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I've been working hard on oils on paper and prints since I got home from Paris and only sketching occasionally, so it felt great to take a few days' vacation from the studio work and sketch a bunch instead.
And of course I spent some time sketching in Tower Grove Park as well, one of my longtime muses.
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Park Friends Music Nights have started back again for the fall. We had the Side Street Steppers open the season for us, and Mr. Darcy and I had a night out together. I did a good bit of sketching, as I tend to when I'm listening to live music, and I tested out a new golden brown ink in my favorite fountain pen.
I was kind of low energy, and it was also a little bit low light, so I didn't do any watercolors. Just stuck to line drawings.
Of course I had to draw my date...
The next morning I took my sketching things along for my morning walk to check out that ink in the forest. I really love how it melds with the watercolor.
I also drew my favorite tree (again) on the way home.
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I got home from a weekend in St. Louis yesterday. It was a fun progressive pajama party. Bob and Martha stayed with me on Friday night while Bob called our dance, and then I went up to stay with them for a couple of nights and dance there. I saw all kinds of really lovely friends I hadn't seen in far too long, including several trees I love in Tower Grove Park.
It had been fully a year, so I was relieved to see my favorite old sycamore, below, still thriving. I visited her first on Saturday night and then spent a lovely Sunday morning walking and sketching at the other end of the park. I was having so much fun with people that I spent less time than usual with trees this trip, but I have a feeling I'll be going back again sooner this time.
I also did a quick sketch at Sunday lunch. It's very, very rapid, but I wanted to mark the occasion and remember the good company. Just a fast sketch in my art journal will bring back good memories later on.
Also, I'm way late scanning these in, but I saw Le Tumulte Noir, one of my favorite local bands, the previous Sunday at Huey's. Going to sit and listen and have a burger is one of my favorite small pleasures in life when there's a good band playing.
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Skies are truly calling to me this trip. I've been painting them myself but also looking at the way other people paint them. Of the five studies I did in the Orsay today, three featured skies. Above is Henry Tanner, 1905, Christ and his disciples on the road to Bethany. The combination of tree plus moon got me. I wish I'd been able to replicate his deep purple-y blue of the sky.
I spent most of my day with the surrealists today. I've loved Rodin since a show of his I saw as a teen, though it's never been the kind of art I do. For many years I was a pure landscapist. But I've been feeling drawn to having more narration in my work the last few years, and I love the mystery of Redon's paintings. The way he captures deeper truth by taking liberties with the surface truth. That's a bit of how I felt with the self portrait I did against the stars recently. Here Rodin is using clouds as a backdrop for two portraits, the way Vincent used stars.
I spent most of my day with the surrealists today. I've loved Rodin since a show of his I saw as a teen, though it's never been the kind of art I do. For many years I was a pure landscapist. But I've been feeling drawn to having more narration in my work the last few years, and I love the mystery of Redon's paintings. The way he captures deeper truth by taking liberties with the surface truth. That's a bit of how I felt with the self portrait I did against the stars recently. Here Rodin is using clouds as a backdrop for two portraits, the way Vincent used stars.
I love the one of the boy best (I'm guessing his son by the name), but I was struck by the very realistic woman sitting in a demure armchair with carefully rendered embroidery juxtaposed with the fantastical sky. This feels a bit of what I wanted to do in those recent self portraits. Since I'm also doing so many cloud studies recently, I may have to try my own one of these as well.
I had already warmed up for the Orsay, unknowingly, by doing another cloud study over breakfast this morning. It's a skies sort of day.
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Just across the street from me is Montparnasse cemetery. It doesn't have the overpass that so delights me in the Montmartre one, but it's a lovely place. This angel at the center of it caught my eye immediately.
On my way there, the scene below caught my eye as well. I had a happy morning painting there with lunch and tea quite close by when I was done. Perfect.
On my way there, the scene below caught my eye as well. I had a happy morning painting there with lunch and tea quite close by when I was done. Perfect.
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It's been a crazy week. For me and for the park both. After a long process of mediation that largely failed, the mayor announced a compromise on the park. It calls for moving another good chunk of the trees planted for my mother, and I'm sure we'll lose a number in the process (I'm guessing 70 or so off the top of my head but will have to go count). I'm also afraid for some mature trees that I paint regularly. But the main space of the park is supposed to stay park, assuming the city council supports the plan. That plus some long family conversations this week left me pretty played out and dazed last night, so of course, I painted my dog. Always a good choice.
Today I went out to the park (with Mr. Darcy, of course) and did a sketch of the Greensward that I am hoping will now remain green. Until the next time we have to fight the city off paving it... Hopefully a long time from now.
Today I went out to the park (with Mr. Darcy, of course) and did a sketch of the Greensward that I am hoping will now remain green. Until the next time we have to fight the city off paving it... Hopefully a long time from now.
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I had a historical kind of day on Saturday. I walked through both Yorktown and Williamsburg. It was fun to see the old houses and history, but once again, I notice that what I actually sketched are the trees. I have realized recently that one reason I like old places is that they also tend to preserve their old trees. I sketched the tree above on the fringe of the Yorktown battlefield.
Just for variety, I tried the bridge nearby as well, next the farmers market they have. I've been trying to work more in markers again, but this one wasn't particularly successful.
Just for variety, I tried the bridge nearby as well, next the farmers market they have. I've been trying to work more in markers again, but this one wasn't particularly successful.
I also sketched quickly in the Yorktown graveyard. I'm a sucker for old cemeteries, and the side of this raised grave was both beguiling in design and covered with colored lichen.
We moved on to Williamsburg after that, and I enjoyed walking through the village. I was especially drawn to the gardens there. This tree branch echoed the curve of the gateway into the churchyard and completely beguiled me.
I finished with one more garden, somewhat hidden away, with a gorgeouly gnarled tree at its center. It was a lovely shady place to sit, and I couldn't resist sketching as well. Many thanks to my patient tour guide who hung out while I did all this. I was just on a panel at Crosstown Arts about art and travel, and one of my fellow artists said one key piece was to pick patient traveling companions and also make sketching just the thing that you do, so they know it's a part of who you are. Good advice all around. I tend to travel solo usually but am grateful to my periodic traveling companions who do end up being kind and patient while I sketch a bit.
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I had a couple of lovely food moments recently. One was a slightly rainy but still successful picnic under a gorgeous, spreading catalpa tree. I'd been wanting to sketch it for a while and finally managed it.
I also enjoy sketching special food that I'm really enjoying. It slows me down and helps me appreciate and also helps me remember so I enjoy the moment all over again later. Lavender creme brulee completely qualifies for such immortality.
I also enjoy sketching special food that I'm really enjoying. It slows me down and helps me appreciate and also helps me remember so I enjoy the moment all over again later. Lavender creme brulee completely qualifies for such immortality.
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One of the amazing things about Paris, besides the bakeries, is the museums. It's marvelous for an artist to be able to go sit and look and sketch stunning works of art. I visited the Orangerie the other day. Walking into those two oval rooms of enormous water lily pieces that completely surround and engulf you is a stunning experience.
I did a first sketch of the room at large, going for impression instead of accuracy in rendering the actual paintings.
Then in the second room, I did a more intensive study of maybe my favorite of the works. It's darker than most, with subtle tonal changes, and I loved the process of looking deeply enough to try to copy it.
Finally here is a Klimt study I did Friday at the Musee d'Orsay. I must have had extra patience that day. I had already done two highly detailed watercolors, and this is the painting that called my name to sketch ad I wound down. I love Klimt's richness and texture, and when he does trees and landscapes, I swoon.
I walked home utterly, fizzingly happy. Painting in Paris is such an amazing thing to get to do. I am extremely lucky in my travels.
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The park in my neighborhood, the back side of Montmartre, is Square Leon-Serpollet. It's a beautifully designed public space, with multiple levels of playgrounds, formal gardens, and ball space. It's got lots of nooks and crannies and a little bit of something for anyone in the neighborhood. It's also big enough to catch some sun early and late, when the streets and lower floors of buildings are canyons cut off from direct sunlight. So good in a city to have spaces like this.
The cherry trees along the top level are blooming right now. I sketched them last evening while I was out doing errands and then waiting for the pizza place to open. (7pm, which is late for this American, but the pizza made by guys from Naples is worth it.)
I was happy with the sketch and enjoyed doing it, so I went back this morning to do a fuller version.
The cherry trees along the top level are blooming right now. I sketched them last evening while I was out doing errands and then waiting for the pizza place to open. (7pm, which is late for this American, but the pizza made by guys from Naples is worth it.)
I was happy with the sketch and enjoyed doing it, so I went back this morning to do a fuller version.
I've been telling myself that one full watercolor a day will be enough to give me the show I want to have of Paris this fall. Given the chancy weather, I'm not always able to do more than one. Yesterday's painting was a little further down my way to town, but still on the Rue du Montmartre, so I'm lumping it in as a neighborhood piece.
I am loving being able to paint in Paris, but I will say that some pieces are easier than others. The morning light really grabbed me for this one, but it was a challenge to finish. It was a fairly busy street right at, apparently, delivery time. So van after large van parked illegally in front of me, blocking my view as I worked. Coupled with sun that kept disappearing when I COULD see, the light in this is not quite as steady and consistent as I would like. It wasn't the most "romantic painting in Paris" moment that I've had, but there have been some lovely ones of those too this trip. All things considered, I am not unhappy with how this piece turned out. Some days that's truly all you can ask for.
