Tournesol: A Turn Towards the Sun
Madison Markets Antiques and Interiors, Madison, GA
Summer 2020
Tournesol is the French word for sunflower which means, quite literally, to turn towards the sun. For many of us, traveling is a form of tournesol — a journey to rediscover what nourishes and sustains us. We turn towards inspiration imbued in new landscapes and towards sensuality and beauty - two things the French happen to do so well.
In a world that sometimes feels dark, the sunflower remains a beacon of optimism and hope. During the pandemic of 2020, we were unable to travel, yet it forced us to confront what we love most about travel: the chance to slow down, abandon daily routines, and live more fully in the present moment. Here, we are invited to rediscover simple pleasures forgotten in the rush of everyday life — the sound and taste of a freshly cracked nut, dappled sunlight through the trees.
Tournesol, 2019
Dusk in Bonnieux, 2019
AMNESIA
Sunbathing under the bouquet of a fig tree,
the heat on my skin,
the smell of the animal in the cheese,
tapenade on today’s bread.
Lavender, verbena, apricot… landscapes on my tongue.
Forgetting one’s entire life up until this very moment.
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Sometimes we travel great distances to forget. Some people call it getting away. I call it coming back.
Full
I leave each place with the sensation of being full. Like after the perfect meal. This satisfaction comes from the layers of history embedded in the stones, the provenance in each dish, the terroir of place — notes played in unison on the palate. Waiters seem to ignore us, but they are simply giving time and space to savor the experience and soak in the atmosphere. There is no hurry.
Morning in Pechboutier, 2019
Perfection in Nature
I walk through gardens shaped by the hands of man -- nature’s wildness tamed into perfect orbs and geometries. I wonder, is man taming the wild or is he trying to replicate the perfection found in her?
For ten days I do not see billboards or fast food signs. Instead, I see golden ratios and Fibonacci numbers.
As I grow older, I seek these landscapes more and more. I crave views that are free of the visual clutter of modern life and the residue of capitalism. Perhaps this is why we come here -- to escape our frenetic world. Technology and noise take a toll on the nervous system. But nature? Nature is all about pattern, rhythm and order. Perhaps this is why we feel so calm and restored in her presence.
I think of man’s desire to develop the land – to build and build in the name of progress. Could progress now be a return to the stillness found inside a shady boxwood or the fury of a cicada’s song?
Walnuts (A Philosophy for Living)
Take your time
savor the moment
inhabit your body
taste the earth
smell the sun
resolve your differences
say I’m sorry
say I love you
live with animals
wink at the stars
climb more trees
bathe outside
touch the deep
receive the ground
have a ritual
claim a purpose
speak with flowers
exhale in color.