glass windows were breathtaking. Mass was starting as well.

I am thinking of you all during this Thanksgiving season and am longing for some American food. Two of my best friends, Susan and Shelly are sending me a care package so I can get just that. I am cooking all the veges and pies for our Thanksgiving dinner here in Agen this coming Saturday evening. I’ll be in class during the actual day we celebrate it, but am thankful I get celebrate it in France at all. There are at least 17 people invited. I’m looking forward to receiving the package and making some of my favorite things from America. You cannot find so many basic items here in France. One of which surprised me most was cream cheese.

The French do not have a word for hug in the French language and that astounds me. I want you all to know though, that some of them are beginning to understand what hug means in American style and they are loving it.

We started a new module this week, one that I’m most excited about. It’s the trompe l’oeil module and when I see the panels we are already working on and will be completing, I’m so thrilled to be here during this time. Michel is very generous in wanting to give us as many things to do and learn as he can possibly fit into the schedule, so we are staying later this week, just to draw the designs on the panels so we can finish them. I’ll be sending pics of these as we complete them.

Just less than four weeks now, and I’ll be home. I’m so grateful to all of you who keep in touch with me. Your E-mails and comments touch me deeply. The cards and things you write about your daily lives helps me to feel connected to my home and I am thankful for everyone who is participating in this with me.

I’m growing in more ways than I could imagine and my sweet husband and I were just speaking about this last evening. We both agree that there are things happening with the two of us and our growth, individually as well as our closeness that we wouldn’t have experienced otherwise in any other way. We are thankful for these things we are both learning and are so looking forward to having time together at Christmas. Tom is just as wonderful as ever and as I've said before, the pain never goes away from being apart from him. Absence is making the heart fonder though and we are grateful for that.

You guys have a GREAT Thanksgiving; know this little lady in France has you in my mind and on my heart. That I’m smiling as I know you are enjoying a great meal with people you love and that I will be with you soon.

Take care and look around you, pay attention to what you feel and what makes you laugh and feel good about life. Run to those things and breathe in the moments . . .

West Coast of France!

BONJOUR MON AMIS!

Sorry I haven’t written in my blog in the past two weeks, especially since the last tough E-mail, but I’ve been very busy and gone last weekend to the West Coast of France with Patrick, his lovely wife and daughter and Marina.

I am going to share a lot with you about this past weekend and let you know and see on my Picasa web album some very interesting things I saw, touched and experienced.

First of all, let me say that Patrick and Cathy were the most gracious hosts and I’m so thankful to have spent the weekend with them. They were so kind and thoughtful the entire weekend and took care of Marina and I in ways that made me think of how gracious I’ll be with my next guests. Patrick even delivered fresh chocolate croissants to Marina and me on Sunday morning LOL.

We left school on Friday and drove the two and a half hours to the coast. It’s on the Atlantic, so Patrick was kidding me about America being his neighbors LOL. The waves are much larger on this side however and I was surprised by that.

On the way there, Patrick and I were discussing me being away from Tom, family and friends and I explained to him that I’ve come to understand and accept that the pain doesn’t go away or even subside. Its there, will be there until the void is filled. He told me he couldn’t do what I’m doing and I smiled over this. This is the hardest part of this journey, but as I’ve said before, the sweetest pain to know there are people who incite this kind of pain in one. You realize just how much you love people and miss them in your everyday life. I also explained to Patrick how Tom and I have to do more open conversations and how that communication helps us to grow closer to each other and that’s another blessing. It warmed my heart that Patrick was thoughtful enough to even think of me being here without my family and to think of what that must be like and to admit he couldn’t do this was big, for me at least. I told him all of the other Americans before me had their family with them and that made me separate from them in so many ways.

We arrived Friday evening to meet the lovely Cathy. She’s naturally pretty and was so nice and we immediately felt comfort in her presence and started telling stories about school, our fun times, the laughter, the joking and kidding we do to relieve some of the intenseness of the class. Cathy understands English very well and it was great for Marina and me to be able to relate to someone who could understand what we were trying to say. There were only a few times, we had to find creative ways to express things so they could understand.

We had dinner at what they call “The Smurf Village”. They own a holiday chalet and Marina and I both got to stay in a private chalet for the weekend. I was staying in Patrick and Cathy’s place. It’s adorable and you’ll see pics on the web album. We had a great dinner.

The following day, we went to the beach and ate a great lunch at an outdoor café. Ate dinner at a restaurant and another great meal where we were serenaded by the choir of Mimizan. Turns out the French go into restaurants and when there’s a group of them like this, they constantly sing LOL. It was fun and loud. I’d say there were at least 40 of them.

Cathy was gracious enough to take us around town Saturday afternoon and while in one store, I heard this commotion going on outside, horns blowing, people yelling. I found Marina and we stood outside and watched this scene unfolding. In France, when they marry, they ride around town on motorcycles; this specific one was a three wheeler. The groom was up front and the bride in the back, with fabric flowing in the wind, riding around town parading themselves, attracting attention. This specific bride had tattoos all over her back and arms and we were laughing at this. We asked Cathy if she and Patrick did this ritual when they married and she laughed and said yes.

On Sunday, we ate this feast of froi gras, duck heart, duck something else, I can’t remember the name of LOL and roasted duck, with oysters fresh from the ocean as our appetizer. Cathy can cook!!!!! We ate for two hours and enjoyed the company of other neighbors and friends who came over. We also, got to spend some time with Audrey, their daughter. We had a good time, laughing and telling stories again.

Marina and I were told stories by Patrick all weekend of special interest to us. He told us on the way to Mimizan about his family being very old, older than the US and how they were royals and how he has documents and various things from his family. As the weekend unfolded, we found out more and more about this and I have to tell you that on Sunday morning, Marina and I were almost yelling at Patrick because in the closet right next to where I slept was a framed letter from Louis XIV. I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears when he brought this out of the closet, as well as a letter from the King of Poland with his stamp on the last page of the document, as well as a painting that is over 500 years old of Mary and Jesus painted on copper. He brought out swords and official documents to family members.

We were also introduced to books before books were bound, as well as very, very old books, which had personal notes written to family members. Turns out, Patrick is quite the collector of old books and admitted that a lot of them were worth a lot of money. Marina and I were constantly in awe and kept telling him these things should be in a museum or something. That these artifacts were too precious to keep in a closet. You’ll also see a pic of swords Patrick was showing us where they were engraved with all kinds of family information on them. The details on even the handles were astounding. They are more like fencing swords, and Patrick and his brother broke them playing as kids. Also, notice in the pic, the smaller sword Patrick is holding in his left hand. This small sword has the original leather piece to protect the knuckles on the hand for the one carrying this sword. I asked Patrick permission to photograph all these things so you could see history. I still can hardly believe I got to see one of Louis XIV’s original documents. This specific document is talking about a piece of property that was given to an Abbey where the monks lived and the King was requesting documentation of this gift. It was given in the year 1393. You’ll see signed Versailles, Louis XIV and at the bottom, is the Prime Minister’s signature as well. The document is signed on the 4th of May or March (translation was difficult because of the time period), in 1701.

We don’t know how Patrick’s family survived the murders that occurred so many years ago when people decided to kill off the royal families in France, but are thankful their blood line was preserved. Patrick is an Earle and his brother is a Barron because he’s the first born. Since France is democratic, these blood lines are not as important as they once were. This was such an amazing experience to get to see historical documents and artifacts such as these. Marina and I begged him to get these things appraised to see what they are worth.

We had a fabulous time and getting to experience some of France in this way was a gift. My kudos and thanks goes out to Cathy and Patrick who made these foreigners feel so welcomed!!!!

We also celebrated Marina's 40th BD this past week and Little Crevette invited us to a dance place her Mom loves to go to. We walked into Caesar's Palace (Vegas it WAS NOT LOL), and it was filled at 5:00 p.m. with 70 to 90 year olds dancing something like the polka, twirling around and around and around. We had great fun laughing and watching and me turning down old, old men to dance saying I was sorry, I didn't speak French ROFL. I was really scared I'd get dizzy trying to keep up with them LOL. I would say this in French and send them to Brigette and she would tell them in English, she didn't speak French ROFL. Too much fun!!!!

We moved into the new studio this weekend and it is magnificent. We are so thankful for this large of a space and it’s so nice. There will be three events coming up in the City of Le Passage for this new school/studio. There is a lighting ceremony of the sign happening this coming Tuesday evening, then an Open House and an Inauguration Event happening in January. A press guy is coming this Monday afternoon to talk to us students and get our input. I’ll have all of this on my blog.

Next weekend, I’m off to Paris in a famous school who is hosting an Open House. Michel is going to be signing his book published this year. I’ll get to meet famous artists and see illustrations of them doing their craft. I’ll also share details about this as well.

I’m doing well, am enjoying the experience of all of this, learning so much that I cannot write in words on this blog and growing. I’m so thankful for everything involved in this journey, for the love I see and feel from those of you at home who are keeping in touch, to the pain I experience, to the frustrations of not being able to communicate sometimes with the French. It’s all appreciated by me and I relish all of it. Not counting the wealth of information and training I'm receiving, as well as the blessing of spending so much quality time with Michel and Kyoko!!!

I’m also looking forward to the next two modules. We are finishing the wood graining and marbling this coming week and are working on a marquetry panel. I’m so thrilled about that and then we go into the trompe l’oeil where another Frenchman will join us and in January, an AMERICAN, YEAH, and a Japanese guy will join us as well, for the mural and landscaping module.

All is well here, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, for partaking in this experience with me in this regard. For those of you who are keeping in close contact, thank you and God bless you for the little gifts you give me each day and Tom, honey, what can I say, you are the most awesome and loving man in the world and I’m so honored to be your wife.

Take care and breathe in the moments, they pass too quickly . . . Tammy

Growth is Painful!!!!

What I’m about to write is of a very personal nature and if you are not up to it, please stop and don’t read this specific blog. I am pouring my heart out and just telling you how it is being here, experiencing this and what it’s like to be in the midst of it.

This week has been a struggle for me in so many ways and on so many levels. I struggled with learning the Silver Grain, which, until I came to France and Michel told us about it, don’t recall ever seeing it in America or anywhere else. We are working on oak and in France, this is THE premier wood used and painted. I explained to the class how Americans don’t use oak for much decorative use anymore and we lean towards Cherry and Mahogany.

It turns out that this Silver Oak is the most difficult thing you can do in the decorative art field. WOW. That’s huge!!! I found out why when I struggled to wrap my mind around how it is formed and thus, make it into a beautiful piece painted. We worked on it for quite a few days and it brought me to tears Monday evening.

I was soaked in frustrations, in realizing how difficult it is to be away from home in a land you don’t speak their language and missing my family and friends. Sleepless nights and wrestling with “am I going to get this?” were flooding my mind and heart. I was feeling the pressure I put myself under to do it so well and to make the most of this time in France.

Up to this point in opening myself to art, which is only been in the past two and a half years, everything came seamlessly easy for me. I had hit a wall and knew it. I wasn’t able to replicate the work and knew it wasn’t coming from within. I didn’t trust myself all of a sudden and wondered about so many things.

I cried and my sweet husband called me when I E-mailed him at 1:15 a.m. my time telling him I couldn’t sleep and was in trouble. He talked to me and helped me to see things differently. Said things that could only come from him to calm my heart and spirit and the pressure I was putting on myself. Told me how proud he was of me just being here and that I was jumping from Kindergarten to College in a very short period of time.

I went to school the following day and Michel, not missing anything, knew I’d been upset and asked me how I was. I told him I’d been crying overnight and had a difficult time. He then told me and the entire class that what we don’t understand is that art brings out emotions when you are into it and he expects everyone who takes his class to go through this or he worries about their involvement in the class and by that I assume how engaged we are. He explained that art brings out emotions regardless. When you put yourself into a situation like this, where the classes are so intensive and you are building one concept learned immediately into a more intense and difficult concept, then you are bound to experience all kinds of emotions.

I made it through finally getting the oak panel completed except for the top coat on Thursday. I did the heart grain on one side and struggled with completing the silver grain. Michel, picking up on this, came and helped guide me through the rest of that particular piece.

On Friday, we proceeded in the afternoon to do the Sea Green Marbling. This is the marble you see most on American counter tops in kitchens. A beautiful green with meandering breaks in the marble.

I struggled. There were times I thought about just walking around the neighborhood. I actually started cleaning off my board at one point to hear gasps in the class as they saw that I was starting over LOL. The more upset I got, the more frustrated, the worse I did on the panel and thus, the more I’d get upset. I knew my panel looked terrible and needed some major help. It was a beautiful piece of veined marble, but this particular marble is breche (broken and fragmented). I kept looking at it and the more I looked it, I knew in my heart, I HAD to do this without Michel’s help. What you are feeling in art, translates onto the piece you are working on. I’ve always heard this, but saw it in action for myself as I struggled.

Once again, Michel read this in me and kept bypassing my panel and helping the others, with the exception of Patrick who is “nailing it” with the oak and the marbling techniques lately. I’m so proud of him!!!

Michel didn’t try once to come to my aid and I was actually hoping he wouldn’t, but I could see the distress on his face, as he knew of my struggles and wanted to help.

At one point, most of the class had finished and had walked outside for some air and to smoke. Marina and I were the two left in the class and I took all the pressure off of myself and said “girl, you cannot do any worse and Michel says it needs more work.” I let go and within minutes had the panel looking so much better and the reactions from the other fellow class members was “wow” when they returned, even telling me it didn’t even look like the same piece.

Michel came inside and said “Tammy, I knew you could and needed to do this”, hugged me and gave me a "high five" and kept commenting about how good it looked and that he wouldn’t change a thing. That’s HUGE LOL.

I am proud of this moment, but it has stirred something major in me this weekend. I’m realizing that art doesn’t come from something controlled and made or even learned. It can be enhanced by instruction and studying, but cannot be made that way. It is surrendered to, given over to, letting go and letting it flow and not having an attachment to the outcome that you can truly be free to paint and express in this way.

Funny, when you are growing in life, how many things you can find to cry over. I even cried over not having my own coffee from America today LOL. I cried and was touched deeply over a card Susan, Victoria, Shelly and Kym sent with a picture of them smiling at me and holding a picture of the Eiffel Tower with a note saying "Tammy, we love you and miss you." I cried over not having my bed at home and having my husband's arms around me. I cried over the weather being cold and nasty outside, need I go on? LOL.

I have remembered today what a precious friend said to me just before I left. I went by to see Ric Standridge who explained to me how proud of me he was and that what I was going to do and embark on, he needed to discuss with me. He told me that even though I was going on this fantastic journey and was going to learn from one of the best, that I would go through such immense pain and suffering because of it, probably more than I'd ever known before. That most artists don’t discuss things like this, but it happens. It’s when we let go and allow that we can truly do art. He said if I came through this, I’d be a much better artist than I could imagine and allowing the inside of me to be expressed on a piece, is the gift to others. He warned me about how intense the pain would be and I found it today.

He also presented me with a card of a painting he’d previously done entitled “Love of Self”. It’s when you surrender that love comes out, it’s in letting go of what you can and cannot do that you find it. We are taught in our daily lives to go after things, to control, to make things happen. This concept is not infallible and cannot be done with all things. Inside the card says simply “Peace”. I am finding that there is peace, but only through letting things go.

As I thought of these kind words, I’m grateful he cared enough to warn me of this time on this journey and it was a solace to me. Thank you so much Ric!!!! You were a blessing in France today with a little lady who felt lost.

I’m learning that growing is painful, that it costs you something. That moving forward is not that easy and requires everything you have to get there. That anything worthwhile has personal sacrifices, but the rewards are going to be grand when you get through it. I already had learned much of this but with this particular time in my life, the lessons are totally different.

I’m learning a lot about myself, as well as my children, friends, family and especially my mate for life. I don’t want to embarrass Tom, but he’s been the most wonderful and understanding and supportive man alive. Not once has he been selfish in his talks with me. Not once has he asked me to come home and stop this or give up this dream.

I’m learning that you can feel empathy for each other in class when you are struggling, because you know that you either have, or your number will soon be up and you will.

I’m learning a lot about grace through Michel and Kyoko both and to what extent they are willing to go to help you through this learning experience both personally and professionally. They are beautiful people and know of the struggles we go through.

I’m learning just how much you can suffer without the love of your life in your daily life and the others who so surround your existence in the small world in which we all live.

I had no intentions of writing this to you all, but felt that I had to share this with you. I hope it touches something inside of you as well as it is me. What I was going to write was some fun things about the French and some very interesting facts about living here and the French. I will do this next time, along with an account of going to the Coast with Patrick, Marina and Patrick’s wife and daughter this coming weekend. YEAH!!!!

I will post pictures of the oak graining this evening and will be posting the Sea Green Marble as soon as we get the top coat on it for you to see.

Take care, and until next time . . . . GROW, have the courage to do that which you have been postponing and know you can!!!!!

In loving gratitude for all things - Tammy

Pics

Finally uploaded Picasa and you can now go to see the pics of some of the things I've been sharing with you!!!! Enjoy!!!! XOXOXO - Tammy

School in France and Students

Hello everyone. Hope all is well with all of you and that you are happy and looking for ways to express yourself in this life. Expressing yourself in some way is one of the greatest ways for you to touch others!!!

I'm dedicating this specific blog to the school, what it is like to study here and the students within. I have interesting things to share with you.

We are halfway through the first module which consists of eight weeks of marbling and wood graining. We have started, this past week, the advanced woods and marbles and let me tell you, this is not for pansies LOL. This is intensive and difficult and I found it even more difficult than anything I've done previously. It is interesting, how you can get wood graining easily when you are exposed to it so much in life. The marbles are much harder to grasp, so much activity and so much variations with the specific marbles studied. Sometimes, having a strong cup of cafe' is the best medicine to make you nervous for the marbles LOL.

Okay, on to the instructor Michel Nadai. Even though my sweet Tom put his link on the website, it in no way relays what his school is about, what is really done here and I'll spend some time relaying this to you so you know on a personal level what this is like.

Michel Nadai is by far the most talented, sympathetic, grounded, intensive, funny, entertaining, discriminating, intuitive, lovingly demanding, compelling, patient, attentive teacher I've ever come across and I've been taught by some of the best America has to offer in the decorative arts.

He becomes your Mother/Father/Sister/Brother as he watches you and nothing escapes his eyes and attention while you are with him in class. His heartbeat truly is YOU and it's about you getting it. There are times that I think I'm getting it and I'm proud of myself and Michel comes by and says "Tammy, I don't like, erase" LOL. On one occasion this week, I was struggling. He stood with me for awhile teaching me how to use a badger brush, because “I'm American and we aren't taught how to properly use one”, I told him to "kiss my butt" LOL. Thank God, Michel knows me and he just laughed at me out loud, got a kick out of it and hugged me twice. The hugs felt good, as you become so intense about wanting to get it as much as Michel wants you to get it. Marina tells him he's in a bad mood when she gets upset over something she's trying to do, only to have him do the same thing to her LOL. Even though I kid him and point to my eyes to motion to him "hey, I'm watching you", the truth is, he's watching us intently. He is engaged in us, invested.

His style, ease of doing things, demonstrations are something that we all are in awe of each time he gives us a visual of what we are trying to create. When he finishes and you see this Master's art, your breath is taken away and you go to your board and when you finish, what you see is nothing close to his. We all have to be reminded by him as well as ourselves, that we are not masters and have not been doing this as long as he. Getting the concepts and learning the techniques and wrapping our minds around the study of it all is what we are getting and everyday corrections and inspiring words from him when we did get it, help get us through this process of learning.

We are much more serious here in France about art as a whole. We wear white lab coats in class and it makes it more formal for us in this regard. I feel more serious about what we are doing because of this, funny how a little white coat makes a difference.

France embraces its artist; after all, out of the five most famous in the world in this area of expertise, three of them are from France!! When the City of Agen found out about Michel Nadai looking for another studio to move from the village where he was, they were only too happy to accommodate him and his school, knowing this would bring international recognition to them as a City. This is a great place for his studio and school and offers a lot to the students. Much more than what I understand the previous village did. I'm thankful to be here in Agen.

We are moving into a new studio Agen is finishing for us and will have an Open House and have some local newspaper coverage, because of the fact that Michel earned the most prestigious award known in Europe, "Best Craftsman of France". This award is strenuously achieved by the highest standards and the competition is only given every four years and many years, this is not given for this specific category because they cannot find anyone worthy to earn the title. This is much like the Olympics to Americans. The best of the best only compete and the things I've heard about applicants and how the judges threw them out of the competition because a tiny screw in a custom and hand made boat wasn't facing the right direction, is unbelievable. I've seen a portion of the panel he did for his competition and I just stared at it for awhile. It is magnificent!!!

Needless to say, anyone who dares to take this course comes out a much better person having known Michel and his wife, Kyoko and is a much better artisan. How he embraces you and cares about you as a person, with the standards of excellence required, is a great balance of the best you could hope for.

Michel is witty and yet, he expects you to pay attention, to do it the correct way, not to try to make this any simpler, use the “Master's techniques” and loves you all along the way. I don't know if I can truly relay the intent and purposes of his heart in this blog, but I'm trying. Kyoko is by your side, encouraging you and trying in English to relay everything he's teaching, as well as emotionally holding your hand, knowing there were many struggling artists before you and will be many after you.

To take this on, from his perspective, as well as mine, is a very intense way of changing your life. He wants you to walk away with what he calls an equivalent of seven years apprenticeship with a Master, which is the French way of doing things. In America, we are truly a microwave society in so many ways and our schools offer two day, three day and five day classes for artists to learn these techniques. The four weeks I took in Atlanta, GA are pale in comparison to what is given here and I'm still thankful for that time with him there and that that school was so innovative in realizing the talent and benefits to us locals who could take his classes.

Kyoko, his wife is one of the sweetest, kindest hearted, good people, you've ever met. She's beautiful to look at, her voice is kind to the ears and she is so intelligent that she is translating simultaneously while Michel is teaching. Sometimes, as Michel is studying English and speaks it, she translates the English back to the French students without giving it a thought and we all laugh. She is just as much engaged in this process as he is and I cannot imagine her not being here. She cares about you getting it as much as Michel and in translating will add just a few things here and there and even ask if Marina and I understand what Michel is saying. I've seen this woman go from French, to English to Japanese (when a visiting Japanese prospective student came to visit) within moments and with such ease, that it's like watching a beautiful song being composed before your eyes. Needless to say, class would not be the same without her and her addition to this, with heart and skills, is paramount to the success of this school.

Okay, onto the students.

Patrick is a big teddy bear. He's precious and is always looking for ways to accommodate and help us and is a very giving person. He is very tall, over 6' and is always opening window shades we cannot reach without ladders and turning our panels around for us, as they are huge and helping us. He lives during the week, at a literal castle where King Charles the VII, visited and rented a space during his reign. He is living in a tower overlooking a beautiful landscape. I'll have to get him to take my camera home with him one day and let him take pics for us all.

He says the owner of the castle is over 85 years old and all of the furnishings are older than she is. That she is kind, but leaves him alone because she cannot climb the rounding staircase he does to get to his space in the top of the tower LOL. He says he couldn't even find her, the castle is so large if he wanted to. The name of the castle is Chateau Dauge.

Patrick, like I said is a sweetheart of a guy, is retired, worked in the wax business for years with his family and is taking it easy, enjoying his life and taking this course. He has applied for and been accepted into the next process of acquiring a space in the famous Place du Fertie "Montmartre". (If I misspell or find out some of this is incorrect, I'll correct for you). This place is where the artists are in a special space reserved for them to paint and sell their paintings. There are over three hundred artists who have qualified for this space, which is difficult to obtain. They allow 150 a weekend and alternate weekends. It's famous for people to visit and a painting typically will sell easily there. Patrick will go to Paris when this comes through and spend a weekend and then during the two weeks prior, be painting, so he will have paintings to sell to the public. This process is grueling and takes almost four years to complete. Patrick is honored to get approval to get through the first process and is now being asked to produce more documents to further his entrance. I asked him if he has to wait on someone to die to get a space to have the French roar with laughter. He said sometimes that happens, but sometimes they move or decide not to participate anymore. Some of the artists have been there for more than 30 years. It sounds like a great place to meet people and to get exposure as well.

He brought raw oysters to class this past Monday, six dozen for seven of us. He lives on the east coast of France on the ocean and is probably lying in his hammock reading a book this weekend, weather permitting. The oysters were fresh from the sea that morning and were as large as my hand. I have never eaten raw oysters and let me explain, they were raw LOL. When told how to eat them, you either put lemon juice on, or a personal marinade recipe, Michel made consisting of vinegar, shallots and other ingredients. They told me just to swallow them whole. When I did, I, they laughed and asked me what I thought and were raving about how great these were. Marina doesn't like raw oysters and said they were great as well. When I told them I didn't understand the point of having them, that you just swallow them and don't taste anything but the vinegar marinade or the lemon juice, they laughed. Seems I'm entertaining them frequently LOL. They then told me to chew them a little.

I'm eating some of the most unusual things here in France that I've not eaten, but this experience of being open and tasting their food and experiencing their culture is as much a part of this, as the art. So, my mindset is "experience and taste".

On Monday, during the oyster feast, Michel told the class he wants to start a school with me in America and us be the teachers. Patrick, thus, told me on Thursday evening that he wanted to invest in this school and would give me money to help start it. I was elated and shocked at his generosity. He has been hiding his English from us until this past week where he spoke more and more to us. He says he hasn't spoken it for years and it is coming back to him and thus, he's using it more.

He has again invited us to go to his home on the shore and we will definitely be doing this sometime soon. I'm looking forward to this and being with him and his wife and possibly meeting his two daughters who are fluent in English. What a treat!!!!

Brigitte is a red headed spunky fireball and has a childlike, fun spirit. She's the one who is interested in the hugs and has a contagious smile. She walks into class and seems so excited to get a hug and say "Good morning" as only she can. She's a sweetheart who has wanted to be in this school for about seven years, from what I understand. Her husband is a policeman and rides a motorcycle. I understand the motorcycle cops are some of the strongest men in France, as they have to be. She says her husband keeps his stories of his days to himself, and is very discreet. One of her friends relayed a story to her not too long ago about seeing her husband chase down a man and tackle him to arrest him LOL. It's probably best Brigitte doesn't know these things during the day.

She's vivacious and very caring. Is only about 5' tall and is precious. She laughs a lot and is enjoying the process like the rest of us and is thankful to be here.

Marie is a lot more subdued than the rest of us LOL. She's also known as the neatest of all of us and the cleanest and most organized. Her area is immaculate and she is one of the most efficient people I've watched. She's only about 5' tall as well and is kind hearted as well. She speaks the least amount of English, but you can see on her face, she is trying to get it and understand and communicate. She did find a place to live, other than her car during the week and seems to be content no matter where she is or what she's doing.

Marina, you already know some about. I'll tell you something very intriguing. She was given a scholarship by the Queen of England to come to this school. She applied this past May and was accepted through a process of applications and interviews. She had to appear before a board and show her work and what she is capable of. She is a very studious person and has attended quite a few schools herself. She's one of the most fascinating people in the class to me because of her attitude about life, about traveling and going places. She was born and raised in Wales. She says when the Prince of Wales learns to speak their language, they will accept him as being Welsh. She said even Princess Di addressed them in a sentence or two in Welsh when she came to visit.

When she is finished with this course, she is already invited to a luncheon to allow others to see her accomplishments. It seems that they give this scholarship to eight different people only two times a year. A luncheon provides them all with congrats next June. She doesn't know if the Queen will attend, but is excited even so.

In the first whole week while there, the three French and Marina and I were outside without our interpreter, Koyoko. Someone mentioned us all reciting our own alphabet and we all did in our own language. Marina did Welsh and I have to tell you, it's broken sounds, not like letters or even words but sounds. When she finished, I started mocking her by pretending I was gagging and it was a good imitation. The whole group laughed and I've asked her to repeat this a few times for me LOL. We all get a kick out of it.

She has lived in America as a nanny, Canada, Belize as a bartender, Australia and other places. She started traveling in her 20's and is about to turn 40 this next month.

Amazing group of people and we are all thankful to get to know each other. You cannot spend this much time with each other and not get to know each other. It's a special club, when you are all in this together and adding these people to my life, makes me even richer.

I brought some chocolates Susan sent me with to the class this past week to let them taste American chocolate. I had heard them talking about how America doesn’t do chocolate well. When they ate the extreme dark chocolate, they were bragging about how good it was LOL. GO SUSAN!!!!

The one resounding thing we have spoken about is that this is the best teaching we've all ever received. The most intensive and difficult, and yet, most rewarding. I told them I was told the same thing by American students when we were completing the four week study.

I hope you are enjoying partaking of this experience with me and want you to know that I think of all of you!!! I'm thankful to say I'm coming home for Christmas and will be there almost two weeks. When I return to France on January 3rd, I will only be here for six more weeks. I'm thankful I'll be with my man and family and friends and want to hug them and hold them all for awhile.

When I write you again, it will be to tell you more of the French and their ways. I’m taking notes so I can remember all the things to tell you.

I’m going to a Cathedral where Marina and I found silver leaf grain and am going to sit on the floor taking pics and practicing drawing this wood graining. Michel says it’s the most difficult and I have to practice before class on Monday as we will be working with it again. Have a good weekend and know you are loved!!!!!

Tammy

Living in France

BONJOUR EVERYONE!!! Let me first apologize for not getting on my blog sooner and giving you updates. Each of you are so special to me and I LOVE reading your comments and receiving your E-mails. It is interesting how precious people you love, become even more meaningful while you are away. I am holding onto your relationships and cherish any comments you add to my life while here.



There have been so many of you asking some of the same questions of me, that I wanted to share them on the blog.



Living in Agen is such a wonderful experience in so many ways. The town of Agen is smaller than the two surrounding it on the train route, Bordeaux and Toulouse. I'm located in between these two cities. Agen is about the size of Greenville and yet, has such "old charm" in the structures and architecture of the buildings. It is an older city, famous for two things "prunes and froi gras (duck)". I'm eating the prunes but haven't tried their delicacy. I heard about the froi gras on the way here by people who live in Paris and will definitely try this before I leave.



Contrary to what I thought, not many people speak English and even the younger generation who are supposedly taught this in school do not even try to "make English (their words)" when I ask them to speak it. The few I've met here who do speak English are more than willing to talk to me.



Michel, Kyoko, Marina and I went to Bordeaux last Saturday and the feel and vibe of that city was much more exuberant. Kyoko even says herself that she dresses more conservatively in Agen and if you wear expensive things here, they are offended by it, thinking you are trying to flaunt your worth. Says they have issues with showing you have money here. I told her they need to get over it LOL.



Yesterday, Marina and I walked into town and experienced the market. It was predominantly vegetables of every sort, things I've never seen before, such as black things that looked like sweet potatoes. I have no clue what these are for and couldn't find anyone who spoke English to explain. Bread, cheese, meats, nuts, flowers were also in abundance. It was a beautiful sight and listening to the French as they traded with each other, was an experience in itself.

Rugby is HUGE here in the European nations and I was awakened by 5:00 a.m. this morning with loud and partying French outside my apartment. Rugby field is only two blocks away. If I could have spoken French to tell them to go away and leave the property, I would have.

Marina and I went into town for her to watch a Rugby match yesterday afternoon in an Irish pub. I drank Cider and found it very appealing. Took a book and was reading while she watched the game. We met this gent from France named Pierre. Pierre was an eccentric older man who realized we spoke English quickly and joined our table. After speaking to him for awhile, he started relaying stories, one after the other, about famous people he knew in London in the 1960's to 1971. He told us stories about John Lennon and he being best of buds,walking down the streets every day together, getting on a bus, going to the top floor of the bus and exchanging each other's money made from the previous day. When I asked him why they did this, he simply explained "we were bored" LOL. He says it was a wild time during the 60's and everything he told us, Marina was able to confirm as far as the area in which he lived and what it was like during that time frame. He lived in the Kensington area, where Princess Di lived just before she died. He knew Princess Margaret and said he did some photography for her. He said he knew he was going to die if he didn't get out of there and decided to leave. Found himself a German wife and lived in Germany for the last 15 years. Came home just a week ago to France and found a great place in the City. He kept calling me "crazy wonderful" LOL. Marina told him I really was crazy ROFL. This didn't deter the old man. He was struggling with his English, and kept repeating himself and when he'd tire of trying to "make English", he would revert to French and we would look at him with blank faces asking for English again. We believe he did too many drugs during that time in his life LOL. Marina is great to have around, as she dated a Frenchman and can at least get around and speak it some.

The following things I am going to share with you are not my opinions of the French, but from their own words. I do not know these things personally, so please do not misinterpret judgment from me in any way. They do not like to work LOL. They only work a 35 hour work week for salaried employees. They are not service oriented and life is about them first. They eat bread everday of the week and it is not uncommon to see them walking around town with baguettes as long as 3' or so in their hands or under their arms. They do, however, bathe regularly LOL. I had heard they didn't and that is not true. They said that is true around the Louis XIV, XV and XVI periods of time. Marina says that even in England during that time, they didn't bathe regularly. They eat anything that moves, including horse, which is very dark when I saw it in the grocery store. The French sit at check out counters, from the grocery stores to the places like Lowe's and Home Depot. They are not particularly friendly and hardly smile in these posts.

When in class one day last week, Michel was drawing on the board, the Country of France and was showing us where the marbles we were studying, are extracted. When he mentioned the north of France, he called them barbarians LOL. Knowing, this is where Marina is from and we all laughed. When I then asked, "I've heard you guys don't like America, you don't like England, who else don't you like?" They laughed and said "we don't even like the French" LOL.

There is great fun among us in class and Marina shared with me yesterday that the day I arrived in class, there was immediate unity being formed. That until I arrived, the French were like "no English" and not particularly interested in finding out about English or our ways either. Each day, until Thursday of last week, you go into class and are greeted by the French with "bonjour" and you kiss the air on the sides of the cheeks of them. Bridgette learned about American hugs from Michel and decided she prefers them to the French ways. SO, we are now hugging each other each day. So much for leaving France in the way Marina and I found it ROFL.

I got into trouble this past week in the grocery store. I thought I was doing them a favor by picking up lettuce leaves and paying for them. I was away from Kyoko a little distance and could only see by the ladies reaction, when I took the lettuce leaves to be weighed, that I had offended her. I called Kyoko over and she relayed that this is not acceptable. People take lettuce leaves to feed their turtles and rabbits and that they didn't appreciate me taking the leaves off the lettuce bunches LOL. I told Kyoko to say to her to please pardon me, that I didn't take them off the bunches, but was in fact, thinking I was doing them a favor by taking the ones that had fallen off.

I also was exposed to something unusual at a tasting. I picked up a toothpick and ate the piece of meat. Was something I'd never tasted before, only to find out I had tasted tongue. The tongue of what, I have NO clue. It was, however, tasteful, but I don't think it's something I'll purchase.

Kyoko, Michel and I go to the grocery store each Tuesday and Friday evenings after class. I enjoy this experience and am learning alot from being with them. They have milk, not kept in the refrigerator sections that only has to be refrigerated when opened. They have the most cheese and sausages I've ever seen and I have to admit to you that some of the sausages look inedible. I am sampling some of the already prepared foods and find them to be very good. I ate a dinner the other evening consisting of onions and eggplant, with a tomatoe with toasted cheese on top. Delish!!! It is odd in that you can take one of almost anything you want. If you want one bottle of water, you open the package and take only one. You don't have to purchase the entire of most things in the store, just take as you wish.

On the other days of the week, Marina and I look like little kids walking home each day with our backpacks on. She likes to go by another grocery store on the way home, as it is a habit with her to get fresh food each day to prepare. So, we track to the grocery store and then home, which is only about a 20 minute walk each day. To get some exercise, we walk around town some in the evenings. She tells me of a park nearby where a game I know Tom has played is being played by alot of older gentlemen. I can't remember the name of this game, but it's a big steel like ball being rolled. She says they are serious about this game and wants to play with them, but knows they would think she was intruding.

There are bakeries all over town, even in the neighborhoods. Their bread, most cases, only lasts for one day, therefore, each day, they are in the bakery getting fresh bread and pastries. We have one just a block away from our school and it was quite an experience while there. I loved it. I could get used to this fresh bread and chocolate croissants.

They enjoy "apperative", which is a pre-meal drink to help the digestive system. I was invited while in the home of Michel and Kyoko this past Sunday to their neighbors home for this. I was almost in tears at the entire scene unfolding in front of me, realizing I'm in France and experiencing it the French way. The home they live in is over 500 years old. The ambiance I felt and warmth from these people were very touching. The walls consists of more than two feet thick of mortar and stone. The inside decor was stunning, as she either made the window treatments and pillows herself, or hired some of them. She is a seamstress and when she found out what I can do, there was a special affinity between the two of us. She presented us with nuts, some kind of wavers and then a fig pie. Their pies are not the traditional ones we see in America, but are flat like pizza's. It was awesome. I am breathing in these moments and seeing the beauty in them.

I have to end this post by talking to you about my precious husband. The pain I feel from being away from him is so harsh at times. I live knowing I will be with him at Christmas and that gets me by. He's been so precious to send me care packages and we are both so thankful for skype where we can see each other and share what is going on in our lives. I don't know if I could bear this time without this. He was so cute the other evening before he left for his whirlwind tour around the world. He literally took the laptop around the house with the webcam, trying to find a specific piece of jewelry and a beam compass I needed LOL. While he was looking for the compass in the Guest Bedroom closet, my little Sophie jumped on the bed and was near the computer. When I spoke to her, she came closer and was looking directly at my picture being projected onto the laptop. She could hear my voice and see me, but lost interest in a couple of minutes while Tom was still searching LOL. She turned her back to me and I saw the cute little butt with three little "cow licks" on it. At least I got to see her.

Tom is currently in Australia and is on a sightseeing tour today at the Blue Mountains (famous in Australia). He's in Sydney and they are speaking to him about taking an assignment there. We will know more as the week progresses. Being this far away from him is much more painful than when he was in Greenville. He's having a good time seeing Sydney though and will start his meetings tomorrow. He's giving me an account by account view while I'm on line blogging and just said the koala bears are much larger than he thought and are very cute and the kangaroos are much smaller than he thought. He took a six hour tour yesterday of the city and surrounding areas of where he's staying. He's in a hotel looking directly over the bay and the famous Sydney Opera House.

Please take care of yourselves, write when you can, find something to relish in this life each day and breathe in the moments. They pass much too quickly. Know you are loved - Tammy

Dukes Mayonnaise Story

I'm laughing as I type this one. This story starts with me in the Philly airport and on the phone with my sweet husband who is informing me that we have to declare everything in the care package I packed for myself for him to ship to me, to keep from getting in trouble with shipping regulations. When I told him of the various items, such as razor blades, hair spray (ut oh, aerosol), lotions, makeup, yoga videos, lipstick and two pairs of shoes, he asked me if there were any perishables. When I told him about the two containers of Duke's Mayonnaise, he exclaimed into the phone "WHAT? Why in the world would you ship Duke's Mayonnaise to France?" I started giggling and told him emphatically that I didn't like any other mayonnaise back home and I knew I wouldn't like the French's mayonnaise either, so I wasn't taking any chances. Tom, knowing me, knew I was determinded not to take the mayonnaise out of the box and said "okay honey" and laughed with me.

I get the package this past Monday and had even bought some items to make as soon as I received the mayonnaise. I ate a tuna salad sandwich that very evening. I also decided that because of the fact that I only sent myself two of them, that I would be greedy and not share with the French here, after all, they'd never know the difference.

Below, you will read what my best friend Robyn did. She literally wrote to Dukes Mayonnaise and told them about me and Dukes Mayonnaise going international:

-----Original Message-----
From: Robyn Moody
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 7:36 AM
To: Jennifer Giambroni
Subject: Dukes Mayo In France

Jennifer,

I just had to tell one on my best friend and her love of Dukes
Mayo. Tammy Goben is spending the next 5 months in Agen France taking
Trompe and Mural classes from a very famous artist Michael Nadai. She
has been frantic till yesterday when her package that her husband Tom
mailed arrived with her two large jars of Dukes Mayonnaise! We have
asked if she needed anything else and her only request was to keep sending the Dukes when she needs it. If you could drop her an e-mail I would get the biggest kick! She has started a wonderful blog telling all of us of the wonderful journey she is on. The Dukes story would just make it. If you get a chance her e-mail is as follows:TnTGoben@aol.com She is a decorative painter and Master Seamstress from Greenville South Carolina. Think you will love her.

Thank You So Much,
Robyn Moody

Below is what Jennifer wrote back:

From: Jennifer Giambroni <jennifer@allisonpr.com>
Date: October 7, 2008 12:07:25 PM CDT
To: Robyn Moody
Subject: RE: Dukes Mayo In France

Hi Robyn,

We love to hear that Duke's is international! We'll make sure that the
folks at Duke's send her a shout out! Also, what's her mailing address
so we can send some Duke's goodies for the next care package her hubby
sends!

Best,
Jennifer Giambroni
For Duke's Mayonnaisee

Since Tom is leaving town, Robyn wrote Jennifer back today telling her my husband is on his way literally around the world and gave her my address here in France. This is too precious and everyone here is having a blast with this possibility of getting this package from Dukes.

When I shared this story this a.m. at the beginning of class, Marina, the Britain sweetheart, said no company in Britain would be so kind to even offer such a thing. The French said that if I do in fact, get the care package from Dukes, they have to taste it, if it's such a big thing for me. LOL.

I LOVE THIS story and just had to share. Robyn, thank you for your kindness and what a thoughtful thing to do. Will you be my agent when I return and need some work?

Thank you too, for Dukes Mayonnaise even thinking of me in this way. This is so precious!!!!

Love - Tammy