Here is a ‘Gaillac’ story of a beginning with an end in sight.
Today’s unexpected news, just as I was closing an email there was a knock at my door…
A morning visitor is a rare event at my door.
This time it was my good friend Charles or to give him his full ‘Society’ title, Comte (Count) Charles-Octave de Noblet d’Anglure.
Charles is a real character.
I don’t often see Charles, he is a very busy man.
When I do it is invariably fun, an ‘experience’.
Today he has decided he wants me to visit a piece of land he owns beside the river Tarn opposite Gaillac.
There is a view very few people see, it’s private land, of the Abbeye Saint Michel seen through and framed by the bridge. Abbaye Saint Michel, Gaillac
Not a grand bridge like the glorious Golden Gate Bridge.
This is a little old French bridge built in 1938 to replace the bridge (shown in my painting ‘The port of Gaillac 1863′) built in 1838 which replaced the ferry which replaced the wooden medieval bridge burnt by English marauders which had replaced an earlier bridge and to on back to pre Roman times…
I digress a bit, ok a big bit.
Back to the plot, Charles says the view is best seen in June with the sunrise behind it and in July before sunset when all the brick work turns pink.
He will be working on the land this afternoon.
I am invited, we agreed on his recommendation 18.30.
Charles says he will bring a bottle of wine.
Charles has an admirably wide knowledge and appreciation of wines.
We share this trait and both enjoy finding fine less ‘known’ wines.
Charles proposes we will spend an hour watching the light change this evening, he says this will be a painting.
I think he means what we call in artist speak, ‘a commission’.
Either way I don’t mind, he is a great companion, full of stories and information.
I have started a ‘Gaillac’ project so this will be a painting for the project.
If Charles buys it that is a bonus.
Gaillac is like every other wine region, unique.
Except Gaillac is more unique, I’ll tell you more as my new Gaillac project progresses.
Thus here you have another insight into the world of the artist Gordon Frickers, some say a crazy world but “hey who wants to be normal” Frickers would reply.
The famous sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, my friend and a patron says it is a calling; that is a good enough excuse for me to paint.
