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best-movie-ever-tournament · 1 year

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The Wind Rises was described as follow:

A Studio Ghibli film about a designer of war planes used by Japan during WWII and how he struggles with his pacifist beliefs while still being forced to design these machines made for death. The emotions ring true in every frame of this film and the flying sequences are truly unbelievably gorgeous.

La Grande Vadrouille was described as follow: (under read more because boy is it long. nothing triggering though)

1942. A Royal Air Force bomber is shot down over Paris (thinking they're over Calais because their navigator is bad at his job) and three aviators survive to meet out in the Turkish Baths of Paris. Their leader, nicknamed "Big Moustache" (coincidentally? he has a big moustache) lands in a zoo and has the help of a friendly zookeeper who gives him clothes in exchange for the parachute's fabrics, while the other two fall, one on the roof of the Opera Garnier, where he's helped by the whining, "i'm helping you out of moral and patriotic duty but boy do i wish I weren't" music conductor Stanislas Lefort, and the other on a house painter's scaffolding. Said house painter is at that moment repainting a wall belonging to a german military building and the british guy landing on his scaffolding makes a huge pot of paint fall onto a german parade just beneath, signaling his presence and forcing both to run away by the roofs. A woman helps the house painter (Bouvet) and the british guy n°3 escape a german search by pretending to be the wife of Bouvet and to be in the middle of an argument with him, making the germans leave early out of awkwardness, while the british guy is hidden in the elevator shaft. Lefort and Bouvet meet Big Moustache in the turkish bath, convene of a plan, all three run through different means to the station to take a train for the free zone but only british guy n°3 (Peter) and the girl get in it, the others narrowly miss it and steal a postal van. Peter is made a prisonner after reflexively saying "sorry" (in english) to a guy he accidentally walked into in the train, in ear reach of a german officer. However! the german officer takes Peter to Meursault for interrogation, but that's the city he was supposed to find the other two soldiers and the three french lads and girl! After again pretending to be married, Bouvet and the girl escape the vigilance of the nazis, Bouvet declares his love to the girl, Bouvet and Lefort are put in the same double bed because there aren't a lot of rooms left, two german officers are put in the same bed in the only other room, and because it's room 9 and 6 and one of the room's door's number fall, it looks like idk 6 and 6 or 9 and 9, and Bouvet and Lefort, after time in the kitchen, the bathroom, etc, go back to the wrong rooms and end up each sleeping in the same bed as a german officer. "There's only one bed but platonic and better" as someone summed it up. The next day, nuns help the british guys get to the free zone except OBVIOUSLY the nazis get them again after an accidental package swapping. The french guys get arrested too because some rabbits made their guiding dogs stray. All of them, all disguised in various stuff (german soldiers, wine barrels... long story) end up in the same building as Peter (british guy n°3) who notices them and makes a scene about being pushed around by a soldier to attract their attention and make them see each other (the french and british guys not the german ones, he's not a traitor or anything). The next step of action is obvious. Set fire to the building, confuse an interrogation officer to almost a panick attack by giving such contradictory and stupid statements that he can't stand it anymore, run away in a horse drawn carriage and put a plane with no propeller off a cliff in hopes to land on the right (free) side of the valley. And it works. Makes no sense. My favorite movie ever. If it makes it into the bracket I will try to find my favorites scenes in english on youtube to send them as propaganda and it IS a threat.

#tournament poll #the wind rises #la grande vadrouille

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suttcnfm · 4 years

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hi it’s me your least favorite ( and most favorite ) person hailey back at it again making a bio that’s way too long . this is sutton , she’s my whimiscal fairy child who’s endured a lot please be gentle with her !! or ruin her life !! whatever you want !!

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒊. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

( elizabeth lail, cisfemale, she/her, pisces, 25 ) i spotted sutton harvey at the beach today. don’t you know them? they live down by the boardwalk and usually hang out with the artists & boho clique. from what i’ve heard, they can be finicky, but they’re also effervescent. i always think of them when i hear fuck it i love you - lana del rey and tend to associate them with mom jeans stained with acrylic paint, the taste of strawberry lemonade, & white cotton sundresses

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒊𝒊. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬

𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞

sutton elise harvey

𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞(𝐬)

her mom used to call her ellie

𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲

february 22nd

𝐚𝐠𝐞

twenty - five ( 25 )

𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

five foot eight inches ( 5′ 8″ )

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫

female

𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬

she / her

𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧(𝐬)

painter and art contributor for sunhollow museum

𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞(𝐬)

english & french

𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

bisexual & biromantic

𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦

elizabeth lail

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

𝐳𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐜

pisces sun, gemini rising, & aries moon

𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

chaotic neutral

𝐦𝐛𝐭𝐢

enfp-a

𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞

type 4w3 ( the individualist )

𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

sanguine-melancholic

𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

hufflepuff

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

how she loves others - acts of service, gift giving, & quality time

how she needs to be loved - quality time & physical touch

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨

cassie ainsworth ( skins ) , luna lovegood ( harry potter ) , bubbles ( powerpuff girls ) , claire colburn ( elizabethtown ) , bmo ( adventure time )

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒊𝒗. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

triggers ( these are all the triggers as they appear throughout , they will be tagged accordingly ) : death mention , cancer and death tw , drug mention , sexual assault tw , addiction tw , drugs tw , and drug mention

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

the first time warm brown eyes peered into her mothers a connection was formed , the eldest daughter to what would soon be an expansive harvey household . this very moment would be the catalyst of a bond that formed sutton into who she is , though i am getting ahead of myself .

sutton harvey grew up in julian california a town that carried the suffocating small town feel of suburbia despite being mere minutes outside of the hustle and bustle of los angeles . though it should be mentioned that she preferred the quiet stillness of a town where she could known by someone for something .

her parents were an interesting pair . her mother a free spirited enigmatic young woman who believed in healing through love and nature , and her father a struggling mean - spirited business tycoon always looking for the next thing he could exploit . but despite their clashing personalities and seemingly opposite morals , they were in love , had been since high school , and they balanced each other out almost perfectly .

but as it turns out almost perfect wasn’t good enough for her father , who split when she was eight , leaving behind sutton’s heart broken mother , and five kids to raise alone .

the family was hardly making a enough to survive before the sudden departure of her father , and so this left an eight - year - old sutton to step up to the plate and help her mother , raising her siblings while her mom tried to find steady work .

as the years went on and her siblings had more and more needs things only got more difficult . trying to provide for five children on one paycheck isn’t exactly the easiest thing that one can do after all .

sutton prayed that she’d be graced with the same mean streak that her father had , but alas she was gentle at heart , similar to her mother an enigmatic personality that was hard to pin down .

while it worked in her benefit with most people , it is difficult to raise children without practical dreams , something sutton had never been a fan of , there were times when this became a point of contention between her and younger sister reece , but for the most part her siblings recognized how difficult a thing their sister was doing .

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞.

DEATH MENTION her teenage years came much faster than she anticipated , and while life had been mostly smooth sailing in her eyes , there were things that sutton simply wasn’t prepared for . the loss of her mother was one of them .

CANCER & DEATH TW unbeknownst to any of her children , behind the scenes sutton’s mother had been suffering from breast cancer , and she’d opted out of getting treatment , something they couldn’t afford with the minimal money she was bringing in , and instead she suffered in silence so they would have a chance at survival .

everyone , including sutton herself , expected her to break . the bond that the two had built was immeasurable and sutton had never shown the ablitiy to be grounded before . her and her mother were both two enigmas perfectly coexisting , and suddenly it was up to sutton to figure out what to do .

DRUGS & ALCOHOL TW enter sutton’s aunt , claire , who begrudgingly left her life in las vegas to come and watch over her nieces and nephews at the price that she would blow most of the money the received on drugs and alcohol .

DRUG MENTION there wasn’t a day sutton could remember that she didn’t come home to her aunt passed out with vodka bottles littering the floor or strung out on coke with a man sutton had never seen before on their couch .

sutton’s resilience was the only thing that kept her going , she shielded her siblings from as much as she could , knowing that this was the last thing they needed to be their reality , and for the most part , it worked .

SEXUAL ASSAULT TW then came another decimating blow , on a day like any other sutton’s aunt for once sober enough to drive , pulled sutton out of school early and took her home . and what seemed like an out of character behavior for aunt to exhibit , became crystal clear when sutton saw the man waiting for her on the couch .

SEXUAUL ASSAULT TW this became another habit of her aunt’s , pulling sutton out of school in order to use her body to score drugs . then bringing her back and forcing her to act normal , as if things were still totally fine .

sutton put on a brave face for her siblings , but was slowly cracking under the pressure of everything that seemed to be perfectly chipping away at the person she once was .

this is until she met a boy , a musician with a similar story to hers , who she completely connected with in a way that was rivaled only by her mother . him and her seemed to have the same bleeding wounds that could only be healed by each other .

cue nights at the beach , swapping stories , and endless road trips confined to their little bubble of bliss . he fueled the artist within her . painting upon painting of the way he made her feel , how his music moved her , for once the world didn’t seem so cruel .

but of course , the world was determined to prove sutton harvey wrong . with a sudden disappearance of both her first love and her aunt , the latter of which ran back to vegas with her new beau , she’d felt abandoned just as before . and here is where sutton harvey finally cracked .

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡.

she and her siblings moved in with her father , who living a more lavish and childless lifestyle with his new fiancée in san diego . the harvey siblings were yet again tasked with raising themselves .

ADDICTION TW with her siblings growing older , and sutton having mounds of unprocessed trauma , and she began to mix with the wrong crowd . finding the numbing of substances felt better than the hollow numbness of being abandoned by every person she’d ever loved .

art and school alike became distant priorities as she spent her last nights as a senior doing ecstasy on the beach and hooking up with randoms just to feel alive again .

DRUGS TW after just barely graduating , sutton spent her new found freedom getting high , having sex , and wasting her life away . struggling to find any sense of self in everything she’d done , her entire life seemed to have been lived for other people .

this only made her further spiral , trying to convince herself that even though this was having a negative toll on her , at least for once she was living for herself .

DRUG MENTION this was until while she was coming down from an immense high she stumbled upon a record store where through the window she caught a small glimpse of her past , of the person she used to be , the face of the boy who’d up and left all those years ago .

her entire world seemed to collide with her heart at that very moment . for a fleeting moment she felt like the girl she was in high school , full of life , love , and most importantly art .

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

after this near encounter with her past self , she worked heavily on getting sober . and has now been clean for five years !!

after her first year of getting sober she worked multiple jobs to buy a small studio apartment where she could begin painting again , and even made strides to reconnect with her father and her siblings whom she’d since distanced herself from .

soon enough she became an art contributor for the local museum and earns her income between hosting small art galleries on the pier and the aforementioned art contributions .

after three years of sobriety , more widely recognized art , and a proper relationship with her father , he gifted her a beach house where she spends a majority of her time .

what started as one cat to keep her company turned into nine because if there’s one thing that sutton lacks it’s control .

she has fully embraced the person she was and the person she aims to be . her personality is a direct influence on who her mother was because if there’s anyone that sutton looks up into in life , it’s her . the best way i could describe her personality is the embodiment of the quote , “ i could never be the main character . i exist solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries . ”

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒗. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬

𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫

lavender

𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

light fog because she likes the scenery it creates

𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐲

dawn, there’s something pure to her about the stillness of the earth at that time of day and !! it’s when she gets a lot of her painting done !!

𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥(𝐬)

butterflies and elephants

𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐣𝐢𝐬

🍒🥺✨😡🌈🦋🤡🥰

𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲

𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

penelope harvey ; deceased

𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

maxwell harvey ; alive

𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬)

reece harvey ; sister

elizabeth harvey ; sister

wyatt harvey ; brother

casey harvey ; brother

𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞

𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

high school diploma

𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐬

in order of breed : poppy ( scottish fold ) , milo ( scottish fold ) , taz ( scottish fold ) , jasper ( british shorthair ) , archie ( british shorthair ) , sadie ( british shorthair ) , ginger ( maine coon ) , hunter ( maine coon ) , and felix ( maine coon )

𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬

painting , sketching , learning languages , reading , photography , writing , sewing , thrifting , playing instruments ( mostly the guitar ) , and baking

𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

a beach house gifted from her father but splits her time between a studio apartment cramped with art and a beach house filled with cats

𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬

has a tendency to not sleep enough , has occasional nightmares , and is prone to frequent tossing and turning . but when she does fall asleep , it’s almost a guarantee you won’t be able to wake her up . she’s an extremely heavy sleeper .

𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬

honestly it’s a toss - up she either eats junk food for a straight week and has never seen a vegetable in her life , or she is on a health binge and all you’re going to find in her house is snap peas and baby carrots .

𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬

sunrises , house plants , soft hands , fuzzy socks , the color yellow , vanilla scented candles , soft lips , rosy cheeks , strawberries , freshly manicured nails , over sweetened coffee , kiss marks on napkins , dewy skin , french words , paint stained clothing , midnight conversations , a sweet tooth , gold jewelry , warm hugs , gentle voice , and dancing in the rain .

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒗𝒊. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

uhhhh so i have wasted all my brain power on this so some suggestions are exes , fwbs , unrequited crushes , skinny love , slow burn , a girl squad , ride or dies , work friends or maybe someone who admires her work , best friends , fake relationship , enemies , ex - friends , enemies turned friends , friends turned enemies , good influence , bad influence , old party friends , one night stand(s) , , neighbors , secret friends , and those are all the suggestions i can come up with at the moment ! feel free to message me with plot ideas i promise i will scream and cry over .

#hqclique.intro #death mention #death tw #cancer tw #assault tw #addiction tw #drugs tw #( this is bad but please love me because it took FOREVER . )

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theseventhhex · 6 years

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Bexey Interview

Bexey

21 year old Romford native, Bexey, delves into darker and contemplative undercurrents with his highly anticipated return on the single ‘Villain Tears’. Having gained a huge army of followers over the past 12 months, Bexey first appeared on radars with his collaborative work with late artist and friend Lil Peep, who he also toured extensively with. Most recently his single featuring Fat Nick, ‘Stay Alive’, amassed over 10 Million streams and his rabid army of fans snapped up tickets for his highly anticipated debut London show, at Camden Assembly, in minutes. The buzz on Bexey is also heating up globally, where he has recently been confirmed to play the Billboard Hot 100 Festival in New York in August alongside Future, French Montana and Rae Stremmurd to name a few. With this just being the start for the rising youngster, Bexey is sure to turn heads and excel furthermore as he ventures ahead… The Seventh Hex talks to Bexey about his fans, remembering Lil Peep and Heath Ledger…

TSH: What’s normally at the heart of your musical expressions?

Bexey: My songs are just real expressions from within me, I don’t hold anything back. Some people really don’t understand where I’m coming from, but I just like to let it all out with my musical style. I have to express myself as purely as I can. It’s easy for people to label me or call me crazy, but I focus on the fact that there are listeners out there who can relate to my struggles and words.

TSH: Do you feel unfazed by those who don’t really understand your vision?

Bexey: I don’t let the haters or criticism enter my mind. I know who I am as a person and I know what I’m here to do. Any outside opinions truly don’t affect me.

TSH: How rewarding is it for you to share an understanding with your fans?

Bexey: It’s a beautiful feeling to share an understanding with my listeners. There are people out there who get where I’m coming from, and they are the ones that matter to me. Anytime I feel lonely I can go online and connect with people. Also, I don’t view my people as fans, I view them as an extended family, whether they are online or at my shows.

TSH: What sort of musical genres are you normally inspired by?

Bexey: Man, I’m just inspired by so many different types of music. I was raised in a house where my brother was mixing drum n’ bass, grime and garage. Also, my dad was in a rock band and my mom likes disco music. I guess I kind of feel like I’m somewhere in-between rock and disco, but then again, I just like to mix so many types of genres into my music.

TSH: Do you gravitate towards certain types of beats?

Bexey: I just love beats that paint a picture, instead of ones with no real flavour. I don’t really write lyrics by walking around or not having music playing. I normally discover a beat and play it on my headphones, and then I get into a meditative type of zone. Once I’ve got my chosen beat, that’s when the words just flow out of me. I’m not one of those guys that sits in a studio with a lot of people blasting tunes or freestyling. I’d rather be alone with my eyes shut and my headphones in - that’s when my ideas come to me.

TSH: What is the track ‘Horror Scope’ in relation to?

Bexey: That song is just about feeling empty and being alone. It’s also about a girl too and thoughts of not wanting to fuck. I don’t want women to expect sex from me just because I make music. But yeah, this song is just about real feelings and letting them out.

TSH: What sort of motivations did you draw on to form the track ‘Villain Tears’?

Bexey: The title for that song was just going through my head for a while. Just the thought of a villain crying seemed like a cool song idea. The process of the song coming together was straightforward too. I simply heard the beat and the song just wrote itself.

TSH: Furthermore, do non-musical factors often influence you too?

Bexey: Yeah, I find inspiration from anything and everything. A fox could run across me in the street and even something like that could trigger something in me to write a song! One thing I will say is that I would never listen to another artist and then go and record a song straight after. I’ve kind of banned myself from listening to music before I make my own. But yeah, inspiration is everywhere! I just love learning and coming across new ideas that can influence me.

TSH: Do certain emotions come to mind when you remember your late friend Lil Peep?

Bexey: Peep was like a brother to me and he’ll never leave my mind. I feel like he is with me every day and I can sense his presence. I have a lot of great memories of times we spent together. I just want to carry on what he started and be there for people who represent what he and I are about.

TSH: Is your alone time very valuable to you?

Bexey: Yeah, totally. I don’t leave my house much and I’m very introverted. I used to do labour work on building sites and I’d constantly hear meaningless conversations every day. Meaningless conversations just hurt me - I just hate pointless conversations. I’m just glad that I can make music and do what I love at this point in my life.

TSH: Are you often catching up on movie recommendations?

Bexey: Yeah, I do. I saw Apocalypto recently because my friend recommended it. Man, that shit was crazy! I loved it!

TSH: Speaking of movies, when you watch The Dark Knight you only prefer to watch The Joker’s scenes...

Bexey: Yeah, I fucking hate Batman. I can’t stand his voice man, it’s so annoying. I don’t really like superheroes anyway. However, Heath Ledger as The Joker is so incredible! I’ve watched loads of documentaries about him playing the role of The Joker. He was so into his character! The guy was locked in shitty hotels reading about clowns and researching the role so seriously. Heath Ledger is a legend.

TSH: Do you still feel that Pringles are very underrated?

Bexey: Pringles are so underrated! People always complain about getting their hand stuck in the tube. I don’t know about that, my hand fits in there just fine. I love Pringles.

TSH: What drives you most with your musical intentions?

Bexey: What drives me most with my music is the thought of people out there that feel like me. I feel like an alien in this world, I’ve always felt like an outcast and a stranger. Now that I realise that there are people like me out there, all I want to do is stay true to myself and represent them. I want to express myself purely so these people don’t feel alone or sad, and I want them to know that they don’t have to feel so down as they are not the only ones that feel this way - we can help each other. I want my music to help others like me.

Bexey - “Villain Tears”

Villain Tears - Single

#Interview #Bexey

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scarlettrhettelizabethrichard · 3 years

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Chapter 3. Impression, Rising Sun, my GWTW fanfiction

Chapter 3 of The Robillard Boutique

Charleston, December 1873 Sitting back in a comfortable chair, Rhett nervously inhaled the smoke from his cigar, a sheaf of documents in one hand. The other was gripping the armrest firmly. Without taking any notice, his fingers were mechanically scratching the already worn leather of the good old Chesterfield. He had waited so long for this divorce certificate. As soon as he returned from Atlanta and his altercation with Scarlett, he had gone straight to his notary's office after leaving the station to give him the form signed by Scarlett O'Hara. "Don't flinch! Break the bond now. » And then the wait for the official notification began. For the next three weeks, his nervousness put Eleonor and Rosemary to the test. They could not enter the library. The place reeked of alcohol and the ashes of burnt cigars. At the slightest signal from old butler Michael to open the front door, Rhett would appear, looking for a courier to deliver the envelope. He hoped for it, he dreaded it, he looked forward to it, he hoped it would never happen... How many times had he had to restrain himself from rushing to his solicitor's office and ordering him to cancel his divorce petition! His constant changes of mind had finally caused him stomach cramps. "Thank God I held out! Free at last! "Rhett Butler chuckled to himself. It's true, he had doubted. Scarlett had clouded his judgement with her incongruous declaration of love when Mrs Wilkes died. After twelve years of desperate waiting! But no, it was too late. The little pest had succeeded in drying up her capacity for emotion. In any case, Bonnie had taken all her love with her. "That Scarlett should cry in turn is only fair! » And besides, did she really love him? From the speed with which she had accepted the end of their marriage, he doubted it. When he arrived in Atlanta last November with the divorce form in his pocket, Rhett anticipated many months - even years - of struggle before Scarlett agreed to stop calling herself Mrs Butler. Dumbfounded, he had seen her stand up, take the pen with a determined air and sign "Scarlett O'Hara" at the bottom of the document. Without a fight. A twinge of guilt surprised him, but he quickly banished this emotional reflex. Ah, if it had been for Ashley... All those long years during which she had waited patiently for this vain puppet. But in the case of Rhett, her "great love" miraculously revealed according to her, two months had been enough for the distraught lover to annihilate her patience and to probably change her love target again. "Definitely, no, there is nothing to regret. No more Mrs Scarlett Butler. The rope with which you strangled me for twelve years is cut. It's over, Scarlett! A clean, sharp break. Brutality suits you so well! From now on, there will be no more ties between us. No more enduring your whims and cruelty, no more being in your presence, no more drowning in your emerald eyes, no more wrapping your long locks of hair around my neck, no more being able to touch you... Never again, Scarlett..." He celebrated his new status as a divorced man with his stash of whisky and shut himself up in his room for three days. A week later, judging it best to avoid the ire of a mother outraged by his "abandonment of wife and children", he had run away - "as usual", Scarlett could have said. "Of course not, it's not running away. I'm just going to enjoy my single life. » *************************

Paris, January 1874 He left for London where his English partner was waiting for him. It was while talking to industrialists that he got the idea of starting a new business. "We'll see when I get back to Charleston. I've got time to work on my project. » Then he crossed the Channel to spend a few weeks in Paris, his favourite European capital. There, too, the wealthy businessman planned to do some business and invest in successful ventures. As on his previous visits to the French capital, Rhett the art lover admired the architecture of the Eternal City and its museums. He made a few days' foray into the provinces to visit the châteaux of the Loire. Rhett the epicurean enjoyed the sophisticated gastronomy, the Parisian life and its nightly shows. Rhett the jouster found above all his refined places of priced pleasures. The seductive American with the enticing smile was welcomed with open arms, of course. Every evening he greedily chose his playmate for a few hours, never for the whole night. On Tuesday, this one was chosen because her blond hair contrasted with Scarlett's hair, which was as black as darkness; on Wednesday, this one accompanied him because her skin was the colour of gingerbread, contrasting with the pearly whiteness of Scarlett's body; on Thursday, he preferred the third one because her hips were wide, contrasting with Scarlett's slim waist. It was unconscious. He didn't even notice. At social functions with friends, he was often placed next to young girls to be married. In France, his situation as a divorced man did not seem to panic the families of good society. On the other hand, his bank account was certainly attractive. Jacqueline, a pretty young person with blonde curls, had been his date on trips to the theatre and the opera. She blushed. Rhett, who had been out of the habit of dating "maiden" since a certain barbecue, was flushed. Had the 16-year-old Scarlett blushed at Twelve Oaks in 1861? No, certainly not to him, but perhaps to Ashley... He admired the young Frenchwoman's literary and artistic knowledge. It was a change from his ex-wife, whom he had taken to slyly mocking because of her poor school education! After a few discreet caresses exchanged, kind words spoken, the prospect that the lady would probably become a perfect housewife, submissive to her husband, cultured, pleasant, loving and... so boring, he grew weary. "To my great regret," he confided to her apologetically, "my duties call me back to America. Rhett Butler, a great aesthete since his adolescence, took advantage of his stay in Paris to indulge in more cerebral pleasures. On 15 April 1874, following the advice of his friend Jean, he went to 35 Boulevard des Capucines in Paris, to the studios of the famous photographer Nadar. 30 artists had gathered for the first time to show their paintings, sculptures and engravings for a month. Most of the exhibitors were unknown to Rhett. Their common denominator was an innovative, provocative and revolutionary style, according to the art critics. One of the critics, in mockery, later called them "Impressionists". He did not linger long in front of Berthe Morisot's painting, "The Cradle": a young mother leaning tenderly over her sleeping baby. Scarlett had never taken the time to admire her precious Bonnie in her little bed. Rhett stood petrified before a painting entitled "Impression, Rising Sun". The author of the work, Claude Monet, observing this elegantly dressed American, took care to comment on his creation, the effect of the mist on the port of Le Havre. Rhett thanked him warmly. A disturbing emotion made his imagination wander. He was mysteriously caught up in the scene: an orange sky, symbol of fire, of burning passion; in the background, port buildings and boats reflected in the water, with blue pigments similar to the eyes of his dear little girl; finally the sea, a gradation of green hues: water green, like a tear-fogged eyelid; pale green surrounded by a thousand shining sequins, like eyes flooded with sweetness after love; emerald green, a hard, raging green, heralding flashes of anger, Scarlett's last look on that November day in 1873. He inquired about the price and immediately reserved the painting, making sure that it would be shipped to him in Charleston as soon as the exhibition was over. He cut his visit short. On the way back to the hotel, he stopped at his travel agent's and booked his place on the first boat to leave for America the next day. Rhett was looking forward to seeing "Impression, Rising Sun" in his armchair in Charleston. Perhaps he would install it in his room so that he could not take his eyes off it until he fell asleep. ********************** Charleston, May 1874 When she returned, Eleonor gave Rhett a big hug. As usual, her favourite son had spoiled her and Rosemary. Packages were piled up in the hallway, between Parisian-style trinkets and boxes of chocolate pralines. "I'm finally turning the page! "he thought with conviction. He immediately contacted his solicitor to check that he had not received any letters from Atlanta sent by Henry Hamilton, Scarlett's solicitor and uncle by marriage. "Not that I care in the least, by the way! "he convinced himself. It was high time to manage his business. These were difficult times and Rhett had to take a serious look at his investments. He couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the ironic coincidence between the resounding financial crash on the New York Stock Exchange in September 1873, triggering a string of industrial bankruptcies, and the day Rhett left Scarlett and Atlanta. The Nothern Pacific Railway was ruined that day, followed by 89 other railways. Fortunately Rhett had divested himself of the company and sold all his shares earlier that year. One of his partners who had speculated on the rail frenzy had not had the same reflex. Overnight he was ruined. Yes, divorcing Scarlett seemed like an earthquake, even on the New York Stock Exchange, he quipped. "And I'm afraid I'll continue to feel the seismic tremors for some time to come," he said bitterly. The former war profiteer Rhett Butler had proved to be quite adept at managing the improperly earned Confederate money. Of course, large sums had been invested in hedge funds. So he too had suffered some losses. But nothing that would threaten his fortune. When Bonnie was born, in order to protect the future of his beloved daughter, he had embarked on a vast real estate project in New York, in Yankee country. In this bustling city, every piece of land was now prohibitively expensive. In 1869, Rhett had acquired a large area of wasteland in a fast-growing district. He had built buildings of about ten storeys. Rhett demanded that his high-end properties be equipped with all the comforts of new technology, lifts, good ventilation and sanitation. Central heating fed by a low pressure steam circuit ensured comfort for the lucky occupants. To make the most of every precious yard, the ground floors opened onto large glass galleries with shops. In short, Rhett Butler's property portfolio on that May day in 1874 was impressive. "Fortunately, I took the precaution a long time ago to convert my financial liquidity into gold bars! "The businessman congratulated himself once again. Unlike many of his acquaintances, who had to endure the catastrophe caused by the decision of the US Congress and its Coinage Act*. Overnight, their fortune in bundles of money was deflated. Thanks to his foresight, flair and experience, Charlestonian Rhett Butler had managed to weather the financial and economic crisis without much damage. Rhett was very rich. "Rich enough to continue paying Scarlett's expensive pension." Deep down he knew he would continue to protect her financially well beyond the five years agreed in the divorce. He laughed under his breath at his ex-wife's incomprehensible and in no way deserved show of generosity. Ex-wife... " It's been seven months, and I still can't get used to it..." Rhett shrugged. "Scarlett, you can continue to squander part of my fortune without fear of running out! "He hoped, with a childish reflex, that Clayton's former county belle would hear him in Atlanta. ***************************** Endnotes to Chapter 5: *Coinage Act: On 12 February 1873, the US Congress voted to change the monetary standard from silver to gold.

Disclaimers : I do not own the history and the characters of the book and movie of Gone with the Wind, which beloong to Margaret Mitchell.

#novel, #writer, #fanfiction, #GWTW, #Gone with the Wind, #historic novel, #french painters, #Impressionnists, #1875's krak

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mfmagazine · 6 years

Photo

Katie Cole

Article by Kelli Kickham

Photo by Theo Hand

There's a rising talent in Los Angeles. She's a fashionable, talkative Aussie, who also happens to be an amazingly gifted singer and songwriter. She's gaining popularity with her self-described "smart pop," which is quite possibly not what you would expect from a girl who grew up on opera and classic rock. Her story is equally as interesting, and she sat down with us to tell all. Here is, Katie Cole!

You started your career writing songs for other, more established artists. How old were you when you first started writing songs, and how did you get into it?

Well, I guess most artists will say “I have been singing all my life.” True. And I do actually have memories of being a small child walking around the back garden after climbing a tree swearing that I was writing an amazing song as I sang to myself. I don't think that counts as being professional though. My story began performing cover songs in pubs, clubs and restaurants from the age of 16. I was self taught in voice, guitar and piano. I think learning other people's songs first, really allowed me to be objective about what I was liking. I knew from the very start that I could hear what I believed made a song great, and I was able to deconstruct other people's “hit” songs and analyze it all.

I started writing songs for me when I was about 17. When crafting these songs I realized I had a huge passion for storytelling and melody. As an artist, I was still “marinating” and I think I knew it. There was and still is a duality of careers I juggle - the Artist and the Songwriter. I opted to take a small shift in direction style-wise and I started a pop/dance side project, this got some good traction immediately. And very quickly. The Australian music scene is connected as equally with what is trending in Europe as it is with what is trending in the USA. After high rotation on major radio in Australia, in 2002 my band was signed to Ministry of Sound in the UK. The sound was in the style of Cascada. We toured Australia with DJ's Ferry Corsten and Tall Paul and were released around the world. I wrote the songs. Many people still think I was just the singer. That band lead to other opportunities. I went on to write songs for 2 Girlz(USA, Germany, Japan), Gloria Gaynor(USA) and 2 Fabiola (Belgium). I was even flown over to Belgium to perform the Top Of The Pops show there. Dance music is easy for me, but I was still in need of a musical challenge. So, while I was doing all of this, I wrote and released my first Australian EP. I wanted more, and knew I had to somehow get myself over to the USA if it was going to happen for me as an artist.

How can you describe the feeling of being able to perform something that you made from start to finish?

It's kind of beyond description so I'm going to use odd metaphors. It's like watermelons exploding at a fashion show and the best French fries are being served with chocolate cake on the side. Like that, but better – and in need of fewer napkins. It's an amazing feeling to share a story and invite a new feeling/emotion into an audience. I've spent many years on the songwriting front, but many more as a performer - so being on stage for me is really easy. I feel at home. It's like everyone is in my lounge room, and somehow I never knew it was so big (or that I had that many friends for that matter). The truth is, I never know which live performances will be the best ones, so each show still surprises me. Sometime people will respond best to a brand new song. I really try to pay attention to what the audience is feeling and how they are responding. What you think is the best song live isn't always the best song of the night. There are always surprises on the stage and I look forward to them every time.

You moved to the US from Melbourne, and you're currently based in LA. How does the culture and music scene differ here from Australia? Did you feel like you fit right in, or do you think it took some getting used to?

I've spent most of my time in Los Angeles since I've been in America, but have spent time in Nashville, New York, Seattle, Wisconsin, Portland and San Francisco, LA is not just a different town, it's a different world. I literally jumped in head first into the music scene here. It's very different here in comparison to what it's like in Melbourne, but that was my reasoning in moving. Melbourne venues support a lot of rock and alternative bands, dance music clubs and folk and roots music. I felt that there was a lack of venues that support commercial pop, rock and singer/songwriter music. So it was a delightful change for me to arrive and find venues like Hotel Cafe, Room 5 and The Mint which are the venues I perform at now. In terms of “fitting in”, my accent doesn't allow for that, but I certainly go to meet many of the great local artists in LA, the buzz acts, bookers, promoters and so forth. I did this all in a relatively short amount of time. The best part about the not “fitting in” part, is that I'm usually remembered.

What was your initial reaction to being contacted by Howard Willing, acclaimed record producer?

It was all such a great experience. One that instilled a great level of faith back into my psyche. I had listed producer Howard Willing amongst a few other producer and songwriter names like Sheryl Crow and Producer Eric Rosse (turns out is Howard's close friend) on my website of “people I wanted to work with”. When Howard reached out to me, I didn't believe it at first. I mean, these stories don't really happen right? Wrong. It was him and after countless emails and numerous phone calls we began organizing my schedule to fly over to Los Angeles and begin the recording process.

Were you at all scared when you realized moving to the US would be the next step?

I flew over to the USA twice prior to me moving. Recording is a long process, but when I learned that the first trip I made to famous Henson Studios, Tracy Chapman and Michelle Branch were both there recording that day – I knew I was in the right place. After 2 trips equaling 7 weeks of recording whilst living at the Best Western Hotel, later that year (and after I cut through mountains of red tape and I obtained the appropriate VISA), I Kangaroo-hopped a one way flight to Los Angeles. I boarded with one guitar, a computer, 2 large and 2 small suitcases and landed with a mixture of excitement and jetlag. It was perfect.

How would you describe your musical style?

My music is smart pop. Mostly guitar driven songs in the footsteps of Liz Phair, KT Tunstall, Sam Phillips and Sheryl Crow. Great melodies, engaging stories and kick ass rhythms whenever possible.

If you could pick where you ended up next in your career, where would it be?

I just got my first play on BBC Radio so I have to consider that if my music takes off in the UK, that I may have to go there to promote it. That would be just fine. It's colder there, which triggers my need for wearing fashionable coats. In a business-sense, it's a much smaller market and a hit song travels faster there. There is less physical distance to cover. That would be one goal. I would also love to tour with a great act across America. A band like Carolina Liar, The Fray, Sara Bareilles, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, The Script. Anything like that would be amazing.

You play guitar (and what a lovely guitar it is) and sing. Are there any other talents you have that the world may not know about yet?

I can be really annoying and talk too much. Is that a talent? I play a little piano, a little bass, I can program drums and instruments in the studio and I can drink a lot of coffee. I draw; write poetry, I was quite good at painting when I was in high school too. I have a photographic memory for the most part, but lately it has needed a new roll of film.

In addition to music, you seem really interested in fashion. That Lloyd Klein dress was amazing! Tell us a little about your interest and experience with the fashion world.

One of the best things about Los Angeles is the connection to the fashion world. It's really not all that appropriate to wear a formal gown during a rock performance...so it's a welcome change to wear gorgeous pieces by great designers. I was asked to wear the “it” dress by Lloyd Klein at a fashion event in downtown LA called Designer and Muse. I also performed that night and Natalie Cole was in the audience. Nervous much? A little.

Here is a neat little story. I was touring in San Jose and accidently bought a pair of Nine West shoes when I was “just looking”. I tweeted this of course. I tweet everything. Nine West started following me and we struck up a great dialogue. They now support me. The internet -who knew. Another connection to the world of style was when I received an award from Movado watches. They are using my song “Gravity” in their current TV ad campaign, but flew me out to New York last December and put me up in a swanky hotel for a few days. They honored me with a ceremony and an award “Future Legend 2010”. I now wear my Movado Bold watch everywhere. For that event my friend Kristine Megrikian let me borrow some clothes from her line Tristan + Trista (which I love) to take to New York for that ceremony. A girl has to sparkle in front of the cameras. I have also worn clothes at a show from Boy meets Girl.

Los Angeles is a long way from Australia. Do you get to go home often, or has your family ever been here to see you perform?

No and No. I haven't been home for almost 2 years. It takes a lot of money to “live the dream”, and since that email listing that I won the Spanish lottery was not real, I am very careful with money. My VISA's cost a few pesos to maintain, but it's mainly the fact that I don't have the job I had in Australia here in the USA. It's a catch 22 situation really. I could go back to Australia and earn money, then come back to spend it. However, this means I disappear from the “scene” and my momentum I have been building (buzz and my live following) will dissipate. In the US, so many things happen randomly and without much notice. It's very difficult, almost impossible to be an artist if your market/target audience are in another country. It's the precise reason I moved.

If you could describe your perfect day, what would it be? What would you be wearing, where would you be going?

My perfect day is songwriting or being in the studio. I love being in the studio. I get to be a scientist and experiment. My producer, Howard, makes fun of my accent, but we generally work together really well. I would be lost without a pair of great boots, a dress or skinny jeans by Hudson, a funky hat and a scarf. I don't do “down fashion” days. I'm either ready to be seen or in pajamas. It's night and day with me. If I'm in the studio all day, I still want my voice to sound and “look” awesome. That makes sense to me. Well, confidence and style makes you feel stronger and more assertive as a performer.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future?

I recently launched a fundraising project to help me acquire the funds to record a new record. I surpassed my goal, so I am going to record a new EP and release it this year. Pat on the back for me and my fans. They are the best. I am now going through the process of working out which songs and planning to book studios like Sunset Sound (where Sara Bareilles records), East West studios and Sound Factory. Wherever I end up will be amazing. I am super excited. I recently returned from a long songwriting trip to Nashville, so I have plenty of songs.

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flauntpage · 5 years

Text

Sophie Rideaud on Hypersensitivity and Art

Lise McKean talks with French artist Sophie Rideaud at her studio and gallery in Les Sables d’Olonne

Translation by Laurent Houphoue and Lise McKean

Photos by Lise McKean

Lise: Let’s start with talking about how you became an artist and came to have a studio and gallery here on the Atlantic coast in Les Sables d’Olonne.

Sophie: It was triggered by a painting. I was awestruck by a painting when I was sixteen. At first, I didn’t quite understand it. It zoomed in on a banal urban scene. But you could feel some sort of tension. It transcribed this feeling into the painting. I found this fabulous and it stuck in my mind.

That pushed me to see more exhibitions—to ask more questions about paintings, to understand why each work goes in one direction rather than another, and to understand how it was all in some part of my mind. The impetus came again when I was pregnant and reading a lot of books. One of them shocked me. It was about how the oceans are dying. I had an impulse to depict this on furniture. At the beginning I didn’t have any materials to paint with. My husband was working at Peugeot and had huge quantities of car paint. I used them to mix my own paints and started painting furniture at my house. Then friends saw it asked me to paint for them. Later I had my first clients—and this gave me confidence as an artist.

Lise: How long have you been painting?

Sophie: About twenty years. In the beginning, I was just doing furniture. After about ten years, I totally mastered furniture. I went to clients and painted according to my inspiration. The problem is that furniture already has a form, a shape, a history. Creatively, I became a bit stuck. I started painting on canvas in 2012. A canvas is like a blank page where you have to express something.

Lise: Your paintings have a technicolor yet gauzy, dreamlike quality. Do you paint from dreams? From imagination?

Sophie: I like people, humanity. At first, I painted them. For example, I did painting showing all sorts of people together—Arab, Asian, American, and French. It suggests a public place, a bar or cafe, where we might be drinking and having a conversation. Being convivial. I like to express things that warms my heart.

Music is also integral to my painting. It’s a language. I can hardly dissociate one from the other. That’s why I put the shape of a guitar in some of my works. I have so many guitars to choose from. In this one, I use part of a guitar. My daughter plays the cello and her teachers tells her to feel the instrument and her body as one shape. The musician should be one with the instrument. That’s how I came up with the idea to use the shape of the instrument for the body of a girl. My paintings often start with what I hear and see. Many have to do with what I feel. I like to express the feelings of problems and of questions I ask myself.

Lise: Do you play guitar or sing?

Sophie: I used to play a lot of piano. I entered many piano competitions. I could have studied at the conservatory in Paris to become a professional pianist. My parents were disappointed that I turned it down. I didn’t want to be a professional pianist. I wanted to the piano to be something that I had the desire to play, not something I had to practice every day with rigor and discipline. This experience is why music is important to my painting.

Lise: I’ve met many musicians who made the same decision. They found conservatories and competitions too limiting. They wanted more freedom as artists.

Sophie: That’s what turned me away from piano. It was constant practice. I was nominated for an international competition when I was eight years old. The piece of music has stuck with me, but I don’t play as well now as I did then.

Lise: What’s it like having your studio and gallery right here in the center of town and so close to the ocean? How did you find it?

Sophie: Guy Barrier made my gallery and studio possible. It’s huge for me to have this space. It’s spacious and filled with light. I have to feel good to paint. I’m at peace with the noise of the street, the cries of the seagulls. The ambiance and environs are lively. Before having this, I went to art fairs. I would fill my car with paintings and furniture and go from place to place. I met Guy four years ago at an art fair. He has a passion for musicians and artists. Thanks to him, I’ve been here for four years. I could not have this without someone like him. I have a husband, three children, a good life. But I needed a space to work. And now I have it.

Lise: Do you listen to music when you paint?

Sophie: No.

Lise: You’re surrounded by the symphony of seagulls and the street.

Sophie: Yes, and music is already in me. I know what’s true, what’s false. I learned it. I bathe in it. I like to listen conversations. I find it amusing to hear what people are saying. Sometimes they’re arguing or child is crying. If a painting gets too agitated, I pause and then come back to it. Painting isn’t instinctive. You have to think. When I start a painting, it doesn’t come right away. It drags on. I know what I’m going towards. First, I have an idea, but it could take months. It can take a long time to express the leading thought, the emotion. There are no rules. A painting can look a little disconcerting, but fifteen minutes later it’s done.

Lise: Your paintings have the spaciousness I feel when looking at the ocean stretch to the horizon. Did you grow up near the ocean?

Sophie: Yes, and no. I grew up in Angers which isn’t very close to the ocean. Let me explain something about myself. From birth until I was sixteen, I could not see well. I was in a total blur. I can see you now because I’m wearing contact lenses. That’s why I developed a good sense of hearing. That’s why I’m now able to paint. That’s why at sixteen, it was the details that struck me when I saw that painting. I could barely see before that. The school where I went to study Braille was in Angers. It also taught a lot of music, a lot of music. Music was as important as mathematics, French, and grammar. I grew up with people who couldn’t see or couldn’t see well. That was my childhood.

At sixteen, it was like someone opened my eyes. I could see expressions on people’s faces. Before that people could stick out their tongue, smile, or wink and I couldn’t see them. It took away a crucial element of communication. But I developed very good hearing. I could recognize people by their tone of voice. Yesterday, I recognized a man I knew as a child because I knew his voice. When you speak, I can hear how you’re feeling, what you’re like. Some tones are high, some low, some a little angry or sad. In my paintings, there’s a look, an expression.

When I was a child things were black and white. Now color has significance. All this isn’t easy to talk about. I get goosebumps. Not seeing well as a child limited me and took a lot from me. I asked myself, since I’m someone who only sees a little, what can I do with my life other than teaching or tuning the piano? I don’t know why, but I said that my life would not be that. My future would be different.

I still have my friends who don’t see. I decided my paintings would have texture and relief like Braille so anyone who can’t see would be able to touch and feel them. This way I could bring the world of faces and their expressions to people who can’t see.

Lise: Texture is literally tactile in your paintings. You use it so your paintings can be read the same way that someone uses their hands to read Braille or a face. Did you paint faces from the beginning?

Sophie: For a long time, I regretted not having been able to see faces. I missed out on a lot because I couldn’t see the exchanges that happen with a look, a gesture, a glance. This loss gave me the desire to paint faces.

Lise: Is it the details and subtleties of facial expression and gestures that especially interest you now?

Sophie: Yes. When we look, we often don’t really look at each other. Sometimes, I think people feel I’m looking at them or pretending that I’m not looking.

Lise: Are you self-taught in painting?

Sophie: Yes.

Lise: How did you go about it?

Sophie: I like to look at Van Gogh’s works. And Picasso, too. Cubism came later in his life and showed him a way of making extraordinary paintings. There’s a procedure, process that I find it admirable. He starts with the abstract. You have to begin with the most difficult part, the drawing. First, try to compose things. After that you can go on. Then you throw color here and there. The same thing with furniture. I know how to do it. After that at the artistic level, I know how to move forward. Now I’ve started putting relief in my paintings. There’s difficulty of drawing, then I add relief to try to advance my work. Working in a large format is the same—you have to try. I tell myself everything is possible.

Lise: Why not keep moving? That’s what artists do. I would love to live so close to the ocean. Do you like to swim?

Sophie: I adore swimming in the ocean. I came here because of the blue of the ocean. I’m in love with it. When I was a little girl and couldn’t see, often I would bump into things, I would fall and scrape my knees. It was painful. Here I feel good. There are no obstacles in the ocean. For someone who doesn’t see much, the ocean is freedom. I go in, I swim. I hear the sounds. It feels so good. There’s no thought, “I’m going to hurt myself.” I love being near the ocean. Each day I look and see how it is. Is at rough? Calm?

Lise. The water, light, and wind nourish all our senses.

Sophie: The luminosity here is especially superb. I admire details I hadn’t seen in my childhood—the raindrop that creates ripples on the water. I didn’t discover that until I was sixteen. Suddenly I saw small things like the pebbles that make asphalt. When I couldn’t see details, I didn’t know to look for them. There was no line or frame.

Lise: Can you talk a little more about how your sense of touch comes into your work?

Sophie: I’m hypersensitive—touch, smell, sound. I can sense you, how you feel, and how I feel with you. This interview would have been difficult if I didn’t feel well with you. I can sense people because I grew up that way. I think that art makes me feel good. I found my way. It appeases me. It’s beyond sincerity. I throw everything aside and go paint. It gives me peace.

Lise: Have you become more independent after your sight has improved?

Sophie: I received my driver’s license only much later because I grew up telling myself my eyes aren’t useful. Since driving is visual, I thought it’s not for me. Since I couldn’t see well, I didn’t know how to look. For example, I was driving but I couldn’t go forward because I didn’t look past the curve of the hood. Then couldn’t see ahead to the end the road to where it curved. I couldn’t anticipate people coming in front of me. I would step on the brake at the last minute or miss the curve in the road.

Lise: Is your perception of depth affected?

Sophie: It’s difficult for me to understand distance spatially. To catch something thrown to me, I need to make sense of the distance, height, and time it takes to react. I can’t do it. It’s really embarrassing. But things like that don’t bother me when I paint.

Lise: Is everything on the same plane when you’re painting?

Sophie: Not necessarily. I made a large painting of a street scene in perspective. There’s a terrace with people in the foreground and a boat in the midground and background. It’s a big scene and we’re stuck, like in a vice. It’s from a complicated and somber period in my life. It’s somber because there’s no color. In life there are moments when one’s not well. There are problems that need to be solved. Take for example, understanding movement. If I play a game of volleyball, I can’t see where the players are so I don’t know how to position myself. Then the ball comes at me and it’s coming fast. I should move toward it, but I hesitate. My instinct is to move away, to avoid it.

Lise: How does your response to movement affect your paintings? Can you see and judge depth?

Sophie: I can, but more because I can see its representation in photographs and other images better than I see it in three dimensions. I don’t see like most others do because I didn’t develop certain visual capacities from birth through childhood. This gives me my own way of looking at the world. And it comes out in my paintings because I like to paint according to what I see.

Lise: Everyone has an individual way of looking and seeing. Your experience makes your way particularly distinctive for people whose sight developed more conventionally.

Sophie: I mentioned before that I have hypersensitivity. Sometimes too much so with emotions, especially aggressiveness. If people talk to me aggressively, I respond aggressively. As a child when I fell and hurt myself, or when people picked on me, I instinctively learned to defend myself. I have a combative spirit. It’s in me.

Lise: Was this also an expression of frustration?

Sophie: I never told myself I’ll be miserable all my life. I hate that idea. For some people, it’s the end of the world when their fingertip hurts. I developed a belief in what I could do with what I have. I always believed that one day I could see. My ultimate goal was to be able to drive. It was totally surrealistic—like painting for someone who could barely see. One time I noticed a banal detail: a truck driver tightening the rope of the tarpaulin covering his truck. It was like stretching a canvas to create tension on the surface. Then I noticed how it makes lines. For you this is totally banal, but it had profound significance for me. Now, I imagine the tension on the canvas. I like painting because I can feel the movement.

Lise: Movement as in this work of the girl who’s playing the cello with closed eyes?

Sophie: She’s in her music. She’s playing for herself. She feels good. In fact, it’s a piece of a guitar that I changed it a cello.

Lise: In addition to music, the ocean, and the revelations brought by your improved vision, what other experiences enter into your work?

Sophie: I went for a month to Burkina Faso when I was twenty-two. A lot of people in my paintings, with veils, with necklaces are from then. In Africa, your eyes are open, and your heart too. In Burkina Faso, people might not have a penny but they welcome you with a huge heart and open arms. Africa bowled me over. At the same time I was young and afraid to die there. But in fact, we walk side by side with death.

Lise: The first time I went to India I was twenty-two.

Sophie: Did it also shock you? Were you afraid to die there? I saw carcasses of dead animals.

Lise: I felt all my senses come to life in India. I wasn’t worried about dying.

Sophie: Weren’t you uneasy?

Lise: Yes and no. I was a woman traveling alone, but I was young and not much scared me. Everything was new and intriguing.

Sophie: It’s a little bit of naiveté and insouciance to be alone in a foreign country without fear.

Lise: Did the changes in vision alter your sensitivity to sound?

Sophie: Now that I’m seeing better, I’m using less and less of my ability to hear. That ability can put you in awkward positions. I could hear people whispering things I wasn’t meant to hear. People would come to see me and ask how I’m doing. Then I could hear them whisper something about me to someone else. At art fairs I could hear people in the booth next to me talking about their intimate lives, criticizing others, whispering about me.

Lise: Would you say that hearing and sensing what’s unnoticed by others gives you a kind of psychic ability?

Sophie: I can detect nuances of emotion in people’s tone of voice. Sometimes I try to make use of it, sometimes not. I’ve learned to think about it and how to deal with it. What we see and hear can be misleading. One shouldn’t always give meaning or significance to it. You have to think about it and reflect on it rather than just react. One day, I heard a woman telling her friend the year of her birth and she was surprised when I told her that we’re the same age. Another time I overheard someone say she was pregnant, and I said, “Congratulations!”

Lise: Your sensitivity puts you in unusual situations.

Sophie: It’s a kind of personal wealth. Hypersensitivity creates a lot of inner feelings. Especially the sensitivity to touch. Most of the time I feel good in my skin. Children, husband, family life are sometimes chaotic. When I cannot find an explanation for a situation, I try to make an image of a solution. It’s good is to be able to put everything into an image, to exteriorize and express emotions. This gives me the desire to paint.

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flauntpage · 5 years

Text

Sophie Rideaud on Hypersensitivity and Art

Lise McKean talks with French artist Sophie Rideaud at her studio and gallery in Les Sables d’Olonne

Translation by Laurent Houphoue and Lise McKean

Photos by Lise McKean

Lise: Let’s start with talking about how you became an artist and came to have a studio and gallery here on the Atlantic coast in Les Sables d’Olonne.

Lise: How long have you been painting?

Lise: Your paintings have a technicolor yet gauzy, dreamlike quality. Do you paint from dreams? From imagination?

Lise: Do you play guitar or sing?

Lise: I’ve met many musicians who made the same decision. They found conservatories and competitions too limiting. They wanted more freedom as artists.

Lise: What’s it like having your studio and gallery right here in the center of town and so close to the ocean? How did you find it?

Lise: Do you listen to music when you paint?

Sophie: No.

Lise: You’re surrounded by the symphony of seagulls and the street.

Lise: Your paintings have the spaciousness I feel when looking at the ocean stretch to the horizon. Did you grow up near the ocean?

Lise: Is it the details and subtleties of facial expression and gestures that especially interest you now?

Sophie: Yes. When we look, we often don’t really look at each other. Sometimes, I think people feel I’m looking at them or pretending that I’m not looking.

Lise: Are you self-taught in painting?

Sophie: Yes.

Lise: How did you go about it?

Lise: Why not keep moving? That’s what artists do. I would love to live so close to the ocean. Do you like to swim?

Lise. The water, light, and wind nourish all our senses.

Lise: Can you talk a little more about how your sense of touch comes into your work?

Lise: Have you become more independent after your sight has improved?

Lise: Is your perception of depth affected?

Lise: Is everything on the same plane when you’re painting?

Lise: How does your response to movement affect your paintings? Can you see and judge depth?

Lise: Everyone has an individual way of looking and seeing. Your experience makes your way particularly distinctive for people whose sight developed more conventionally.

Lise: Was this also an expression of frustration?

Lise: Movement as in this work of the girl who’s playing the cello with closed eyes?

Sophie: She’s in her music. She’s playing for herself. She feels good. In fact, it’s a piece of a guitar that I changed it a cello.

Lise: In addition to music, the ocean, and the revelations brought by your improved vision, what other experiences enter into your work?

Lise: The first time I went to India I was twenty-two.

Sophie: Did it also shock you? Were you afraid to die there? I saw carcasses of dead animals.

Lise: I felt all my senses come to life in India. I wasn’t worried about dying.

Sophie: Weren’t you uneasy?

Lise: Yes and no. I was a woman traveling alone, but I was young and not much scared me. Everything was new and intriguing.

Sophie: It’s a little bit of naiveté and insouciance to be alone in a foreign country without fear.

Lise: Did the changes in vision alter your sensitivity to sound?

Lise: Would you say that hearing and sensing what’s unnoticed by others gives you a kind of psychic ability?

Lise: Your sensitivity puts you in unusual situations.

Carron Little on the Palette of Utopia

THINKS to Think

Phyllis Bramson’s Take on Pleasure and Folly

Flashes in the Dark

Off-Topic | Caroline Picard

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flauntpage · 5 years

Text

Sophie Rideau on Hypersensitivity and Art

Lise McKean talks with French artist Sophie Rideau at her studio and gallery in Les Sables d’Olonne

Translation by Laurent Houphoue and Lise McKean

Photos by Lise McKean

Lise: Let’s start with talking about how you became an artist and came to have a studio and gallery here on the Atlantic coast in Les Sables d’Olonne.

LISE: How long have you been painting?

Lise: Your paintings have a technicolor yet gauzy, dreamlike quality. Do you paint from dreams? From imagination?

Lise: Do you play guitar or sing?

Lise: I’ve met many musicians who made the same decision. They found conservatories and competitions too limiting. They wanted more freedom as artists.

Lise: What’s it like having your studio and gallery right here in the center of town and so close to the ocean? How did you find it?

Lise: Do you listen to music when you paint?

Sophie: No.

Lise: You’re surrounded by the symphony of seagulls and the street.

Lise: Your paintings have the spaciousness I feel when looking at the ocean stretch to the horizon. Did you grow up near the ocean?

Lise: Is it the details and subtleties of facial expression and gestures that especially interest you now?

Sophie: Yes. When we look, we often don’t really look at each other. Sometimes, I think people feel I’m looking at them or pretending that I’m not looking.

Lise: Are you self-taught in painting?

Sophie: Yes.

Lise: How did you go about it?

Lise: Why not keep moving? That’s what artists do. I would love to live so close to the ocean. Do you like to swim?

Lise. The water, light, and wind here nourish all our senses.

Lise: Can you talk a little more about how your sense of touch comes into your work?

Lise: Have you become more independent after your sight has improved?

Lise: Is your perception of depth affected?

Lise: Is everything on the same plane when you’re painting?

Lise: How does your response to movement affect your paintings? Can you see and judge depth?

Lise: Everyone has an individual way of looking and seeing. Your experience makes your way particularly distinctive for people whose sight developed more conventionally.

Lise: Was this also an expression of frustration?

Lise: Movement as in this work of the girl who’s playing the guitar with closed eyes?

Sophie: She’s in her music. She’s playing for herself. She feels good. In fact, it’s a piece of a guitar that I changed it a cello.

Lise: In addition to music, the ocean, and the revelations brought by your improved vision, what other experiences enter into your work?

Lise: The first time I went to India I was twenty-two.

Sophie: Did it also shock you? Were you afraid to die there? I saw carcasses of dead animals.

Lise: I felt all my senses come to life in India. I wasn’t worried about dying.

Sophie: Weren’t you uneasy?

Lise: Yes and no. I was a woman traveling alone, but I was young and not much scared me. Everything was new and intriguing.

Sophie: It’s a little bit of naiveté and insouciance to be alone in a foreign country without fear.

Lise: Did the changes in vision alter your sensitivity to sound?

Lise: Would you say that hearing and sensing what’s unnoticed by others gives you a kind of psychic ability?

Lise: Your sensitivity puts you in unusual situations.

Carron Little on the Palette of Utopia

THINKS to Think

Phyllis Bramson’s Take on Pleasure and Folly

Flashes in the Dark

Episode 272: Martina AltSchaefer

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