What Art Did You Do This Summer ~ Part 2 Donna Vis

What Art Did You Do This Summer – continued

We rented a farmhouse in Provence, France. There were 13 of us together for one week, so I was able to have some time to paint in between meals!

The farmhouse itself was very old and full of interesting details. I enjoyed this view of the hot pink Oleander against the old rock walls and bright blue shutters. I was able to ignore the satellite dish.

Did I mention it was HOT outside?

         Look carefully at the next photo. See the hand bell in the niche?  

Well, it was dinner time, so with pastel dust on my fingers, I picked it up and began to swing it back and forth to call the gang to eat.  Little did I know there was a hornet’s nest inside.

I tried to run, but let’s face it, I’m a lot slower than an angry insect. So with bell in hand, still swinging of course, two hornets came straight at me… I’ve never been stung by a hornet before, have you?  Or in this case stung by two hornets…

The next photo shows where I left the painting for the night.

I enjoyed my dinner with a glass of French wine (for medicinal purposes of course) and ice on my swollen skin.

Here is the finished field study. What I love about painting in plein air is being able to convey the feeling of the day in the the art. Can you tell it was HOT?

 Thanks for this great post Donna! 

Creativity takes courage.

~ Henri Matisse

New Series: What Art did you do this Summer? Part 1 ~ Provence

Donna Vis's Summer Vacation - Part I

Lavender Fields in Provence. Sault, France.

 

Do you remember back-to-school in elementary grades when your teacher asked "What did you do over the Summer?" We usually spent the first day doing a project that covered this subject.

So today I'm going to share with you my design inspirations over the summer. Some ended up in finished art, some as beautiful photos for future work.

Here is the beginning of a few posts to come.

 

I have ALWAYS wanted to paint the rows of lavender in Provence. A month ago, that's what I did!

 

And, I took a million photographs to reference for future studio work.

That's me!

Should I paint the scene vertically?

Or should I go horizontal? (After drinking French hard cider I went horizontal back at the farmhouse!)

I chose this scene for my field study...by then I only had about 2 hours left of good light.

Here is my set-up! I just couldn't grow an arm long enough to photograph myself working alone!

For the trip I bought a new Heilman box, their smaller easel and a very good, lightweight tripod that is wonderfully easy to use.

I borrowed the umbrella. Usually I have the umbrella separate from my box because I don't want everything to fly away with a gust of wind.

The weather cooperated. What a day!

This is where I left it. No sun left!

But look at this beautiful sky!

Next post, a glimpse at our French farmhouse - where I was stung by wasps... at my easel!

Until then, all my best.

Donna Vis

Some spots are the cradle of genius.

Provence is one.

~Lawrence Durrell, 1959