Over the past week or so I’ve been on a short wee break to Antibes in the South of France with my favourite person in the world, Mark. We ate fromages, drank bieres, paddled in La Mer, snorkeled, slept and read our livres (me, Hope in the Darkness by Rebecca Solnit; Mark, More Human by Steve Hilton). I feel really lucky and grateful for this break, and filled up with the creative energies of having been somewhere different and wonderful for a short spell. Merci, d’Antibes!
We tried to speak more Français and did lots of easy walking around the Port.
I love Antibes. We were last there in 2013 and were both very taken with its dreamy pink/gold light, the soft blue waters of the French Riviera, the wonderful market that opens each morning to sell fresh produce, the quantity of artists in the town, the bohemian flavour of many of its eateries and bars, and the splendid tones of its many different bells ringing in the hours.
Mark has recently finished a superb project developing a device which measures the number of people and the temperature and sounds in a venue, enabling you to gauge the popularity or quietness of that venue. It’s called the Hot Spot project, and uses the Internet of Things. Mark has written all about it here. Our friend Alex has 3D printed a case for the Hot Spot device, and we had fun positioning this all over Antibes and taking its photo…
I have been thinking lots lately about bricks and about yarns… a long-term preoccupation of mine, as well you know.
But it’s always super to revisit an old obsession in a new place.
We visited the Picasso Museum in Antibes as well on this trip – something to which I was weirdly resistant to last time we were in Antibes – and I have come away full of ideas about how artists respond to places, to everyday textures, sounds, and inspirations.
I took nearly 1,000 photos and discovered the pleasures of purple, as well as rediscovering those of peach, pink, gold and turquoise.
I did a little knitting while away, and quite a bit of knotting of ends…
…I’m slowly catching up on things I couldn’t do while away; preparing for this year’s Wovember; posting out orders; and catching up on emails and messages. I also realise I’m a little bit overdue in announcing the winner of the book giveaway from this year’s Shetland Wool Week in the South Celebrations!!! Thank you Kara for your comment – your name was picked at random using the random number generator found here – and thanks to all who so thoughtfully contributed to that rich discussion on charting.
Thanks also to those of you who have taken the time to listen to, and comment on, my latest podcast. I enjoyed doing it so much that I’m hoping to make another one shortly, so that you too can hear the wonderful bells that characterised our trip in Antibes!!!
Yours in inspirations and holidays, in breaks, in colours and, as ever, in bells.
Fx
I too want to thank you for a lovely post and virtual travel experience! I’ve really loved your podcasts and sound work as well. I knit, spin and live in the U.S., Northern California but enjoy the British podcasts I’ve discovered. It is a bucket list dream to be able to come to both Shetland wool week and the Edinburgh Yarn Fest! Perhaps because my distant family were from Scotland, Ireland and England… Looking forward to next posts…thank you Felix. Best to you, Sharon
So glad you visited Antibes with its different light and colours. Thanks for the virtual travel experience. Look forward to how it translates in knitwear .
I am so excited to win this book! It was on my definitely buy list….but there are always more books on my list than anyone could afford! LOVE your blog, podcast, and (especially) your book! Thanks for sharing your art with all of us!