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The Estonian Philosopher.

Chances are he's lost his backpack , or at least the contents by now. Or he got locked up/beaten up/both.
 
Greebo said:
Chances are he's lost his backpack , or at least the contents by now. Or he got locked up/beaten up/both.
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I hadn't noticed that he hadn't posted on this thread in two days. When your last words are

Most dangeroius place I have ever slept.

To the beach...
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then that probably isn't a great sign.
 
Greebo said:
Earth calling Stanley Edwards... are you able to respond?
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I made it to Montpellier :) Home and dry cash wise from here I reckon.

Mental few days interrupted by some beautiful hiking along canals. Overdosing on greeness whilst all around me were overdosing on crack, solvents and the favoured 11.6% Dutch lager - a very volatile combination.

After the crazy (in all the bad ways) squat party I decided to walk away from all the teenage fuckwits, bigots, crack heads and Walsall Dave and Cumbrian Mick. From Carssonnes - the city with the Medieval city built in 1870 - I walked to Narbonne. Very nice little town. After 3 hours of sketching I heard "here he is, it's the artist". FFS! Dave and Mick had followed me in their Omega estate. Out of their skulls already...

They had run-ins with the police all day long. Fines issued left, right and centre. Last time I saw Mick he was asking if anyone knew where he was. Walsall Dave persisted. Found me again in the main plaza asking if we could have a bare chested fight. He wanted to give me some love apparently :D Not for me in a very Conservative city in provincial France! Police arrived again and told Dave very simply to fuck off, or he was getting arrested. Dave went. Police went. Dave returned with more booze from Lidl. Police returned and told us both to fuck off. They confiscated Dave's booze. I started walking. I was ready to leave anyway and wanted away from trouble. 10 minutes later Dave catches me up.

"Oi!, artist you fucking wanker, where's my beer?".

Me - "The police confiscated it Dave".

Him - "You fucking lying cunt".

Me - "Go now, I don't take this shit from anyone".

Him - "Come on then...blah...blah...blah".

Only option I was left with was to help Dave find the police and find his beer. He fell for it. Locked up, and me out of there :D

Then walked to Bezier. Really interesting town. Beautiful park. More hassle from drunk/cracked up teenagers (I have never known a place with so much crack on the streets than Southern France). Sold a sketch and got the train to Montpellier. Easy from here weather and police permitting.

I am sore all over. Feet are fucked. I don't want to look at my bollock sack just yet.

Photos of stuffs (not my sack) may come if I don't fall asleep. I am totally fucked :)
 
Montpellier is working very nicely. Hotels are extortionate, but I can make enough to live with that if I can stop wasting hours a day looking for places.

Painting tomorrow. Think I've come up with a solution to carrying paintings around whilst they're up on ebay.

French people fucking well fancy themselves. Who do they think they are?
 
kabbes said:
They think they're French. And they are.
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I went to some Gypsy Swing gig at a tapas bar last night. All the French people trying to do Spanish and gypsy stuff better than the Spanish and the gypsies. They were quite good, but sickeningly pretentious about what should just be fun. Instead of the Granada deal of €1.50 for wine and tapas, it was €4 for wine plus about a Fiver for tapas. They honestly believed they were worth it.

A couple of people have asked me what I think the main difference is between Spanish and French culture. After thinking about it the only real difference I can come up with is that France is more complicated and I'm finding more trouble here. It's a bit of a con culture also. Prices never as advertised. Overpriced. Tricksters to avoid everywhere. The countryside is beautiful, but I'm finding everything else to be a very false show. Can't find the heart here. It all seems like superficial bollocks compared to Spain. Bayonne was good mind. I liked it there. And, Pau - that was good also. Since then it's been nothing but expensive hassle (countryside hiking excepted).

Montpellier is a very beautiful city, but again, it's being oversold on a pretentious lie. They don't need to do it. It just spoils the real deal.

I'm picking up good work here, so I will stay for a few days at least. I don't like the place though.
 
Stanley Edwards said:
I made it to Montpellier :) Home and dry cash wise from here I reckon.

Mental few days interrupted by some beautiful hiking along canals. Overdosing on greeness whilst all around me were overdosing on crack, solvents and the favoured 11.6% Dutch lager - a very volatile combination.

After the crazy (in all the bad ways) squat party I decided to walk away from all the teenage fuckwits, bigots, crack heads and Walsall Dave and Cumbrian Mick. From Carssonnes - the city with the Medieval city built in 1870 - I walked to Narbonne. Very nice little town. After 3 hours of sketching I heard "here he is, it's the artist". FFS! Dave and Mick had followed me in their Omega estate. Out of their skulls already...

They had run-ins with the police all day long. Fines issued left, right and centre. Last time I saw Mick he was asking if anyone knew where he was. Walsall Dave persisted. Found me again in the main plaza asking if we could have a bare chested fight. He wanted to give me some love apparently :D Not for me in a very Conservative city in provincial France! Police arrived again and told Dave very simply to fuck off, or he was getting arrested. Dave went. Police went. Dave returned with more booze from Lidl. Police returned and told us both to fuck off. They confiscated Dave's booze. I started walking. I was ready to leave anyway and wanted away from trouble. 10 minutes later Dave catches me up.

"Oi!, artist you fucking wanker, where's my beer?".

Me - "The police confiscated it Dave".

Him - "You fucking lying cunt".

Me - "Go now, I don't take this shit from anyone".

Him - "Come on then...blah...blah...blah".

Only option I was left with was to help Dave find the police and find his beer. He fell for it. Locked up, and me out of there :D

Then walked to Bezier. Really interesting town. Beautiful park. More hassle from drunk/cracked up teenagers (I have never known a place with so much crack on the streets than Southern France). Sold a sketch and got the train to Montpellier. Easy from here weather and police permitting.

I am sore all over. Feet are fucked. I don't want to look at my bollock sack just yet.

Photos of stuffs (not my sack) may come if I don't fall asleep. I am totally fucked :)
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I thought the place was 'Carcassonnes'?
 
I almost forgot abaout this. It was a long day.

Someone found me. A famous(ish) name in the French art World. I love his work. He's a fucking beautiful bloke also. A gem. Showed me all his fancy exhibition catalogues. Showed me the painting he was trying to sell on the streets for a meal :( This is it basically.

Anyway, he sketched me very quickly. Gave me the sketch and told me he would come back when he had sold his painting. The guy is a genius, but he will never sell a painting like that on the streets.

This sketch took him about 5 Seconds! Seriously. 5 Seconds to capture an essence of a moment and person like this. Not going to name him. Sad to see him pedelling... sad to see a great artist still being a great artist in some ways. Difficult, very difficult to explain what I'm thinking now :confused:

Posted off to my trusted friend with all handwritten notes and love letters, and paintings of me :) I love this one.
 

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I am warming to Montpellier, Montpellier is warming to me. I'm getting to like the place for many reasons. Not least, people seem to like what I'm doing and what I'm trying to do here. I've discovered new pens. Personally, I think my sketches have hit a new level of lovely.

I'm comparing with Granada all the time. Similar size and very similar demographic. The tourists come here for the 'I'd rather like to visit Montpellier' experience, or the 'fuck yeah - Montpellier' experience. A strange mix.

There is money here. Lots of it :)
 

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why dont you want to hype the artist if he's one of your favs and struggling? there are mllions of freaks in the world, someone is bound to love his art. if he's any good but 5 second sketch would be impressive
 
mitochondria said:
why dont you want to hype the artist if he's one of your favs and struggling? there are mllions of freaks in the world, someone is bound to love his art. if he's any good but 5 second sketch would be impressive
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How could I 'hype' him?

The guy gets good gigs at big galleries. He makes money and spends it fast!!! Nice guy, but not entirely in the loop!

I meet many artists who get big exhibitions. They're always skint. It's actually quite a small world beyond celebrity artist stuff. Word spreads quickly amongst street artists. I am known as the artist who always has money ;)

Slowly, slowly. I'm getting there whilst I buy others their drinks.

I'm not hyping myself never mind anyone else. Slowly, slowly...
 
Nevermind, I am very far from the world of art. I wouldn't know anyway :) I thought he was a pauper prodigy.

PR is important nonetheless.
 
I am really, really liking Montpellier now. Good money also :) And, at last! It's finally happend: Tandoori sandwhich alternative to kebab. It's "A Unique Concept in France". Not the best way to sell fast food, and they haven't a clue about easy menus, but tandoori chicken in a nam wrap with salad and curry sauce. Oh yes!

I have been wasted before getting back to my hotel for 5 nights in a row now. That has to stop. Taking an early night after a stroll around town talking with the youngsters. What they like about Montpellier? What they don't like? Etc, etc, etc. These guys were cool. Seems the centre of Montpellier is a pretty wealthy place. The 'mall' is very American. These people all willingly talked about their privaledged backgrounds. I may venture into the suburbs tomorrow night.

More pics may come. No vulgar nudity tonight - promise :D

I'm going to post again this evening with research for my painting.
 

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I'm heading to the Camarge for a couple of days to paint a white horses with siren dream :) Fucking hippy!

Then heading back here before taking Golden Citroen's advice and heading to Avignon. If it rains I'll send him a nasty PM.


e2a; actually, this is better...
 
Stanley Edwards said:
I am really, really liking Montpellier now. Good money also :) And, at last! It's finally happend: Tandoori sandwhich alternative to kebab. It's "A Unique Concept in France". Not the best way to sell fast food, and they haven't a clue about easy menus, but tandoori chicken in a nam wrap with salad and curry sauce. Oh yes!

I have been wasted before getting back to my hotel for 5 nights in a row now. That has to stop. Taking an early night after a stroll around town talking with the youngsters. What they like about Montpellier? What they don't like? Etc, etc, etc. These guys were cool. Seems the centre of Montpellier is a pretty wealthy place. The 'mall' is very American. These people all willingly talked about their privaledged backgrounds. I may venture into the suburbs tomorrow night.

More pics may come. No vulgar nudity tonight - promise :D

I'm going to post again this evening with research for my painting.
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Those people look bemused.
 
I'm being French. Taking a Sunday evening coffe on the terraces before a stroll around town. But, I'm heading into the suburbs away from the tourists.

Just had another Tandoori wrap. They are such a friendly bunch even if they don't know how to sell. It's a good product and a good service. I leave Montpellier tomorrow - it's been good. Sorted for cash for a rural escape. I need new boots, new jeans and I would like to fork out for a hotel with a bath tomorrow night. Hopefully I can make €150 tomorrow morning to cover that.

Off to find the real Montpellier armed with a couple of disposable point and shoots. I will report later.

:)

This has been a fucking good adventure so far. Good mix of people from all backgrounds. I'll probably get mugged now :)
 
An interesting stroll. No signs of crisis here.

There are very distinct quarters here. A Moroccan area, Afro-Carribean area etc, but it's more integrated than segregated. The very nice tram network is being extended which has meant speculation and development in the more central barrios. Brand new designer builds next door to dilapidated old town houses. It's a bit Shadwell when the DLR was being built. Poorest people living next door to the up and coming bright young things.

There is a huge high rise estate NW of the city which I didn't get to. I may try and visit that tomorrow evening. I was expecting Montpellier to have a few rough edges. I haven't found them.

The Moroccan barrio is very :cool: Well worth the 15 minute walk from touristville if you ever visit. I suspect all will change as soon as the new tram line opens.
 

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TBF, this thread is more fun when you're having your stuff trampled on and you're being ripped off. Happy Edwards just isn't as entertaining.
 
kabbes said:
TBF, this thread is more fun when you're having your stuff trampled on and you're being ripped off. Happy Edwards just isn't as entertaining.
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Don't worry. Shit times will surely return at some time. I'm beginning to feel guilty about not getting any paintings up on ebay to auction for good causes. It's what I'm supposed to be doing to justify my existence in this sometimes cruel world. But, carrying a big painting around for a week with all my other shit :( It's hot here. Very hot. I don't need the clothes I'm lugging around, but I don't know just how cold Estonia will be (or, the journey there).

One last day here. Off to the out of town retail estates tomorrow for new jeans and boots, then start heading towards the countryside, or straight to Avingon (possibly by train - my foot still needs rest - I'm fucking my tendons up).
 
London_Calling said:
Don't forget to send the first 70,000 words to your London publisher.
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I will edit stuff from here and my blog and submit yet another proposal. You never know! Everything has gone very quiet with the last book proposal. Plenty of interest. Not sure how much I should be pushing them. If they're this slack is there any point? It is a good book. I know it's a good book. People tell me it's a good book, but will anyone take me seriously???

You'll be eating your words soon ;)
 
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