High Contrast Grey.

While taking the bus to Saint Malo we hopped off in Dinan where we found a tasty lunch in a small medieval crêperie.

Oil lamps on almost every table and a fire in the fireplace cooking something.

We never did make it to Saint Malo.

Sunday brunch at L’épicerie in Rennes.

I finally finished enough of this painting to be happy enough to show it for my painting final. The professor rubbed his finger over the window to figure out that I cut it out to put the black paper behind, but didn’t really critique it at all. I still did well in the class, but he did comment on how overall I paint in a passé style.

So of course I am back to the questioning of; what is contemporary art? When I look up contemporary art trying to find new examples that could inspire my work I instead find art that is abstracted and not really in a direction that I would see as improving or inspiring my style.

A café that has replaced its barstools with swings hanging from the ceiling.

Doll parts littered every aspect of this café, which seemed to be more of a bar when looking at the menu. Still had a nice children’s section though, as they were the bigger draw for the swings.

Music from what sounded like the 30s played over the speaker system. Perfectly paired by the accordions hanging from the ceiling and on the wall.

I took my leave of trying to fight the heat of the sun and got a tea, pulled out my watercolor painting, and began to sketch in books.

The girl working the bar sported a flatcap and as she stood behind the bar with nothing to do she seemed to work on a crossword puzzle in the newspaper. An air of ennui that disappeared as she took orders for drinks.

If this was an option to wander to everyday and work on my art I think I would quickly become one of the fixtures on the wall. If I ever owned a café…

The new roommate finally showed up yesterday. Moving in with his parents. Rather quick and brief without much of a time to talk. He then went out to dinner with his folks and after dinner came by to grab his tooth brush and tooth paste. It appeared as though he was going to stay with his folks for the night at what I would assume was their hotel room. A bird leaving the nest for the first time.

A random bout of insomnia hit this morning as I was laying in bed, first hard to fall to sleep, and then once asleep I woke up three hours later without the ability to fall back to sleep. Mind going places it hasn’t gone in months, but as well as nowhere. Blank but awake. Needless to say I did my laundry so I can have a nice white shirt to wear for the first day of class. None of the grey stains on the collar and cuffs. Even did some ironing. Gonna look fuckin’ class for class.

It seems that every time that I don’t get my needed sleep for the night I get this odd empty feeling in my stomach that travels up to the back of my throat. Jitters. A sense of cold.

While out at the café getting some Earl Grey the new roommate came by and packed up leaving a message saying he found another place. Perhaps it is the sleep deprivation, but I feel a bit rejected. It is somewhat awesome that I will probably get the apartment to myself for this semester, but even still it can be nice to have someone to come home to and just have some bullshit conversation with. Meh.