We only end up buying the works that speak to both of us.
Our tastes are not identical, but we do agree on general aspects that allow us to coalesce on a purchase now and them. For instance, we tend to prefer abstract to figurative art, and we lean towards abstract art with a figurative element. Imagine an abstract rendering of flowers. Looking at the work, you see the flowers, but the element of abstraction means that the rendering is far from what you might call photographic.
In Amsterdam we wandered into a little gallery called Carré d'artistes. It only took twenty minutes or so for us to settle on a work by Christian Raffin entitled Bien être, depicting a couple cycling, but in the abstract style that we love.
When we are in a gallery looking at art, we are often asked about where we plan to hang the painting in our home. Invariably we each say that considerations like that never play into our purchases. We buy a work that we like, that speaks to us. Finding where to hang it can take time, and trial and error.
This work is no exception. We tried two or three spots until it found its way to its new home.
When it first settled into that spot, I sat opposite the wall where the painting sits, and I had a silent conversation with the work. I see our relationship in the colours, the movement, and the artistic language the painting speaks. It speaks of the love Susan and I share for each other, of our love of our travel adventures, and of our fledgling love affair with our Brompton bicycles.
The imaginary conversation was drifting along assisted by the melodies and lyrics of one my favourite playlists that I call French by English.
I feel that if you are to have a little bit of a chance of coming to a fair understanding of the conversation I was having, of the relationship of that little painting to its new home and to our shared love of each other, and our art, I had to find a way to share that playlist.
I can't actually play it for you, but, with quite a bit of fiddling between Apple Music, Microsoft Excel, and Blogger, I have managed to share the content of the playlist with you.
| Song title | Artist | Album name |
| C'Est Si Bon | Abbey Lincoln | Paris For Lovers |
| Quand le soleil dit bonjour aux montagnes | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Petit matin | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Chez moi | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Des croissants de soleil | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| C'est si bon | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Ces bottes sont faites pour marcher | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| La plus belle pour aller danser | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| La belle dame sans regret | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| T'es pas un autre | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Jardin d'hiver | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Seule ce soir | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Les yeux ouverts | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Comme je crie comme je chante | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| C'est merveilleux | Emilie-Claire Barlow | Seule ce soir |
| Le Premier Bonheur du Jour | Halie Loren | Simply Love |
| Dream a Little Dream of Me (Les Yeux Ouverts) | Halie Loren | Simply Love |
| Les Eaux De Mars | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Raconte-Moi. | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| L'étang | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Mi Amor | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| T'es Pas Un Autre | Emilie-Claire Barlow | The Beat Goes On |
| Petite fleur | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| J'attendrai | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Mélancolie | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| La javanaise | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Sous le ciel de paris | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| En septembre sous la pluie | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Je cherche un homme | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| N'oublie jamais | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Quand les hommes vivront d'amour | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Les feuilles mortes | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Plus bleu que tes yeux | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Adieu foulards | Jill Barber | Chansons |
| Ces Petits Riens | Stacey Kent | Breakfast On The Morning Tram |
| La Saison Des Pluies | Stacey Kent | Breakfast On The Morning Tram |
| Jardin D'hiver | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| La Vénus Du Mélo | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Au Coin Du Monde | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| C'est Le Printemps | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Sait-On Jamais? | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi |
| Les Vacances Au Bord De La Mer | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Le Mal De Vivre | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Désuets | Stacey Kent | Raconte-Moi. |
| Give Him The Ooh-La-La: Plus Je T’Embrasse | Blossom Dearie | Four Classic Albums Plus |
| La Mer | Avalon Jazz Band | Avalon Jazz Group |
| I Wanna Be Like You | The Hot Sardines | Jazz Loves Disney |
| Medley: Comes Love (L'amour S'en Fout) | The Hot Sardines | French Fries & Champagne |
| La Fille Aux Cheveux Roux (Weed Smoker’s Dream) | The Hot Sardines | French Fries & Champagne |
| Petite Fleur | The Hot Sardines | Wake Up In Paris - EP |
| C'est Si Bon | Eartha Kitt | The Very Best of Jazz 50 Unforgettable Tracks |
| Chez Moi (feat. Kim Richardson) | Fuat Tuaç | Chez Moi |
I love these songs so much, each and every one of them. If there is one thing that this collection evokes in me, it's my love of Paris.
I can only offer you one among the many to actually listen to, and it has to be C'est Is Bon performed by Eartha Kitt. It never fails to make me smile. Make sure you listen until the very end when Eartha ad libs musing about what she thinks is tellement bon... that's when she makes me smile.
