A SUMMER IN ARTIST KATHY LUCOFF GODIN"S HOUSE

I feel blessed! My dear friend, art collector and artist Kathy Godin asked me to stay in her house in Essaouira to take care of her two lovely dogs. I couldn't have thought of a nicer place then this one to spend part of my summer. But more is there to come, On Wednesday another good friend in Marrakech, Synnove Holte and I are going to make a road trip to the Sahara by public transport. I love this idea and I am sure it will inspire me for some hilarious, yet authentic and pure moments to share with you. We are checking out on different hotels and resorts for my selection on yoga venues and for my tours. At the same time we are going to check up on the date-farm Synnove is supporting in Merzouga.
Here are some shots on this nice house I'm spending my time in right now. It feels to me as a blend from Essaouira and L.A. clear, vibrant saturated colour splashes and one of my Boucherouite carpets!

MY LITTLE HIDE AWAY

Some months ago when I was looking for nice and less known locations to visit while driving to Kasbah Tamadot coming from Marrakech, I stumbled upon an artist residence in the small town of Tahanaout. A  concept resembling the spirit of the  Villa Medici, settled in the middle of olive trees in Tahanaout. Al Maqam, a little bohemian oasis created by  artist/painter Mohamed Mourabiti, one of the contemporary Moroccan painters with several individual and group exhibitions both in Morocco and abroad. In  2000  Mohamed Mourabiti chooses to install his atelier and showroom in Al Maqam and the place quickly takes on the appearance of a literary lounge. 

Its  vocation: to provide artists the conditions and the  means to develop their art and accompany them in their process of creation. Thus, all forms of art have right to quote : painting, music, poetry, sculpture,  photography,  literature etc. Al Maqam also offers a restaurant open to visitors on reservation, while strolling in the garden, the bookstore, the workshops, or wandering into the gallery with exposed the work of Mourabiti and other contemporary Moroccan artists . The whole concept creates a fertile alchemy if one is to judge by the number of encounters and experiences that took place there.

THE FEMALE ART OF BOUCHEROUITE

Every time I see a boucherouite, I can't help thinking what was going on in a woman's mind while creating the carpet.

Was she happy to create?
Was she worried because she had to keep her family warm?
Was she bored to make another carpet out of tiny pieces of fabric?
Were her dreams far beyond making these carpets being a child?

No one will ever know, but fact is that a lot of dreams, disillusions and hopes must have passed in the hours sitting , thinking and creating....
It is a passion of me to try and read the carpet. Sometimes it seems a story to be continued, and other look like a repetitive act of making small squares in wich one can relax and wander of in his mind while turning fabrics into colorfull pieces of art...

I always handle them with respect, respect for the soul of the person behind...
With every carpet we sell we help to make a dream come through 

Thank you already, everyone who helped us getting the counter ticking. We hope to hand over a nice sum at the end of this year!

You can find our carpets HERE