Days of Cafés and A Laptop: A Reflection on Art, Coffee and Finding the Muse
- GirlWellTravelled
- Mar 4
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 13
Somewhere between coffee shops and late-night writing, art finds its way into the heart. And sometimes, it stays there quietly, until news of a passing brings it rushing back. Mr Jack Vettriano passed away recently and I will admit to being saddened by the news.
No, I didn’t know him personally. And neither have I met him.
Yet, through those prints of his, his paint and brushstrokes, it felt as if I had. And while I might struggle to identify a Van Gogh beyond Starry Night, I can instantly recognise several of Vettriano’s works. Neither can I say exactly when I first encountered his work. However, I do know it was a set of greeting cards and their artwork titles, just as stirring as the images themselves. I remember going on to research him and other works of his because his art spoke to me in a way that not many others did.
His passing, however, has brought to mind an unpublished piece I wrote in 2020 titled, 'Lunchtime Lovers', inspired by one of his artworks of the same name. This short piece, a follow-on of the already published 'Office Eyes' from the same year, reflects on the influence his art had on my writing.
Back Then, the World Was Quiet
It was, too, in 2020 that my storytelling made it here on the website. Back then, we were distancing ourselves from each other. Some of us got truly creative to pass the lockdown. Yet, it was while the world was quiet and slept, I'd put on my headphones, drink copious amounts of coffee and allow my imagination to run away with me. Later, once we were allowed back out, I found myself sitting in cafes, drinking barista made coffee and taking joy in that which gave me joy. Was my writing any good? Well, you can be the judge of that here in chapter two of What Happens On A Cruise, Stays On The Cruise.
This brings me back to Mr Vettriano. As an artist, Vettriano didn’t always get the nod from the traditional art world but honestly, that never mattered to me. His work always hit differently. It was full of feeling. Made me want to be the muse... or feel as if I may already be the muse. Only recently, I caught an interview where he talked about being self-taught, pulling inspiration from all kinds of places and just showing up for his craft every single day. And that stuck with me.
Of the artists I'm aware of, I can perhaps recognise without assistance, the work of three or four. An Andy Warhol Campbell's Soup Can or his Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, a Banksy and as of last autumn, David Hockney's Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) and that of his more bright and bold pop arts.
When Art Found Me
Starry Night, however, holds a special place because my daughter had painted her version and gifted it to me. It is on the refrigerator where it continues to occupy the A4-sized space I gave it all those years ago. And later, I was to cross paths with Holland America's cruise line's copy created from recycled toys.
On the other hand, Mr Vettriano's works, I recognise.
Lunchtime Lovers
In Thoughts of You
The Look of Love
The Temptress
Bluebird at Bonneville
The Singing Butler
On Parade
Cafe Days
Back Where You Belong, and of course
Days of Wine and Roses
Days Of Cafés and a Laptop...
A little nod to 'Days of Wine and Roses', Days of Cafés and a Laptop feels like one of Vettriano’s more relatable prints. Those solo café moments, the kind where I just sit, think, people-watch and let my mind wander.
Or more often than not ruminate over a word, a sentence, a story sequence. I find myself in that scene regular enough and honestly, I love it. There’s something about the mix of a good cafe and your thoughts. Just like the character in the painting, it is in these simple, everyday moments that creativity sneaks in. Vettriano painted that vibe beautifully and for me, those café hours are where some of the best ideas (and words) tend to show up.
Oh yes, how can I forget my trustee headphones and music.
Words, Coffee and the Muse
Today, I use this as inspiration to keep writing. As in the words of the Bee Gees, 'It's only words / Words are all I have / To take your heart away.' Much like his paintings, I hope my shorts and series linger with someone, somewhere.
So, as I sit in another café…sipping another latte, letting thoughts flow, that little by little, you'll find something in what I write to fall in love with.
Here’s to more Café Days
So here’s to more Café Days and days of Cafés and a laptop. Those quiet corners of the world where inspiration finds me, coffee in hand, stories waiting to be told.
Fingers to keys, words dancing across my screen and tales that—hopefully—find their way to you.
I suppose, I should also take the time to thank all of you for stopping by. Be it one chapter or following an entire series of my caffeine-fuelled creations. You are Gold.
PS - Now, I'll go revisit Lunchtime Lovers.
This post really started as a review of ParcCafe and titled Café Days but here we are. And if you're wondering what I was writing, it was this. Although it wasn't published until March just gone. But if you’ve ever been moved by art or found your muse in the hum of a café, please share. Now where is your favourite place to chill or find inspiration? I have a few.
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Outdoor Seating and Takeout
The Dorchester, 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA
PS - Now some fifty-five stories (shorts and series) later, on the recommendation of one of you my readers, I am curating a Bookshelf. This is where you my readers will go to readily find all those new and old readings in a click.
