More French Drawings...

Here are few more drawings... they are pretty 'doodly.' I don't know if they'll even make it into the shop because I'm not that happy with them. Maybe the sketchbook is a good place to go right now and hash out a few ideas.

It has been very warm here and the flowers are growing like crazy. There's nothing like checking the garden every morning to see how much growth there was. I like being that kind of 'busy' :) Thank you, summer, for finally arriving in our neck of the woods.

Morning Walk, Vallauris

Hooray, I actually finished a few pieces of new work (India ink drawing with gouache) this morning and posted them in the etsy shop. There are more in the works and I'm working on filling up the shop with new things for summer. Vallauris, France is in Provence and happens to be a little art town known for ceramics. Picasso famously did a lot of clay work there in the 1950's when he was with girlfriend, Francois Gilot. Maybe someday we'll make our way back there!

A Few New Drawings...

This drawing is on fabric... I'm thinking of experimenting with the 'French drawings' and doing them on fabric, quilting them and hanging 'em from a twig or something. Still not sure about that plan.

Now that it's summer and the air is warming... it gave me the urge to start drawing little French scenes. (thankfully I take tons of photos whenever we go on vacation!) The one above is my mom swimming in Arles. We stayed in a beautiful farm house there, right on a waterway in the middle of farmland. (but the mosquitoes at night were quite abundant scary... hence the reason for every window to have hefty screens.) How I wish we could all go back!

Arlesienne Woman study

Arlesienne Woman study, originally uploaded by Tea and Ink.

I love doing sketches on the BIG drawing paper. No rules, no commitments... pure freedom. Kind of like the dogs in the off-leash park :)
There are several more on my flikr page. I've been working all week on finishing up some woodcuts and re-working them after printing. Soon, will be framing up all the stuff for the drive over to Port Angeles, WA for the April show at Itty Bitty Buzz.

Now I'm off to walk the Corgis in the sunshine... happy Saturday.

Golfe Juan Beach

An ink and gouache drawing of a trip to Provence. This was one of many beach clubs you can see from the boardwalk on the edge of the Cote d'Azur. We were heading towards a beach town called Juan les Pins. I was fascinated by the rows of brightly colored umbrellas... a different color for each little club. It wouldn't be mine if it wasn't unfinished, right?! Trying to get these all completed and put 'em in the etsy shop. (PS I'm having a sale on all the paintings on wood right now... check it out here!)

French Alps Drawing

Finally finished this drawing today while sitting out in the sun... my daughter re-arranged her 'rock garden' while I painted. Can't remember the name of this little town... I'm going to have to look it up and scour the names in order the jog the memory! Will be adding it to the shop tonight or tomorrow. There's another cathedral drawing that's just about done. I'm playing with color and making it a little funky. Will share it soon.

Our fence is repaired in the back yard and our puppy (Mr. Darcy) ran around 'off leash' for the first time back there... very exciting indeed! (plus he climbed and descended the stairs - another first)

Little Village Ink Drawing

A street scene in the village of Sospel - French Alps.

I've been trying to finish a lot of ink drawings on paper lately... love painting these with gouache. It's really armchair travel pour moi! But, things are looking up, it's been raining and the snow is slowly melting! There is a little grass visible in the front yard now and rings around the trees and bushes. This is a good sign. Hopefully I'm going to discover a few bulbs peeking through :)

New Drawing

Antibes, France.

Well, with school cancelled and hubby gone back to work, I was still able to get some painting done today in between the snow shoveling! Tackling our lower deck and upper deck... should take some photos... the snow is really getting deep. Maybe drawing pictures of the South of France is my way of dealing with this heavy winter we're having... works for me! Happy Monday :)

Antibes

All this snow and cold has caused my mind to go en vacance.... to the south of France, bien sur! I was able to do a few drawings today amidst my poor little daughter - who has a miserable cold - crying, fussing and yelling throughout the morning before nap time finally arrived. My son, however was so pleased with his new trains and toys, there was a whole lot o' quiet coming from his spot in the playroom. (he's usually the loud one, I love role reversal!) Anyway, the Provence drawings were a lovely form of travel today... I'll be doing more all week. Then, the gouache will come out and I'll paint 'em all.

There's something brand new in the shop today... 'art cards' or blank greeting cards which are reproductions of 2 of my ink drawings with gouache. Take a peek!

Making Progress

The Kite Shop at the Beach

Arles Cafe

Perfumed Hilltop

I'd rather be posting completely finished pieces today... but 'life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.' (Thank you, John Lennon... such true words in 'Mommyland'!) Today I will finish up and perhaps Sat. The Kite Shop is done, though and I'm really happy with it. It's a good sign when you really just want to keep it for yourself! These will probably land in my etsy shop sometime next month.

For fun today, my daughter and I are going to the annual quilt show here in Spokane. It's a yearly ritual for me and now for her since she's gone with me her whole life! I'll be hoping to get a bit of new, brightly colored wool felt from the vendor section.... hooo-haa! Have a happy Friday.

Painted Villa

Don't really know why but I'm fascinated by this house in the South of France... I painted it on a wood box (jewel box) and now, this India ink drawing on paper. I will probably put it in my etsy shop soon. It's supposed to by in the 100's this weekend... blah!

Waterlillies at Giverney - continued

Here is a painting that is nearly finished, I still need to add some highlights but, here it is! I like the dark and medium blues in the water. I think waterlillies are such a great subject, and it seems so many people have paininted them at some point. It 's hard not to think of Monet and waterlillies together. There is a breathtaking exhibit of Monet's waterlillies at the Musee de L'Orangerie in Paris. They are huge and displayed in an oval -shaped room. If they have a website, it's worth checking out.

ADDENDUM:

There is a website... click on "Les Nympheas".
www.musee-orangerie.fr

Dreaming of Giverney

Funny that I've been painting California and France in summer while a snowstorm is hitting our city. Here's a look outside our window.



Oh to be at Giverney again. It is so beautiful. We were there in the month of June and took the train from Paris to the town of Verdun outside of Paris. (or was that town near Versailles? I can't recall. Now, I'll have to look it up or I won't be able to sleep!) Here's the inspiration to all that French daydreaming... my waterlily painting. It's still not finished but is coming along.