Tora-Tora (Running with the Bulls)

Work in Progress

Sewing Room #1 50in x 60in Work in Progress

Sewing Room #2 48in x 59in

Work in Progress

Works in Progress

Process from beginning to end on the most recent pieces.

Want to Be a Part of it? New York! New York!

I just love and hate to love New York. From the moment I exit that stinky-ass airport, I can't even help myself- I'm hooked. I feel like the city has just been waiting for me to return and embrace all the wonderful things (and not so wonderful things) it has in store for me. I fall right into place like a leaf in the streaming flow of a mighty river.

Picture = >1000 words

My Girl Song From Houston Rocks the House on stage In Paris singing with Rimshot! She lives here and her music career is taking wings. Watch out World Here She Comes!

This Beach was right next to the Donnatar Castle on the Northeastern shores of Scotland. It was the most Breathtaking view I've ever seen.

The Beach in Aberdeen (Scotland)

The Musee' De Louvre was one of many Perpetually Mobbed and a bit of a nightmare most days, but still -just awesome. Just to look around at the paintings, the architecture, and sculptures represented here and see for yourself the breadth of history that has its roots here is enough to make your head spin. So many important artists spent day after day here religiously studying and seeking inspiration for their own work from artists like Delacroix and Renoir, Carravaggio, and so many others.
Tom Perlman, Susan and Ziggy, and Billy - all very talented musicians and artists (with hearts of gold) hanging with me in Edinburgh during the weekend of the G8 Summit. I wish that I had a photo of all the cool crazy exciting things we did that weekend, but alas, I was slacking on the camera. I will tell you that one crazy experience involved a renegade film artist from Brazil illegally projecting his politically-charged films on the side of an apartment building and the cops coming in after us. It was such a weekend that the authorities were on edge and for a moment I thought I would for sure be arrested.

My great friend Billy and sweet puppy Pooper (aka Leah)

MORE PICTURES TO COME!!!

Getting Spoiled

Its easy for a girl to get a little spoiled by Paris.

Let me just take a moment to reveal what my days consist of,

Every day waking up to a beautiful sunny morning 7:48am. Having your pastry and jet-fuel, I mean, coffee at 8:15am. Sitting in the garden sketching to the early morning sounds outside on the busy Saint Martin Blvd til 9:30. Planning the day:
Will it be Pablo Picasso's Museum in the 3rdDistrict today, or will I Bustle onto the Subway and head toward the Louvre, or will It be the Centre Du Pompoudou with its more Modern/ Contemporary works.
Perhaps I will just go window shopping in the Fabric district or near the Champs Ellysee. Or Lunch on (or near) the Seine with a friend...
With all these things at your liberty; however does a girl choose. My handy "Let's Go Paris!" is like my bible and never leaves my side.
By the end of the day I have usually walked until I am literally dragging and I collapse into bed for an hour or two get up, refresh and go out for a drink and some live Jazz.
OO-La-La! This is the life::

Ahhh! PARIS.

I have been overseas now since June 13th. One full and fantastic month has flown by. London, Aberdeen and Edinburgh (in the middle of the G8 and all)- were awesome. Each city beautiful in its own charming and individual way.
And its people were hospitable and lovely –sometimes gritty, and always real. They enraptured me with their compelling quirks and nuances & colorful accents.
I do believe I disappointed a few Scotts with my twaang-less, un-country-fied accent. And for goodness sakes, ‘do I ever put on my cowboy boots’ someone (hi Ziggy and Susan) actually asked.
Thanks again to those who kindly put me up without a single batt of an eye. (Bill Thompson, Tommy Perman. and family).
I wish that I had started writing daily back then as the things were happening because now its too much to try and recant. Since pictures are worth a thousand words I’ll have to say it that way. Coming soon.

I arrived in Paris and was taken aback initially by its beauty, but also when every official who handled my passport saw TEXAS and sneered. Or remarked snidely, to a co-worker while blatantly holding up my documents and pointing. I suppose our countrys’ relations have not made for open-armed welcomes and I almost decided to take the advise of friend back home and not mention where I’m from unless absolutely necessary in the future. A couple of times when I first arrived I even lied and said New York. But after a while, naturally, home pride takes over and I decided that people needed to know the truth and deal it in whatever way necessary. Their hangups are not my problem. & hopefully if they want to take the time to get to know me, Texan and all they will take me as I am.
It turns out the people of Paris are so nice and hospitable and understanding if you at least attempt to speak the language- verbal meat cleaver and all. There’s nothing like the pressure of being surrounded by people speaking another language that makes you want to get savvy real quick. Note to future travellers, a person MUST at least learn how to order food, find the bathroom, the exit, the train station or the nearest bar to get by here.

I arrived in Paris two days after the bombings in London. Since I don’t understand much French yet, I didn’t bother with newspapers or TV and didn’t know a thing about what was going on just over the channel until the following day over dinner with an American friend.
I found out, that it was under those horrible circumstances that we were able to come together in a chance encounter the evening before in Gare du Bastille. I found out later that due to the bombs that morning, the entire Metro Train system was understandably on extreme Red Alert and someone had just left an unattended bag on her train. Her train was evacuated and held for an hour while being searched and I was just happening by at that moment. She looked up as I was looking over in that direction. It was my girl Song! A friend from Houston that I hadn’t seen in maybe 12 years. Small-small world, huh? My beleif in synchronicity is strengthened every day.
Song has been living in France now for 4yrs and is a successful singer in an R&B group called Rimshot. We saw the band at LeScene on Tuesday as they opened for Little Brother and they were INCREDIBLE!
Until later, A' bientot!
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coming soon! in the meantime, please visit my site at www.tonyaengel.com!