This lovely fountain is covered with winter flowers at the moment … a real treat for the eyes. This old village is full of charming little corners to be discovered…There is always plenty of inspiration for paintings…
Tag #architecture
Striking building in Le Cannet
Lovely building in Le Cannet done in my usual style in watercolour and ink. So many interesting subjects to paint in this village attached to Cannes.
Le Cannet : Le mur des amoureux de Raymond Peynet
I have started a series of watercolour paintings this Summer about the small village of Le Cannet North of Cannes. I go there on a regular basis and enjoy very much working with a theme.
This painting is inspired by a very famous fresco done on the façade of an old house in 1990 by the illustrator Raymond Peynet and the painter Guy Ceppa .
“Le mur des amoureux” (the wall of lovers”) has become an inevitable stop for newly-weds, a symbol of joy representing a united couple flying over the Garden of Eden.
Shiny brass door knocker.
A lot of door knockers are made from brass. Some are iron. Brass is a very special metal. It has a golden lustre when polished and expresses wealth, a friendly glow and a welcoming feel. I painted this one which was very shiny and I liked particularly the contrast of the smooth hand and the uneven and textured antique wooden door. I just used watercolours on Arches paper.
Friends and and their 2 dogs at Café des Arcades Valbonne
This is a commissioned painting as a farewell present for someone ‘s friend leaving Valbonne.
I went to the Cafe des Arcades as an incognito tourist taking pictures of the friend in question while she was having a drink at one of the tables. This friend did not know me so could not have guessed why I was around taking photos. It was such fun and exciting !
The painting will be a total surprise as a gift and will go to Australia!
I hope this sunny scene will trigger happy memories of some good time spent with friends in the buzzing village of Valbonne.
In the past year I have done other commissioned paintings one of which went to Singapore. I am so pleased that my watercolours find homes all over the world!
Wedding at a fairytale castle
I had such fun painting this wedding portrait as the whole picture is like a fairytale.
I used 3 different pictures to obtain this landscape and put a lot of details in the middle ground to balance out the quiet foreground. I hope that this picture will be a great present to keep as a good memory of a fabulous day and most excitingly … I was there to witness the magic !
Brittany, the Odet River
I was invited to a wedding last weekend in Brittany and the reception was taking place near the Odet River with its wonderful views. The weather was perfect and this gate between stone walls caught my eye as it created a beautiful contrast in shape and texture.
From a touristic point of view, the river runs past, or through, the towns of Bénodet, Combrit, Plomelin, Quimper, Ergué-Gabéric, Briec-de-l’Odet, Langolen, Coray,Trégourez, Leuhan and Saint-Goazec.
Seagull in Antibes
A huge seagull looking at passers by at Antibes old town ramparts. The light was particularly warm giving this pinkish tone to the sea. I got a very close look and it did not seem to mind thankfully ! I know in general that seagulls can be quite aggressive specially if you happen to eat something..; All I had in hand was my mobile phone… not so appetizing!
The buzz in Valbonne in the early Spring
The Place Des Arcades in Valbonne Village is buzzing with people having a good time and enjoying the unbroken sunshine. This scene is from the terrace of the Café Des Arcades representing the buzz in the village in an early Spring weekend. You can almost hear the sound of people chatting and enjoying themselves. Not only a sunny spot to sit and have a meal or a drink, this place is a major meeting point for all the Valbonnais and the visiting tourists all year round.
Eiffel tower view in Paris
Last weekend we were in Paris. We went to the Palais Chaillot opposite the Eiffel tower to see an exhibition about Art Nouveau, but when we got there, we were told that the exhibition had been on 3 years ago…Big disappointment…. as on the internet the year of the advertised exhibition was not mentioned ! So as we were there, standing in front of ” la Cité de l’Architecture “, we got in to discover an amazing building with high ceilings and a fantastic view of the Eiffel tower.The figure standing in the foreground is me looking out of the window and admiring the amazing view well worth the trouble of getting to the wrong exhibition ! Plus the reflected light from the windows made an interesting subject for the painting.What you see on the walls and the right hand side are replica of pieces of masonry made of plaster.
Hobby Sketcher 