Fête des Arts

The following Japanese short-form poetry was inspired by our visit to Les Rainettes for the Fête des Arts...

tanka…

Fête des Arts
Les Rainettes garden
light shower chased by sun
if only life’s problems
could be so quickly dismissed

haiku…

painters
in footsteps of Bastien Lepage
summer Sunday

haibun…

Sunday 3rd August.  The day is hot and sunny but a short shower in the morning freshens the air. Les Rainettes was once the home of the grandfather of Jules Bastien Lepage.  Then the land was an orchard where Jules often painted. Now it is a private park-like garden which is open to the public once a year for a Fête des Arts with painters at their easels, musicians and artisans displaying and selling their wares. Families and friends wander around the lovely grounds and admire the skill of the artists.  Luckily a change in the weather doesn’t arrive until 7pm when a thunder storm rolls across the town and heavy rain washes away the dust of the day and provides puddles for the birds to enjoy. 

rain can be a blessing
we only view it so
when it is convenient

haiga...

 Rodin’s statue
Jules Bastien Lepage
both fine artists

And photos taken in the garden...

Families with chattering children approach a painter near a pole with a stork's nest on top...

The storks take a peep, obviously do not like their peace disturbed, decide to leave the nest and fly away.  

The artist is not fazed by any of these and continues painting.

Among the artists, two young men wear WW1 clothes.

Many other artists were in attendance but this selection of photos gives a flavour of our happy afternoon spent in the beautiful grounds of Les Rainettes at this annual Fête des Arts in Damvillers.