Museums and stuff.

So the weekend so far.

Friday after french some of the girls and I decided we should see some galleries. Of course, none of us could actually make the decision as to which galleries we were to go to, so we just walked around.

Eventually we stumbled upon this little gem. I liked the art a lot.

I bet you can't guess why... heh.

We found lots of quirky shops, paris condom anyone?

And then ended up in Luxembourg gardens. They are beautiful.

Little surprises around each corner.

And then I felt I needed to do some art... but I of course didnt do uni work, just playing with the new watercolours.

On saturday I decided to head to montmartre to see the sacre coeur and the dali museum.

I really liked the dali museum, his work is so playful.

I also bought his book about his moustache, its very funny.

Then strolled around the touristy area. These teacups were so cute!

And I of course managed to find some macarons!

The artists square. Very cute little square filled with artists trying to sell their works, or draw your portrait. Some work was very original, but a lot of it was just painting what tourists would buy, ie. eiffel fricken tower.

I really liked this guys work, but he was very pricey (for good reason)

Then the sacre coeur pops over the top.

I liked the black on the stone, it gives it such dimension.

The view is fairly amazing.

But the stairs are insane. My legs hurt so much today.

Hawkers... every meter... like you will actually walk passed 8 of them and then change your mind and buy millions of tacky eiffel tower crap.

Cool door handles!

Montmartre is a beautiful area, even if it does hurt to get around the place.

I then went to the montmarttre museum, they had some interesting pieces.

I liked the posters a lot.

Toulouse Lautrec! Very cool.

I finally got my boeuf bourguignon with french fries. So yummy.

Abbesses. Evil metro station with 13 flights of stairs. Ow. My legs.

I got a bit inspired by Dali and grew a moustache!

Last night I went to Michelle's (one of the girls in the exchange program) house for cheese fondue and champagne and movies with Abby (also from art school) and her friend Ariel. We had good fun gas bagging and eating and drinking.

Today its mummies birthday so I got up and dressed to say happy birthday and hello to the family.

Joyeux Anniversaire Maman!

Now I'm just going to crash in bed for awhile and then do some more homework.

Lazy sundays yay.

Mosaic... and stuff.

So I've had a week or so doing mosaic now. Its pretty fun. 

My project is about throwaway items. Things no one thinks much of at all... And giving them value and purpose.

And trying to connect this to food.

Cause I love food.

(if you didnt know.)

So for this project, I had my worst meal of paris. And this was McDonnalds. My first ever big mac.

And all for the box.

In hindsight, I should have stolen one from a bin, but food leftovers creep me out.

so the idea is to use the traditional technique of mosaic to give some value to the burger box.

We make the tiles ourselves by smashing up slabs of marble.

I like the hammer, its fun.

Or smashing tiles of glass... I mean cutting of course. Cutting.

They look like candy! So pretty.

Some of the tools.

these are some of the works that are sitting around the studio. Some of these students are very talented.

I love the texture of this, and the varying colours from the shadows.

And working graffiti of traditional mosaics into the mosaic itself. Very cool.

Some traditional replicas.

Egg shell mosaic! Very cool.

So here I have started. Its the bottom of my box. I cut the shape out of airated concrete so its very light... until you stick mortar and marble on it of course...

Working with the glass and marble together. The bottom half has been completed!

See... bottom. So next week I may get the sides done, I'm getting rid of most of the detail. just keeping the red stripes, and putting a big M on the top in yellow.

But I'm really enjoying the class, two other exchange students have joined in as well, and its great to have someone to talk to (in english) in the class. Although, my French teacher does mosaics, so we try to speak a little French when she's in there... haha.

As to what else has been happening.

I went to the Eiffel tower on monday, mainly because the Australian Embassy is around the corner, and its kinda impossible to not see it.

Its pretty big.

I liked the cute garden next to it.

See, me at the Eiffel tower. Not too impressed... but thats because next to me there was a guy jingling a ring of eiffel tower key rings and i didnt want to smile...

Winter is so lovely...

But soon it is spring! See. Proof.

In the mean time, here is some food.

The tres beau 'elegance'. It was amazing.

Three layers of chocolate mousse! 

And a Calzone. Yum yum.

Hope you are well. And will you stop with the disasters down there!?