Painting

04. 02. 08. Monday. Got up, did Yoga, had breakfast and was just having a shower when there was a knock at the door. I hastily put on my track pants and went downstairs only to be greeted by Jacques and his confreres who were there to clean up the garden! After shaking hands and greeting everyone I went upstairs and got dressed. I came back down and chatted to several members of the association before heading out for the Midi-Libre. On my return worked on a drawing for a monoprint of the Dominican convent which is just around the corner. After lunch went to the supermarket and as it was sunny did the initial drawing for a painting of a view from my garden. It was so great not having to lug everything with you, just being able to go in and out of the house. Spoke to Carole and Jason on the phone – I realise that contact is very important and without the internet I sometimes feel pretty isolated. I was so happy with my drawing that I did a much larger one to use as a base for a monoprint.

05.02. 08. Tuesday. Drove over to Claire’s this morning and had a cup of tea and sent out e mails. One of the emails that I received was from Judith in Merrickville saying that she had sold 3 of my paintings! This was very exciting news altho I have no idea which ones have sold but who cares! Came back here for lunch and then after lunch did a painting of my neighbour’s house from my back garden. It was so nice painting outside near the house and being able to pop in for a cup of tea etc. After finishing the painting I drove out past Notre Dame de Londres scouting sites for potential paintings and took some pics. Julia phoned in the evening and seemed to be in good spirits.

06. 02. 08 Wednesday. Julia’s birthday so phoned her this morning but missed her. After the supermarket started working on a couple of monoprints – one of the neighbour’s house and another of a small church just round the corner. Both worked out quite well and I’m wondering whether to try and colour one. Signs of Spring here – saw a little yellow bird just outside singing its heart out – maybe a yellow finch? I think the tree just outside is an almond tree and I am hoping it might blossom soon. If so, definitely a painting. After lunch drove out of town and found a place overlooking the cliffs of Hortus and the Pic St Loup so settled in and did a small painting which worked well. Came back home and did a big drawing of the cliffs of Hortus for a monoprint. I quite like the drawings that I’m doing for the monoprints. Normally I would chuck them away but I think I will keep them. I have concentrated on tones as the monoprints are black and white so have used various type of shading to show the various tones which make them quite interesting. I think I’m finally in the groove here now. I have established a routine of printing in the mornings and then painting and drawing in the afternoons. It works well as I like starting the day with painting the plate – seems a sort of warm up for painting later on. Fran phoned so it was great to get up to date with all her news and then Julia phoned as well so it has been a pretty good day.

07. 02. 08 Thursday. A very bright morning with high of 15 supposedly. After breakfast opened the shutters from the studio and realised that there was a painting looking up the road to the little bridge. The light seemed just right so started immediately. Again very convenient painting from the studio. After this went off to the art shop in St Gely and bought various bit and pieces that I needed including 3 canvasses on sale. Came home very pleased with myself. Had lunch outside in the garden! It was so warm even the little lizards were darting about in the sun on the wall. Decided to do another painting of the other neighbour’s house – a large house owned by an architect with pool etc. And after this started painting the plate for a monoprint of the the Cliffs of Hortus that I sketched yesterday. Busy day but very satisfying. Printed the plate but it came out too light.

08. 02. 08. Friday. A frustrating start today but after such a great day yesterday, hardly surprising. I had reworked several large paintings in my head during the night and was all ready to go when I realised that it really wasn’t working. I had been thinking about the work of John Virtue and how he reworks everything creating various layers and a sense of history but I couldn’t seem to make it work. I have to somehow loosen up! Anyhow I couldn’t seem to get anywhere so went for a ride to see if I could find new sites for paintings but of course the sun was always in the wrong place! It was a great ride though and slowly I am immersing myself in the landscape and it was warm with lots of sunshine and of course nobody on the back roads. After lunch decided to do a larger canvas of La maison de mon voisin with a lot more drawing and I want to try and let the drawing show through. Did the drawing en plein air directly on the larger canvas and then started painting but had to stop because again I was “making a painting” rather than dealing directly with the landscape so went for another ride. When I got back I thought that perhaps I can make something of this but am going to let it dry for a bit and think about it. Painted plate for another version of the Cliffs of Hortus and made it much darker this time and it worked out very well – it has a very Cezanne like quality. I coloured in the light one but it looks like an Edward Ardizzone illustration!

09.02. 08. Saturday. Had a great ride into Clermont this morning and set up and sent e mails. Spoke to Julia who said that the birthday card I had sent to Daisy nearly 2 weeks ago for her birthday had finally arrived.

01. 02. 08. Drove over on friday afternoon to St Mathieu de Treviers and after asking at the mairie and another person, found Maison d’Emma my home for the next month. There was nobody there but I knew where the key was so let myself in and phoned my contact. Jacques came over after a few minutes and introduced himself. Nice guy, does really meticulous watercolours and builds model boats from kits. He suggested that I might want to go to the supermarket to get some supplies etc and offered to take me over in his car which was great. En route dropped by his house which is in the old village. Very comfortable, old renovated farmhouse. He has a great studio which is part conservatory with loads of plants – quite tropical with orange and lemon trees. I met Nicole his wife and also met his dog. After the supermarket he wanted to know if I needed anything else and I said that I needed some paper for monoprints so he then took me off to the local art shop which had a pack of 25 sheets on as a special promotion. Finally he dropped me off with all my various bits and pieces and I haven’t seen or heard from him since! I thought I might have had dinner with them or something. However I remember how the French are – that bizarre mixture of formality and friendliness. Anyway I made something for dinner and then spent the evening watching absolutely asinine game shows on French TV – there was only the news and game shows! So I have no internet but do have television!

02. 02. 08. Saturday got up remembering all the things that I had forgotten to bring over from Clermont (rollers etc for monoprints) so drove back and picked them up and then drove back here. It only takes just over and hour each way. In the afternoon and evening did a couple of monoprints and a small painting. I have since erased the painting but the prints are Ok for a start. I feel much happier about things now and think that I can actually get something done this month. Still not totally focussed but think I can make my way through. Part of the problem is intellectual stimulus – not a lot around here and I realise how much I have relied on the internet It make an enormous difference – however, I don’t have it so will have to dig deeper within myself.

03. 02. 08. Sunday – overcast and grey. Went for a walk around town – not much happening but took some pics and found a good boulangerie. Rained all afternoon so did a very complicated little postcard watercolour of a whole load of stuff in the kitchen – there must have been nearly 20 different items on the tray and then did a self portrait. All the time half watching a Brit crime drama called New Tricks in French. Odd kind of cozy wintery, afternoon but strangely satisfying. Just before dark decided to do a small oil of the view outside – pretty overcast and dark.