Post Trip Studio Painting From Photos

If you come home from a trip and want to paint some of the interesting things you've seen, you need to make some decisions.
You have to decide if you need to clean up your studio before you begin painting. I decided not to clean up. I pushed aside everything on my desk until I made room to paint. If you busy yourself with straightening out your studio your feelings and emotions about your painting subjects will fade. If you choose to paint right away while your trip memories are fresh, I think some how the excitement you felt about your subject will be carried into your painting.
The other reason to decide
to paint immediately is because you still have memories of the time of day and intensity of light to add to your photo reference. Once your feelings and thoughts about the light fade, you have only your photo to go on. You might make notes about the light and color during or after your trip and those notes will help you remember when you are back home painting.

Why I Have To Go Back To France

It's all very simple. I have to go back to France as soon as soon as possible. There are so many more towns in the south of France with wonderful scenery to paint. Then there is Nice and the surrounding areas that have artwork by Chagall and Matisse that i need to see firsthand. I must also head North in France and see the Loire Valley and visit some chateaux. Of course I have to visit Paris again and discover more incredible neighborhoods and view more art exhibits. I would really like to take you with me. You could keep a journal with daily notes and I will help you draw and paint your travel sketches. Equally important as all of my other reasons for planning another French workshop is that the French chocolate bars have run out.
Plans are now in the works for a workshop in Fall 2013. The thought is to land in London, spend some time in the English countryside, then take the chunnel to Paris and explore the North. If you can fit this into your schedule let me know. We will have a great time.

Painting of the Provence Restaurant I Photograped on My Trip

I came across a copy of the painting I did a few years ago then actually saw the real location 2 weeks ago. I sold the painting some years ago too, so maybe I will paint a new version from my recent photo, it could be an interesting painting experience, what do you think?

Back to Burittos and Beagles Etc,

Returning home from a workshop in Europe requires a gradual adjustment. After dining in Paris bistros and at the Sous L'Olivier in Lagnes in Provence every night for a week, I could not immediately go back to my own cooking. My husband was kind enough to take me out to our favorite burritto joint for lunch yesterday to ease my transition to my kitchen. I put the tablecloth I bought in the market in St. Remy on our kitchen table to remind me of the bright Provencal colors. The beagles have all been very sincere in welcoming me home and so has our mini aussie. Of course they all wanted to know why the Canadian standard poodle (pictured a few posts ago) got to go to Paris and they had to stay home. To keep up the Paris feeling in my soul, I am trying to imagine the power line tower I see from my backyard is really the Eiffel Tower.

Flying Home From Paris

Well I am on the plane headed home after having to squeeze 2 suitcases into one as Delta changed their luggage policies and wanted to charge me $100.00 for my 2nd bag. Luckily, Debbie helped me contort my belongings and figured out how to zip up an impossibly full bag. After I got through security I was able to throw out non-essentials such as old jeans, socks and 25 napkins saved for dabbing watercolor but could not part with the bag filled with cookies and candy for my family or the 3 books i might possibly need to read on the plane.
All of my students have gone their separate ways and all expressed the desire to make time to paint when they return home. Anyone of you readers discovered ways to find time fit a bit of painting into your daily life? How about commenting on this post and letting us know your discoveries...

So Today I Met A Poodle in Paris

I think the pictures say it all today. However, the poodle who I bet you assumed was French, is actually a Canadian poodle who just flew over to Paris from Southern California.

St.Remy de Provence

On the last day of our workshop we traveled to St. Remy for their market day. The town was very busy with shoppers and merchants filling almost every square and passage way. However, the old section of the village was less crowded and I was able to find the small bistro storefront I painted from my friend's photo several years ago. It was amazing to actually stand in front of Bistro de Marie and peer inside the windows. The bistro was located down a shady winding side street and when I took some deep breaths to calm down my excitement at finding the bistro, I smelled the spicey scent of the market. I definately hope I can conjour up this memory when I am wait ing line at Costco next week.

In The Air Again

As none of us could afford to purchase a home for wayward watercolorists in Provence, we had to leave. We we all sad to say good bye to the lovely B &B, Sous L'Olivier where we stayed during our workshop week. We all agreed we will miss the lovely tablescapes on the dining table each night, the warmth of the farmhouse decor and the company of each other.
At the airport my metal watercolor palette had to be scritinized after it was seen by the x-ray machine.
Our group had been dispursed into different directions. Some of us will fly back to Paris and some will fly home. It's always hard to separate but we will all stay in contact and I know new friendships were made. I look forward to seeing more wonderful paintings producwd by this group.

Elke McKee

I was delighted when Elke signed up for her second trip to France with me. It is her first time in Provence. Visiting here with her best friend, Donna Hogue was #1 on her bucket list. Her goal for the workshop was to enjoy every minute. She thinks that everywhere she looks there is a picture. She also has really enjoyed the delicious food cooked by Julien, the owner of Sous L'Olivier and his attention to detail and decorating his dining tables every night. She also appreciated our guided tours (me and Eileen), and being driven through Provence. Elke adds "heaven on earth!" Her lovely paintings are posted here.

Terrie Ellsworth

Terrie Ellsworth is not only a watercolor artist but also is a Vintage Antique Merchant. It is always wonderful to have her along on our trips because she opens our eyes to all the wonderful treasures and antiques one can find all over the world.
Terrie enjoyed our workshop because she likes the combination of living in a small village and experiencing the local life as well as fabulous shopping opportunities (we both like purchasing shoes, we are not mentioning how many pairs) and shopping the brocante for vintage French treasures.
For Terrie as a beginning watercolor painter she loved the uninterupted time she had to paint this week and improve her skills.
She is now inspired to continue her painting at home and find ways to incorporate it into her vintage business and monthly sales at the Alameda Antique Faire in the Bay Are.

Kathy Harmon-Lubar

Kathy Harmon-Lubar is a fabulous photographer and collage artist from Idyllwild, CA who has attended 2 previous workshops with me in Europe and one workshop stateside at the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program.
Since Kathy is relatively new to watercolor, her goal for her paintings was to improve her use of contrast and use more vibrant color. She feels like she definately has taken a big step forward in achieving these goals during our workshop. She didn't think that anything could possibly be better then our last year's trip to Montisi, Italy, but the fabulous farmhouse and studio we stayed at this week in Provence, the roadtrips to charming and picturesque villages, and the comaraderie amoung friends made this a magical trip as well.

Donna Hogue

This is Donna Hogue's first workshop in Europe with me. Donna says she so enjoyed the luxury of time to paint. Her goal was to finish everything she started painting this week and she certainly accomplished this. Donna is from Granite Bay, California and says she appreciated how well planned and organized our days were. Many of the paintings she finished this week are posted here.

Debbie Reid Talks About Her Workshop Experience

Debbie Reid of the San Francisco Bay area thinks that this workshop has been a magical experience. She thinks so because the first portion of the workshop was spent staying in an apartment and strolling the streets of Paris. Especially magical for her was when we visited Monet's home and garden in Giverny outside of Paris. She says after years of staring at a Monet calendar in her kitchen it was incredible to actually see what Monet painted.
This trip her painting goal was to achieve more vibrant colors and improve her drawing skills. She certainly accomplished both. Some of her paintings and the beautiful journal she made herself are posted here.
This was Debbie's third workshop in Europe with me and she enjoys traveling with some of her new friends she has made on our other trips who also attended this workshop.

Why This American Artist May Be Getting Fat in France?

To answer the question in the title of this post, I must be honest. The food we have been served in France has been incredibly delicious.
The owner and chef of Sous L'Olivier where we are staying has cooked and served us fantastic food and introduced us to new flavors and new methods of cooking. He has also taught us about the "digestif", a wonderful small glass of liquour that you sip at the end of the meal.
At home I am able to say no to dessert or leave food on my plate when I am full. The only will power I seem to have in France is the will not to lick my plate because the food is so delicious.
All I can say is what my daughter taught me to say, "yolo", you only live once.

Today is Liberation Day in France

Today the French celebrate the day the allies liberated France. By taking a wrong turn and making a spontaneous decision we visited the village of Joucas. The locals were gathered in the village square and formed a small procession which we followed to a monument to the soldiers lost in WWI and II, where they laid a wreath and made a speech.
What an amazing celebration to be able to see.
We also discovered a field fiiled with the red poppies that are blooming right now.