Blake - the Wax Creation

Today Blake is pouring warmed wax into a mould that is the beginning of a new Angel creation.  Later he will join the delicate pieces together along with internal rods to hold the sculpture together.  Then it will be sent to the foundry in Italy to be cast in bronze. We'll see more of these processes another time.

Click on the link to see the beauty of a finished Angel by Blake.

The Tender Touch

Such a gentle and tender touch from a beautiful young woman to a little Westie, who is lunching at a neighbouring table at Bistrot le Bouchon.

Blake - and Bling

It's always such a treat for me when celebrated Canadian sculptor Blake invites me to his Monaco studio to take photos of work in progress. 

In the main photo, you see Blake's assistant, a sculptor herself, applying gold leaf to the interior of this sculpture in his new series, Phantom.  The first in the series, 'Phantom Sky' was exhibited at the recent Monaco-Japan exhibition. (see photo below)

Blake has written about the Phantom series:

'We have gone Las Vegas!
Bling has entered into the realm of the Phantoms!
This new series of sculptures place great value on the interior space within us, it is an exploration of our inner selves and the ideas of our emotional and spiritual psyche. By bring the interior to our attention I place a high value on this area of our intellect and emotional being, by covering it in gold I add physical, symbolic and material value to the work.'

Instant Summer

Miami Plage, Larvotto

We seem to have suddenly gone from a long wet, chilly winter to instant summer - notice I'm not complaining.  This guy is preparing mats on the beach.

Cherry Blossom 2

Cherry blossom in Monaco. Yesterday, we saw it from a distance, set against the backdrop of the sea.  Today, up close and personal.

Cherry Blossom

Cherry blossom outside the Japanese gardens on Avenue Princesse Grace.

People Watching ...

Walking the dog ...

La Note Bleue - Anemones

You'll always find beautiful flowers on the bar of La Note Bleue on Larvotto Beach. Here - bright red anemones.

Could this be Spring at last?

After all the rain and wind and chilly days, this was Monaco yesterday - glorious sunshine that made us all wonder if spring has finally arrived.

This photo shows the far end of the beach - in the background you see Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and beyond that Menton and Italy.

Eze Village and Cap Ferrat

I walked down from the village and along the Moyenne Corniche to get this shot.  Although I was quite a long way away, the 24-70 mm lens did pretty well.  The strip of land you see out to sea, is Cap Ferrat. Someset Maughan used to  love there.  in 2012 Cap Ferrat was named the second most expensive place to live in the world - after Monaco!

Eze Village - Donkeys

These two donkeys are usually to be found half way up the main slope that leads to the village. Presumably this is their winter grazing - it's just below the village.

Let's hope the restaurant behind them doesn't decide to serve donkey in their 'brochettes.'  As if ...

Eze Village - Restoration

All the streets in Eze village are beautifully restored like this. It really is an enchanting place - although my personal preference is for a more authentic, and dare I say it, less touristy village.  You are more likely to bump into a foreigner in Eze than a Frenchman - certainly in summer. But of course that is because it is so beautiful and it draws the visitors. And of course without the appreciation of its beauty it might never have been restored - and crumbled as other villages have -  so there are always two ways of looking at things. Like life ...

This archway includes the entrance to the gorgeous Chèvre d'Or.

Eze Village - Pause Café

This bar/restaurant is just inside the archway that leads to the old village.

Eze Village - Grab the Moment!

Any work that needs doing in Eze Village involves lugging the materials and the tools up the narrow streets and then lugging everything, including any waste materials, back again.

As I walked up this little street, the guy with the beard who is plastering under the sign 'le troubadour' looked right at me. He has a marvellous face and I should have taken his photo at that moment but I thought I'd do it on the way back down.  But by then he'd gone. Grab the moment! Applies to everything in life, doesn't it?

Eze Village - The Old Auberge

This  wall with its wondrous colour and worn out sign never fails to entrance me.

Eze Village - Notre Dame de l'Assomption 2

The interior of the beautiful Eglise Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Eze Village.

Eze Village - Notre Dame de l'Assomption

 

A corner of the beautiful neo-classical church of Notre Dame de l’Assomption which was reconstructed between 1764 and 1778 after the original fell into ruin. It was classified as a National Monument of France in 1984.

Eze Village - the view from the Chèvre d'Or - 2

Can't resist showing you more photographs of  the restaurant of the Chèvre d'Or.  How's this for a view of St. Jean Cap Ferrat whilst enjoying a wonderful lunch or dinner. Flowers by Perrine.

Eze Village - Reflection at the Chèvre d'Or

We're back in the restaurant of the Chèvre d'Or today, looking at tables and the silver sea reflected in  this engraved glass.  Lovely isn't it?  And on the right one of Perrine's flower arrangements.

Eze Village - Sun and Shade

Thick walls, narrow streets - they knew how to build a village in medieval times to create shade and so protect themselves from the sun.

Talking of sun ... where is it?  Yet another rainy day here.