Today was a delicious day! Just perfect for moving pots around and getting the fountain running, planting some, digging some and simply just being in the present.
A few sketches done after digging and dressing the garden.
All sketches done in sketchbook 19x25cm, rotring artist pen, red pilot pen and wash.
The traditional Fête des plantes is held at the château de la Bourdaisière here in Montlouis every year over the Easter weekend. We went on Sunday, I dragged my head cold body along, since I wanted to do drawing and didn’t want to wait another year.. As I was sketching some scenes, a man approached me and asked if he could have a look at my work. We started talking, and he turned out to be from France 3 television. So, on Sunday night “moi” appeared briefly on France 3 in a reportage about the festival, showing me sketching along…. the short time my sketching was being filmed, the thing I was worried about most, was whether I had any stains on my sleeve!
All sketches in rotring pen(.35) and watercolour in sketchbook 19x25cm.
Encouraged by Jana and Robyn, I took up the oil brush again. Not to do paintings, but oil sketches. Went to my cute little art store, solved the world’s problems along with the owner, got a lovely compliment from a french guy buying paper and walked out with more brushes and some oil paper in blocks, which I’ve never used before. They worked out perfectly for the oil sketches! Another alternative would be to prime drawing paper with acrylic paint as an undercoat. I prefer the blocked canvas paper which is sturdy. I really enjoyed getting back to oils… missed the smell and sensuality and drama of oil paint. Now that my tubes have been opened again, I hope to do much more oil work again, sketching as well as painting. I used clementines as subject for both watercolour and oil sketches.
The watercolour was done in molekine, using a .25 rotring(which I love for the brilliance of the ink and its fine point), watercolours and a petit gris brush, no 0.
For this oil sketch, I started by laying a thin wash(oil and turpentine) roughly over an area, let it dry and directly sketched the clementines with brush and oil and a drop of Venetian turpentine as medium.
I had some oil paint left on my palette and attempted a second clementine sketch, changed the composition and lay a contrasting colour background which is once again a thinned wash, using plenty of turpentine with a big brush.
I stalked Tokala and Aiyani today with my new Rotring art pen, water and petit gris brush, and moleskine. I do enjoy the ease with which the pen bleeds, which caused me to be a little overzealous with the washes.
I don’t have resolutions. Nor do I have goals. Many moods, but no goals. And a lot of things to do, which could probably be seen as goals. But my list of things to do comes straight down to my current mood when making the list and so, goals are ruled out. Except for the end-of-week goal, or anti-procrastinating-bill-paying goals.
Here is my list which needs checking off as soon as posible, before the wind of moods changes direction.
First and foremost, I have to reach the tighter hole in my belt before the end of January, for after that I can give it up for a bad job.
My purse is to be ball-and-chained. The only time it can be opened, is when some cash needs to find its way in, which isn’t very likely, so the key will be safely deposited at the bank. Question is, can I trust the bank?
Because of the very uncharacteristic availability of cookies in this house recently (the result of having a foodblog!) my consumption of coffee needs to be speedily reduced by two cups a day. The empty cookie jars is a sad sight, so maybe this one is easy…
I won’t bore you with the rest of my “to do list”.
But I do have one resolution actually. Or rather, more of an attitude change. Every year something or someone crosses my path to bring it along. Just recently we spent an evening with a Peruvian family of seven brothers and sisters, with their families, all together for Christmas (here in France). I learnt something from them that evening(apart from their exuberant passion) and especially from my friend Letitia and I decided it would be my perspective as well from now on. I have never heard Letitia passing judgement on anybody. She sees no reason to voice a negative opinion about anyone, whoever it may be and under whatever circumstance. That is an example I want to follow.
Sort of in this spirit of being positive and promoting all that is good and uplifting, I’d like to introduce you to some new artists I came upon whose art is beautiful. I was actually tagged by Cindy(see below), but since I’ve done a tagging just a while ago and instead of tagging 5 other people I want to show some work of artists, which I think we’ll all enjoy more! Have a look at these artists’ work, much to appreciate and much to learn. I’ve copied a painting of each of them underneath their names to wet your appetites, so you can click on either one which will link you to their blogs.
Cindy Revell, who does lovely food paintings!
Christopher Stott, whose beautiful work I found through Cindy.
D Prizzi, who also does the most beatiful food art and literally had my mouth watering, just seeing this berry tart!
Sandra, with her radiant, yet gentle watercolours AND recipes alongside.
Jerry Lobo, who gives great practical advice with his beautiful loose paintings, which can be applied to any medium.
Africantapestry 
