It all started in Aix. At the Ecole des Beaux Arts.

I lived in Aix, above a bakery, in the old part of town built by the Romans so many centuries ago. No shower and a shared john down the hall. I had a skylight. A real atelier. One friday it happened that there was no money in my account. How to get food over the weekend? I went to the fancy cafe Les Deux Garcons on the Cours Mirabeau and asked them if they would like an illustration of their cafe? Would they pay me? They said yes and they asked for not just one but 2 pictures of their cafe. A price of $20 was agreed upon for each and outside I went to sit and paint. Once done, they liked them but only paid for one. I don't have a record of those illustrations.

This picture was painted sitting on the Cours Mirabeau. It is called Le Grillon and is still there to this day.

Les Deux Garcons still owes me $20.