One Tree Hill, France

"One Tree Hill, France"

Oil on gessobord, 8x10"

When I received this photo from my sister, who often visits France's vineyards, I loved the ancient stone structure and neatly tended rows of grapes. However, I was really drawn to the single tree waving in the wind. While it was overshadowed in a landscape of beauty, it became my focal point. When I search vast fields for my own composition, my eyes are often drawn to a single object. And often, it too, gets lost in a field of beauty.

French Landscape

French Landscape, pastel on paper, 5x8 inches

I have been looking online at some abstract landscapes done in pastel.  I find myself enlarging sections of them and looking at the layering of color, completely amazed. I have to admit, I have done very little work in pastel, but I have always wanted to learn. So, throwing all caution to the wind, coinciding with me not wanting to paint in my freezing cold studio, I found  a reason to work upstairs again with a new medium. This photo is from my sister's collection of her tour de France back in July, that I had on my list of photos to paint from. It was a simple scene to start a small pastel journey. I left the photo unedited so you can see the small size and the bound sketchpad that I am working on.

Au Cep de Vigne

Au Cep de Vigne, oil on Ampersand gessobord, 5x7 inches

The translation of "au cep de Vigne" is simply "vine" by most translation apps, but it is really more like "from the vine" or "vine stock".  I choose to add my own interpretation and imagine it being a roundabout way of getting to the end result - "wine" :-).   This was painted from another photo of my sister's farewell tour of Europe before returning to the U.S.   The building is a hotel/restaurant near Stasbourg, France in the Alsace grape growing region, near the German border.  Natural window decorations are common throughout Europe in the old old cities and easy to miss if you are used to looking down. So, when you go to Europe get used to looking up!

I had multiple problems with this one including straight lines!  Also,  the colors I painted with are true to the historic structure, thus making the photo of the painting run very hot. I rarely manipulate the images I take, but this one had to be cooled down.   

Vignoble de Ribeauvillé

Vignoble de Ribeauvillé, oil on gessobord, 6x8 inches

I fall into a hypnotic state when I stare at a vineyard. I wonder who's  systematic approach was used years ago (sometimes over one hundred) when planning and planting the fields. How did they get everything so symmetrical? Symmetry is a tricky thing to paint because you have to do the scene justice for those planners of yore.  I painted this scene from Ribeauvillé , France at the end of August and sat on it for a while.  After I received a new paint order which included a  vibrant pre-mixed green, I used it to accent the fields. Only then did I finally feel like it honored the integrity of the actual landscape.

L'hotel Francais

L'hotel Francais, oil on gessobord,6x8"

This is painted from another photo from my sister.  It was a simple little courtyard patio set, aside an ancient stone building with a terra cotta tiled roof.  I can hear the birds, feel the speckled sunlight, and taste the wine now!

My work schedule seems to be getting in the way of painting.  When I returned to teaching this school year, I tried in vain to find a way to make room in my crowded day for painting.  So far I'm not doing as well as I hoped and mostly because of fatigue.  I have to be able to focus while I paint and a lot of days that is not happening.  I have the weekends, and that I am grateful but right now I wish I had more time to devote. I guess it's always something!