I regret that I am hardly gifted in the so called "finer arts" and I am jealous of people who seem able to create beautiful shapes, paint pictures, draw cartoons, carve statues out of stone and so forth. I am shamefully ignorant of the history of art and can only express the merits of paintings or sculptures with a vocabluary strictly limited in its depth of feeling and appreciation.
It has therefore been a surprise to me, that since being in Brittany - here at little 'ole Hede-Bazouges - we have become involved with a crowd of people- mainly French - who are bursting with talents and who love to share their enthusiasm with others. I am indebted to Lucie who continues to facilitate the introductions! - Net-working is her special talent - amongst a lot of others, of course.
We are so lucky too, to have made friends with Guillaume and Catherina St. James who are our neighbours and who's family home is the old Lock House, directly opposite to Body and Soul - across the lock. Their home, shown below just behind B & S, is l'Ecluse de La Petite Madelaine and from there, we receive a free Wifi signal as well as their friendship.
Guillaume is a professional musician ; an "all- rounder" with talents in every genre (not forgetting to mention his DIY responsibilities for the business and the home). Qualifying out of the Rennes School of Music and the Jazz Conservatoire in Paris, he writes his own "avant garde" but serious classical compositions and gets commissions to write music for anyone who will pay him. His particular bent and obvious pleasure is to play Jazz saxophone of all types - soprano, alto, tenor - and he has recently returned from a tour of the USA with his friend Chris Brubeck, a trombone player (yes! son of the late pianist Dave Brubeck!) Guillaume also plays a mean jazz piano with great swing and enthusiasm. (Click on his name above and listen to his music)
Catherina is not only running their family "Glamping" business but also holds down an important full-time post promoting "Culture" in the region - besides which she is a loving mother to their three children and all that this entails.To describe her life as busy, is clearly an understatement.
As I write this blog, I hear Guillaume practicing his tenor sax from his floating office opposite us. Surprisingly, he likes to accompany me on the piano at social occasions whenever our calenders collide. We all enjoy each other's company and even Coco Chanel (our Cat) roams freely through their open house, much to the delight of their children. The international rugby matches add further grounds for a healthy relationship, albeit with a distinctly competitive edge - we often watch the series on their television "en famille".
Guillaume is the founder and over-all organiser of the Annual Hede-Bazouges jazz festival, now preparing for its ninth year. (17th and 18th Sept) (make sure you click on the links at the very top of the front page for all the details and picture records) This festival is not just about Jazz but also about art and the promotion of local talents in any of the art disciplines - both professional and amateur - even great cooks and professional clowns are included. Entry is free to the festival site with many services and entertainment to be enjoyed by the family - bookings for the main band events in the huge circus tent, however, must be reserved and paid for in advance.
All the organisational activity is carried out by volunteers (the French word "benevoles") who include, in large part, a group of art lovers and talented locals, over-seen by Vincent Brodin a delightfully modest professional in his own field as a sculptor/plasticien. Ten thousand people are expected over two days of the jazz festival, subject to good weather. Much needs to be done at this early stage. Click here for the facebook photographs from last year's event.
Another couple, Alan and his wife Pascale Beauchamps - she is a sculptor of stone and cement and they live in a remarkable old family house, absolutely stacked full of interesting "objets d'art" at every turn, together with a large barn-like studio which they make available for the jazz festival artists, the volunteers and their paraphenalia.
Lucie is involved with the whole project - planning to run the "Cream Teas" tent again this year, served through the Houdini hatch from Body and Soul. She also goes for her weekly health-walk with Pascale. Good friends.
Surprisingly, in view of my afore-mentioned lack of artistic talent - this Sunday, we are both invited to a "creativity forum" for the 2016 Jazz Festival where talented art lovers, under Vincent's direction, help to create new display material - to be hung up in trees and in strategic places - as objects of interest and beauty. This all takes place in the above mentioned Beauchamps' studio.
On arrival at 10am, whilst Lucie goes off to do something useful, Vincent sits me down at a table, seen below, suggesting that I might create something from a box of assorted drinking straws, a piece of wire and some plastic off-cuts. He supervises the real talents that drift in and out throughout the day - each one making great mobiles and chandeliers, seemingly within minutes - from absolute rubbish.
It isn't until nearly "midi" when - encouraged by the thought of lunch - I have an idea as to what I could make after considering the paucity of the material in front of me, without much hope.
There is no photo of it, thank goodness, but I managed to cobble something together by the end of the day which is certainly of no use to anyone - neither is it interesting and really it is quite ugly - even with the day-light shining through it ! - we laugh a lot and I enjoy the day making it - especially the "apres art" - Lunch and Supper - prepared by Lucie and Pascale with Alain, Anne, Olivier, Janique and Vincent - Friendship, food and wine ( or beer?) - these are the best creations of all.
Who'd 've thought it - me, a "plasticien"?
Possibly, but it ain't all going to be plain sailing, y'know!