Paintings I did in France

Here are some pics of my paintings that I did in France, but I had a difficult time taking good photographs - so please excuse the poor photography. (I need to take a course from Christian and Holly=)

These were all painted on location each in a two to three hour session, (alla prima, and en plein air).

This was the first painting I did, and is a typical French house, at least in the area we were. Most of the houses in Brittany were white with grey slate roofs (see pics of France below)

Both paintings, above and below, are of the same house from different perspectives. The beach was only a couple of minutes walk from where we stayed.

Low tide in the little harbor (below). I painted this blue boat, as the colors were so common to the area.

The same little harbor in the afternoon at high tide.

As we were painting, the owner of the little orange boat came to make sure we were doing his boat justice. I could not speak French, and he did not speak a word of English. I wondered what he was so passionately saying.

Sunset in Quimiac (These colors are not accurate in the photo, but you get the picture =)

Market day. Painting her took a lot of discipline, because what I really was enthralled with were the thatched roofs of these houses,which I never did paint =).

This was painted early in the day when the boats seem to all go out. We had to paint our model as she strolled down the beach.

Trying to paint people walking is not easy. It was early afternoon, and the shadows were really strong across the path.
I was so caught up in the red cliffs and painting the surroundings that I did not get to painting our model until just before we were to pack up and leave. It was a glorious spot, but quite windy.

Early morning mist. I loved painting this picture. Most of this painting was done with a palette knife. I really enjoy using it, and putting on the paint thickly (impasto).

The same scene, only now it's afternoon and the sun is shining brilliantly.

I did this with a palette knife, except for the blue wash of the sky .

La Roche Bernard in late afternoon.

I really was having a lot of fun using the palette knife.

The morning of the last day of painting. What a lovely spot this was to paint, especially early in the morning. The sights, the sounds, the smells, all seem to come back as I remember painting this painting with Sara, and our little group. It truly was a great adventure, from beginning to end!