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Category: painting in Provence

Market Day in St. Remy de Provence

Market Day in St. Remy de Provence

Accordion music fills the streets.   Booths of fresh olives, tablecloths, sunglasses, shoes, dresses, terracotta pots painted with local scenes, spoons carved from olive wood, goat cheeses, donkey soap, lavender soaps, pate de fois, herbs de Provence, lavender honey, Fleur de sel and colorful scarves are an overload of sensations! Wednesday is market day in St. Remy de Provence. Everything imaginable  fills the cobblestone streets of this charming town.  The strong Mistral wind has arrived and blows through the narrow streets creating a dance of swirling fabric and snippets of lavender smells. Our shopping bags are sagging with with local produce and goodies to take home as gifts for our loved ones back home. Hopefully it will all fit in our suitcases!

We return to our hotel to paint the color-filled sights we have seen today in the market and during our stay here.

Olives at the St. Remy Market
Little Baby Olive Trees

Watercolor Journeys for the Traveling Artist, a new DVD

Watercolor Journeys for the Traveling Artist, a new DVD

I haven’t been able to post much lately because my computer was sent away to get a new mother board.  After many weeks it was finally declared a Lemon!  I now have a new computer and find it does work a lot better than my last computer.

Despite my recent computer problems, I have been getting ready for my trip to Loveland, CO to film my new DVD with Interweave Press.  The title will be something like, Watercolor Journeys for the Traveling Artist and I will be demonstrating some great ideas for watercolor painting while traveling.  Here is a painting I did in my watercolor journal this past May while with the group that I took to Provence, France.  We painted on a book page from a French book.

I will let you know when my DVD is available for purchase!
A Peek Inside My Provence Watercolor Journal, Flower Pots

A Peek Inside My Provence Watercolor Journal, Flower Pots

Flower pots of Provence

Here is a page from my watercolor journal that I just finished.  I had to add more darks and shadows and then finished up with some words in the spaces between my little paintings.  I consider this a study of different terra cotta pots that are found through out Provence.  While traveling and painting in your journals, consider doing a study of one item and painting it in different locations, colors and sizes. 

 What kind of paintings have you done that you would consider a study?

What I Will Not Be Missing about Provence, France

What I Will Not Be Missing about Provence, France

There are certain things that I will not be missing from my painting trip to France.  Reliable internet, showers that can get your body wet all at one once and, well, I can’t actually think of anything else right now.  What I will be missing are those huge artichokes from Spain that were in season, outdoor fresh food markets with stalls of roasted chicken and an unbelievable variety of cheeses, quiet afternoons spent painting at the charming Hotel du Soleil, lingering sunsets that glowed against centuries old buildings, fields and fields of red poppies, meeting up with French friends, making new friends, red doors, blue shutters, lavender ice cream, olive groves… I think the list is endless!

The fabulous Francoise and Guy, Proprietors of the Hotel du Soleil.  Thank you so much for another lovely time in St. Remy de Provence!!!  

Merci Doris for all your insightful painting critiques!
Painting Water Reflections in Isle sur la Sorgue & the Cafe Waiter Race

Painting Water Reflections in Isle sur la Sorgue & the Cafe Waiter Race

My cousine, Marie, has joined us from Paris.  What a sport!  She loves all the crazy mixed media ideas I have.  Got to love that!

The River Sorgue surrounds the charming town, Isle sur la Sorgue, as if to hug it. Walking along the canals you will notice how they run between the narrow ancient streets. There are little bridges to cross and great wheels to look at with mossy blades turning in the river.  It is also a wonderful place to paint reflections. We find a fabulous restaurant, Les Terrasse du Bassin, which turns out to be a perfect spot for enjoying the cafe as well as the perfect painting spot for painting on location.  The river seems to be calmer here so the reflections on the water are perfect for painting.

The view across from Les Terrasses du Bassin with wonderful reflections in the water
Helen’s wonderful painting of the reflections at our favorite spot.
Sunday can be a fun day in St. Remy de Provence and this particular Sunday is the local waiter race. 

Waiters dressed up as chickens race too!

 
Glasses on the trays are are filled with liquid at the beginning of the race.  They are then measured at the ed of the race and lose of liquid is counted against the waiter.
Just a question for you – How does one walk on these cobble stone streets in these shoes????


Exploring St. Remy

Exploring St. Remy

Students are starting to arrive in St. Remy de Provence.  The weather is beautiful, sunny and warm with a slight breeze – perfect for painting plein aire.  Helen has never been to St. Remy de Provence so we walk around the town.  The ancient village is surrounded by an old Roman wall.  We find a fountain dedicated to Nostradamus, born here and credited with predicting numerous events in world history, from the Great Fire of London, the rise of Napoleon of France and Adolf Hitler, to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.  
Walking around the old town we end up at La Place du Favier – this will be one of our painting site.
Janviere, Mary Ann and Sharon exploring La Place Favier, St. Remy de Provence

Janviere finishes her beautiful poppy painting!

 We enjoy a pleasant afternoon painting at our peaceful Hotel du Soleil.  We have the whole place to ourselves! 

Kendra and I show our paintings

Sunlit wall in St. Remy

Here is my journal painting of the sunlit wall in St. Remy

After everyone has arrived we have a scrumptious sunset dinner on the terrace: pate, carrot salad, tabouli, an array of French cheeses, saucisson and of course French bread and Cote du Rhone wine.  We have the most spectacular apple tart for dessert!  The perfect sweet for a fabulous day!
Oh and I almost forgot, but here is a close up photo of my petite palette used for painting-on-the-go that Laure asked to see!