Ah, Le CouveNt, France...

 My arrival happened in a drizzle of rain.  Night was falling and I had been mostly sitting in airports all day, so after a drive through extremely windy roads, filled with excitement, I was there!  Lynn set out a dinner for me, since I would not get to shop until the next day.  Laura, another resident there from Australia, showed me how to make my way around the kitchen and cook my chicken.  A nice bottle of red wine awaited me, and I shared this with my new friend and savior.

Many stories of her upbringing in Sidney later, we went out for a walk, but it as way too dark to explore the cemetery.  That could wait for daylight.  Which I did walk through today.  It is tiny and family members still seem to be buried on top of each other there.  I saw a headstone from 1960!

Sergio and Lynn run the residency.  I believe that Sergio owns a few of the buildings around the church and is from Argentina.  I respond to him in Spanish and French, or as I like to call it, "English".  A group of teenage school children came by today for a tour.  They were super curious, and I had nothing to show them.  So I brought some artwork up on my computer, brought out my paints and paper and smiled a great big American smile!  I think they were thrilled with me, right?   And were invited to come back for my final day.

The church bells went off at 8am this morning and ring forever, but I was able to fall back asleep until 11:30 and hopefully avoid any jet lag.  Luckily Laura also awoke at that time so I could bum milk and coffee off of her.  I had my packets of oatmeal with me, along with some power bars to hold me over.

You need the car to get to town, we are situated on top of the hill/mountain.  I am the only artist, out of us three, who can drive, or brought an international driver's license.  The car is standard, the streets steep and windy.  I will be fine.  Ah, the church bells are going off again, it is four.



The building we are in is quite ancient, today Laura and I explored the attic.  Although very clean, a bird was flying around in one room.  The windows are many, and screens are unheard of.  Past artist projects are about, but my studio was cleaned and I was provided with whatever I needed.  Sergio even hooked my computer to speakers for music, he is a very musically oriented kind of fella.  Musicians come to perform here, the first floor has a huge gallery space and a church alter area with two huge stained windows.

I am off to begin my work here.  More photos to come.  ~ callie