Painting in France. June 9-20. Post #3, the Paintings.

My Painting rig.  The tripod stand is borrowed, since Joel's luggage (carrying my tripod) was temporarily lost by the airline. But, it all arrived neatly at the local post office on the following Tuesday.  

I'm in France!  Funny, it smells just like Idaho.

A view of our Monastery near Saint-Hilaire de Villefranche.  Le Vieux Monestere.

Sunday. Spence, Painting from our Backyard.

I started out drawing.  Derwent Dark Wash sketch pencil, 8b on water color paper. 10"x7"

Derwent Dark Wash sketch pencil, 8b on water color paper. 10"x7"

Derwent Dark Wash sketch pencil, 8b on water color paper. 10"x7"

Oil on Water Color paper. 7"x10".  I use Arches Hot Press water color blocks.

Oil on Linen, 15"x8". I prepared myself a bunch of Linen boards glued to Foam core.  They worked out great, light and easily clamped to my homemade Pochade box.

10"x7" Watercolor.  I loved these rolling hills. This was our second day of painting.

10"x7" Watercolor. Same day as the previous painting.

8"x8" Oil on Linen.  This was later in the day, from our back yard, looking far East.

Our 3rd day of Painting.  10"x7" Watercolor.

10"x7" Watercolor. the first of two of this scene.  It was a neat little this strip of wheat cutting through the forest.

10"x7" Watercolor. the second of two of this scene.

On Wednesday we drove into LaRochelle to work with our model, Lucie.  We worked outside, in our host's Mother-In Law's private yard.  This was such a luxury! 

After returning to our Monastery we were too pumped up to sleep and took on the challenge of Night Painting!

Early Thursday morning. 9"x12" Oil on Watercolor Paper.  The day before we had all been discussing all the interesting contrails in the sky.

Thursday, 15"x8".  Oil on Linen.  Hay rolls!  I had been anticipating painting these hay rolls  in oil and had a ball with this one.

Spence painting the Hayrolls and using another for cover!

8"x8" oil on Linen. Painting on the island of  Île de Ré. 

Joel, Painting on the Île de Ré.

8"x8" Oil on Linen.  The Church right next to our Monastery.   

Sunday. Our last full day in Saint-Hilaire de Villefranche.  12"x9" Watercolor.
I got up to paint the sunrise, or at least to try too.  I painted too fast, but even then, was too slow!
Within 20 minutes the Sun moved behind the clouds.

...and then it looked like this! 10"x7" Watercolor.

...and then this! 10"x7" Watercolor.  

Looking Northwards from the same location. 10"x7" Watercolor.

That same day, in the Afternoon, I went out into the Sunflower fields to try this closed Sunflower.  They were pretty stunted by lack of rain earlier in the season and were not open yet.  Still interesting though.
8"x8" Oil on Linen.

8"x8" Oil on Linen.  My last painting of the trip.  Hay roll heaven!