More Chartres

I have had such lovely responses about the photos I have posted from Chartres that I thought I would add some extra delightful Chartrean finds and partly to distract myself from the anxiety of waiting for visas for the women from Boneca de Atauro. Last night I slept very badly, hoping that an answer would have come through this morning- the other side of the world already has it's workday over- but nothing and early next week I fly back to Australia so little internet access, plus there is the small matter of having work to do. Applying for a visa for Australia is not for the feint hearted especially if you come from a third world nation.

I want to share a close up photo of one of the work of Marie Gueriot-Flandrin a weaver, exhibiting at the  ChARTres-Croisement des Arts. Her work has been at the last three exhibitions I have been at , and each time there are new nuances and details in her work. She often incorporates found objects, or glass, interesting fibres and also creates coils of fibre. It's been a pleasure to spend time with her work and really look closely at her additions to  her weaving.

Most visitors to Chartres tend to come for one day only to see the Cathedral, so  it is lovely to be here longer and find the city unfolding itself as I get to know it better. There is a couple of other lovely churches not far from where I am staying one of which is Saint Aignan dating from the late 15th early 16th centuries. The stained glass windows are lovely, but the ceiling is wonderful as is the internal painting, which though in bad repair gives you a sense of the colours that adorned churches from this period.

  The patterning on the ceiling is beautiful and the central star decoration  on the supporting beams of the dome is stunning- wish I could get closer.

A details of some of the motifs in the church- it would make a gorgeous more traditional applique design and the colouring is interesting too- the green of the leaves occurs throughout the church especially in the central aisle.

 Some more street art- a bit weathered like the paint work inside Saint Aignan's.

There are some lovely walks along the river Eure with a number of wonderful old stone bridges over the river at regular intervals. The black box in the river is the projection equipment that is used to illuminate the bridges along the river when the illumination season starts.

I have been spending most days at  the Collegiale Saint Andre  doing a bit of stitching when I don't feel too cold. I have been stitching more circles and this one is one of my prints which I have cut out and embroidered.

 I am not quite sure what I will do with it yet. Below is an image of the Blackwoods Dancing linocut print that i started embroidering quite some time ago and thought I would finish whilst I was in Chartres. I haven't finished the top because I haven't quite got the right coloured thread so I may need to detour via one of the Mercery shops. I liked the moodiness of the fabric in the background of the print. I still have this print available for sale if you are interested.( though I am not sure if I have that colour)

 So whilst i was debating as to whether I would buy more thread ( as I know the colour thread  I want is back in Australia- you can't pack everything when you travel) I started embroidering this linocut print made by Jacinat da Costa whilst i was on Atauro Island- I love the bold shapes of the shells- so may simply keep stitching this piece and get a bit more colour on there and see whether I can finish it before I leave early on Tuesday morning.

 And last but not least I have been staying at a small studio apartment called Studio Adulaire whilst in Chartres- its in a lovely old part of the city but close to everything. I found the little book in the photo below in the apartment. So I share a photo of the apartment how it is now, and how it looked quite some years ago. The large tree has disappeared but otherwise the streetscape is not much changed. And last night I had a very odd experience. A couple were walking along the street, with maps in hand and knocked on the door. They insisted they wanted to stay but I explained that I was already staying there- but still they insisted- I repeated that i was booked until monday morning to stay there and that they should contact the owner-  and then they wanted to come inside and look- I said I think not???