Street Scenes

 

Bodega Y Tapas, 16" x 12"

There's nothing quite like the street scenes in Europe, or anywhere else for that matter, that make such interesting  and inviting subject matter for painting. There's something about the uniquely distinct architecture and people enjoying the street scene on a beautiful sunlit day, that makes us wish we were there to share the moment! I thought this scene of just such a spot in France, had a wonderful sense of perspective to it, that seemed to draw you in and urge you to walk through under the distant arch into another equally interesting space.

On another note, I will be one of the featured artists this month at the Red Chair Gallery here in Bend, this Friday, November 2nd during the First Friday Art Walk. It's a great opportunity to tour the town's galleries and see some terrific art. Come by between 5 and 9 in the evening and see some of my watercolors and say hello! See you there!

A Magical Place

Morning Haze, Mont Saint Michel, 12" x 16"

If you're ever in northwestern France, try to find time for a visit to Le Mont Saint Michel. The site of a Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel St. Michael perched atop a tidal island just off the mainland, it presents an absolutely mystical vision as you approach. Though it's a popular tourist site, it's still a charming and interesting place to spend the day and from an artistic perspective it's stunning! This was an interesting piece, in that I first painted the site itself in its true color and then applied the sky wash over it to create the foggy atmosphere, and I then used an additional wash over only Mont Saint Michel to tone it down even more. So it was a bit of a leap of faith that it was going to accomplish the desired effect and not just muck things up!

Mellow Morning

French Farmyard, 12" x 16"

Out for an early morning walk in the small town of Azat Le Riz in France, I passed this farmyard and was drawn to the scene by the wonderful light and the stone buildings. My goal was to capture the quiet calmness of that time of day. By bringing some warmth into the sky and emphasizing the hard edge to the shadowed area you get the sense of the sun rising just behind the old house. I added the geese in the end for more life and interest to the focal point. This painting was one of those few occasions where I felt I had an "ah-ha" moment, and actually implemented some things I had been working toward!

Parisian Pigeon, 16" x 12"

This was kind of a quirky composition I put together. In Paris, I had taken lots of scenery photos, but had also taken one of this pigeon whose appearance I had thought was very distinctive. However, the original setting for the bird was not a particularly exciting one, so I decided to place it in the context of a more attractive view for my painting. The piece turned out to be sort of unusual, but fun I thought! I especially enjoy the way the sky mimics the pigeons colors.

The Golden Bicycle

 

La Bicyclette d'Or, 14 1/2" x 17 1/2"

This was a scene from the farmhouse where we stayed near Mouleydier, in the Dordogne region in France. I thought it was a rather quintessentially European country image with the bicycle, flowers and rustic building. I also enjoyed the concentration of golden hues and felt that it had a warm, summery feel to it. One of the great things about painting from my travel photos is that I get to re-experience the ambience of those wonderful places!

Place de Vosges

Place de Vosges, 10 1/4" x 14 1/4"

Paris is filled with beautiful parks, and this one was right across the street from where we were staying. With their wonderful water fountains and manicured gardens, they are very popular and frequented daily by locals and tourists alike. This was a small painting I tried to do quickly and loosely, and to convey a stroll through the park on a warm summer day. One of my goals in watercolor is trying to give the impression/suggestion of the image without fussing the details; giving the viewer the opportunity to "complete" the scene with their imagination. Including people in my paintings is also something I'm working on, and once again, without being too detailed about it!

Parisian Elegance

 

Pigalle Balcony 21 1/2" x 14"

Wandering through Paris, it's impossible not to be enthralled with it's beauty, and certainly the architecture is at the forefront. Every avenue seems to be lined with elegant buildings displaying elaborate architectural details, from sculptural stone work to decorative wrought iron. This was actually a fairly typical large multi-story building with numerous windows and balconies, and altogether striking. One of the more difficult things for me, when faced with an abundance of rich imagery like that, is in defining a focal point and distilling it down to the essence of what I want to say. So I reduced it to this view of a single balcony enhanced by the summer flowers, which really 'explained' my interest in the whole building. Interestingly, the street level of the building was unoccupied store fronts covered in graffiti, which were a marked contrast to the classical details of the apartments above. Although there was probably a painting involving that juxtaposition as well, I preferred this instead!

More French Scenery

 

River View, Mouleydier 21 1/2" x 14"

Another painting of France, in fact it's the same building as in the previous post viewed from across the river. I found this scene inspiring, not only in it's architectural beauty, but also from a compositional point of view. The diagonal zig-zag of the of the rampart, treetops and clouds along with the vertical elements of the stairs, the evergreens and buildings created an interesting dynamic. I also enjoyed the shadows and dappled sunlight coming through the trees on a summer afternoon. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to deal with the lacy foliage of the trees against the darks or the masonary of the walls when I began, but apparently that seems to be standard operating procedure - just dive in and figure it out!

The Inspiration of France

 

 Hotel de Ville, Mouleydier, 11" x 14 3/4"

A couple of years ago we took an absolutely delightful trip to France; spending time in Paris, the Loire Valley, the Dordogne region, Brittany and many places in between. It was a splendid adventure, sharing all the beauty and hospitality of France with family and friends. I also discovered that there's a "Kodak Moment" around every corner, and easily managed to max out my camera's memory card! The method to my photographic madness was in fact, to bring home not only memories, but also plenty of imagery for painting.

This painting of the city hall in Mouleydier, where we stayed in the Dordogne, was the first of several I have done. French architecture is gorgeous, and I thought even this small building merited a painting. Just for fun, I did the entire piece with a No. 12 Round brush in an effort to keep it rather loose, and I think it created a somewhat soft impressionistic feel.