Monday, July 23, 2007

Bright, Shiny Things...

Hotel Meurice Chocolate pots While Paris has grey skies and grey Baron Haussmann buildings. People wearing neutral-colored clothing. Paris also has glitz - really, I mean shine and shiny things
 
I'm not talking about high glossy tartes - the L'abricotage. But tons and tons of silvery, reflective tableware that make French tabletops so delightful. Here, the window of L'Argenterie at 19, rue de Turenne, 75004, le Marais
 Alexi Worth commented in the NYTimes on, Jonathan Miller's book, ON REFLECTION:
Reflective surfaces, from puddles to pewter to mirrored glass,
have always been catnip to artists. What makes these images so especially puzzling and delicious?
I can't keep away from shiny things. V. says I have Shiny object syndrome (SOS). I am always chasing one bright, shiny thing after another.

cut in half watercolor
The Vaissellerie shop in Paris has lots of silver bargains.
I found a terrific
silver-plated chocolatiere for a song 🎵 

Teapots are a delight and an ongoing challenge.I've painted this silvery teapot at the Petrossian Boutique over and over.

Last but not least a silver water flask for the watercolor artist. Surely something you can not do without. For more silver, visit the Musée de l'Argenterie 109-113,avenue Daumesnil. From the French book of silver marks, Poincons d'Or et de Platine :

"Silverware will always be the most beautiful ornament of the table" And they're a real challenge to paint.

13 comments:

  1. HELL! I mispelled SHINY and Blogger will not let me fix it!
    Grrr
    Blogger is acting up this morning..

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  2. Oh! I want the chocolatière! How pretty! I have been kind of "on the lookout" for an old one, but I think I need to start active looking.

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  3. So very lovely indeed as is everything you post.
    Much love
    Jeanne
    X0X0

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  4. Anonymous10:17 AM

    Shining star that you are.

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  5. I love all the color you get into the reflections! Lovely!!

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  6. I love how you've captured the shiny-ness!

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  7. You're so good at capturing "shiny" in your watercolors - I can almost see my reflection:)

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  8. Anonymous6:43 AM

    I love to cover my party tabletops with silvery objects!
    Annie

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  9. OK so you found a bargain silver plated chocolatier. I have been looking for one for ages and still haven't found one. I am off to Paris end September and NEED a chocolatier - where do I go, I am desperate.
    From a deprived Brit

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  10. Anonymous8:23 AM

    I will have to get out my Christofle french silver and take a photo of it for you, Carol--it shows the pattern on both sides of the utensils, since the French serve theirs upside down on the table. It's really pretty. Beautiful images, as always!

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  11. Anonymous2:14 AM

    Hello,

    This is blog is nice, keep on writing!!
    Foreigner in Paris

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  12. Anonymous1:55 PM

    Just fabulous teapots' pictures!

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  13. absolutely stunning! you are incedibly talented!

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