Almost Normal

Song - I Love Paris by the Avalon Jazz Band

I just returned home from a month in France and I am almost back to normal from jet lag. Unfortunately I was unable to blog while traveling due to Google Blogger not allowing me to download my photos to my blog post.  

So now that I am home, I would love to share some of my trip with you......

The first 10 days I spent with two of my girlfriends who are long time friends - forty plus years.  And even though we don't spend a lot of time together in California, it's so easy to slip into a fun and comfortable relationship with each other. They are sisters and so incredibly funny and dear. They don't like to have their photo taken so this is probably the only view you will see of them!

 

Our first day in Paris was spent getting situated in our room, trying to get over our exhaustion and reorienting ourselves on the local streets. I had left my house at about 3 am to catch or flight out of San Francisco and in the process I left my Camera, toothbrush, travel binder & glasses at home - they happened to be sitting right next to my purse but......Mr. B mailed them to the hotel and saved the day!

Over the next couple of day we visited Notre Dame as it was raining. It is still standing and is still amazing.

We also visited Musee d'Orsay with the delight of small children!

I couldn't quite decide what time zone I was in so I covered all of my bases. Quiche Lorraine, salad, wine and Diet Coke!

Haystacks by Monet 

Detail from Haystacks - just look at all of those yummy colors in both his shadows and lights!

 

 

Petite Dancer by Degas 1881

Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe by Monet

On the evening of our second day we dined at Cafe Varenne which was recommended to us by several friends.  It was a great neighborhood café in the 7th with excellent food and a fun staff.  When it was time to leave we had two waiters and the Maitre d’ all outside helping us hail a cab!

.....and it was asparagus season!

"Traveling....

it leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller."

--Ibn Battuta

Oscar

Song - The Painter by Neil Young

Friday a friend and I went to an exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.  The exhibit was "Monet - The Early Years" and encompassed his paintings from 1858 - 1872.

He put in the work to find his style.  

Would you ever think that these two paintings were painted by Claude Monet?

 

 The card for the above painting read "the still life was the rainy day activity for plein air painters"

This painting is a detail from the two huge canvases that depicts an outdoor luncheon.  The dappled light just brings you eye around and around the paintings.

His snow scene's were brilliant.  My very favorite painting of his (the one directly about) brought tears to my eyes - The Magpie.  Even though it looks like a pretty basic snow scene, there is so much soft color in this painting.

And his depiction of water during these early years shows where he was style was heading.

 A

 B

 C

D

Can you match the water details in the paintings above with the paintings below?

B

D

C

A

And check out a close up of the "people" in the above painting.

Two are headless and one mans pants are not attached to his upper half!

And does this even matter when you look at the entire painting?  Not to me as I enjoyed the energy of the painting, the movement in the water, the colors, the brushstrokes and the feeling that it evokes.

 "The Beach at Trouville"

His people in these scenes are just "suggestions"!

Another favorite of mine was borrowed from the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC for this show and is titled "Argenteuil". 

I loved the show and I loved seeing so many paintings of Claude Monet that I have never seen before!

Now you are probably wondering .....

"Why did she name this post - Oscar?"

I never knew.....now we both do!

And I still say that Brandon Crawford looks a lot like Oscar!!!

"Everyday I discover more and more beautiful things.  

It's enough to drive one mad.

I have such a desire to do everything,

my head is bursting with it."

--Claude Monet

Impressions of the Day

Song - Con te Partiro by Andrea Bocelli

Last Sunday Mr. B and I went to the Legion of Honor in San Francisco to see the Intimate Impressionism show from the National Gallery, Washington DC which they are remodeling.

Not Washington....but the Gallery.

Just thought I might have confused you there......

It was lovely and there were many great pieces but I did have a few favorites.

There are several pieces that I wanted to share with you....

The Artist's Sister at a Window by Berthe Morisot

The Artists Paint Box and Moss Roses by Edouard Vuillard

Sweeet!

Argenteuil by Claude Monet

Detail of Argenteuil 

Just look at those yummmmy colors!

Table Set in a Garden by Pierre Bonnard

I can just see myself sitting in that garden having a cup of tea.

The last two are probably my favorites because they are just so painterly!

Then Mr. B took me for coffee and cheesecake at Caffe Trieste because I have been commissioned to do a painting of the little coffee house and I needed some reference material.

And then I took Mr. B across the street to......

Church !

This is actually the Nuova Porziuncola at the National Shrine of Saint Francis and is a scaled replica of St. Francis's Porziuncola in Assisi, Italy.

As we were driving home, we both felt like we had a mini European vacation!

Without Chevy Chase!!!

"For it is in giving that we receive." --St. Francis of Assisi

The Eyes Have It

I have been working on a series of farm animal paintings from photos I took of cows and sheep in the Tomales area, also from chickens in my own backyard. When I paint an animal at a distance it ends up feeling more like a landscape to me.  

Odessa

 But when I zoom in close and get the feel of the animal through it's expression, I feel like I have captured something exciting!  I especially love to capture the eyes looking straight at me because as I am watching this amazing animal, he is checking me out.



Charlie



Annie



 He is trying to figure out if I am a threat or not.  The little ones run close to their mother but the older animals usually stand their ground, stop eating, check out the situation, then resume whatever they were doing before I came along.

If I am patient, I usually get some good shots.  In the last month, I have sold three of the "cropped close" paintings and I think it's because of the wonderful energy these little paintings exude. 

"I would like to paint the way a bird sings."   - Claude Monet

The Pond Gardener

The Pond Gardener at Giverny

Today I am working on a painting of the pond cleaner at Giverny.  I am working at adding some background atmosphere, as it was a overcast Spring day.  Every morning a gardener goes out in a little green boat and maintains Claude Monet's waterlilies.  I am trying to capture the tranquility of the pond as well as the gardener who is intent on doing  a good job in this beautiful place. This is my photo reference and tomorrow I hope to post the finished painting!

"Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment."  - Claude Monet