Painting in Monet's Garden

Saying that painting in Monet's garden was a dream come true is not exactly accurate since it was an experience beyond my wildest dreams. I will be forever greatful to Tom Stack and Gail Knowles for jumping through hoops and making the connections to get us permission to paint in the garden after hours.

We are packed up and ready to head off to Giverny. Yoshiko, Connie, Gail B, Mary and Layla.

Arriving in Giverny, Rue Claude Monet. As with all worthwhile experiences the journey was full of challenges that made the destination even more appreciated.

I've got my easel and I am ready to go. We arrived early enough to scope out our spots so we could concentrate on painting as soon as the doors closed at 5:30.

Yoshiko, Gail B., Connie, Mary and Tom as they paint the waterlilies.

Yoshiko in Monet's window. The guard let us peak in the house after the last guests were leaving.

Gail, Connie, Layla and Tom painting away. 

As a perfect end to the day, we stopped off in Roeun to see the cathedral at sunset. On the next trip I would like to add a painting excursion here. Since we won't have months to paint here like Monet, my plan would be to have students do drawings of the cathedral on canvas prior to the visit and add the light as we see it changing on the backdrop of the cathedral before our eyes.


Adrienne Wyman Kralick
website - www.AdrienneArtist.com
email - AdrienneArtist@gmail.com
blogs -
Inspired by the Impressionists www.AdrienneArt.blogspot.com
Inspired by Africa www.AdrienneArtist.blogspot.com
on Facebook AdrienneArtist and Studio on the Green

Normandy, A Feast to an Artist's Eye

Normandy is a feast to an artist's eye. There are so many scenes to be painted it is hard to choose just one, or two or three...... Just tonight, I decided to go sit in the garden to write this blog. I noticed a rose trellis on the house that had turned a pure cadmium red in the setting sun. I took out my camera to catch the moment, then I saw golden light streaming through the entrance to the garden, I followed it taking pictures along the way to the warm peach bands of light streaming down the front of our Normand style house, across the canal, past the church, over the bride, through the alley, catching the light in reference photos along the way. I decided that we would set up on the bridges over the canals tomorrow night so we would be ready to captures the light in paint as it streamed through the passage ways created by the canals, illuminating the buildings. This could be our only chance. ( I hope not)

Pont Audemer, often called the Venice of France.

Here are some photos from our painting and travel day today.

This is our home in Normandy. The house to the left is where all the artists are staying. The house in the middle and to the right are owned by our host in Normandy, Gail Knowles. Without her tis trip would not be possible. Her house literally could be a museum. Every inch is gorgeous, like the page of a French decorating magazine. It was an Inn built in 1650 before she and he husband bought it. The house on the far right belongs to our landlord, Mr. and Mrs. Foltz. What a charming, welcoming and elegant couple. Mrs. Foltz is French but speaks English beautifully with a soft upper class British accent. They could not have been more welcoming and more hospitable. The whole complex has been in their family for centuries. His father was an artist and his paintings adorn the house.

 This morning I was so happy to do a few demos in the garden for Gail Baird who is the newest painter in the group. She has the passion and the eye, all she needs is to learn the tools of the trade and she will be a fabulous painter.

 Layla was focused painted in the garden this morning.

Gail and I are painting as poor Tom is trying to fix his easel which TSA managed to mangle during their security check.

Connie on the medieval streets of Honfleur

In the afternoon we visited the medieval village of Honfleur, where Boudin and Monet painted side by side.

 We had a glorious lunch full of sunshine, wine, and delicious local specialties. At this point I turned to Gail Knowles (in the black sweater) and said "Do you realize that you live in Paradise?"  She said yes but it is always nice to hear.

 Adrienne Wyman Kralick
website - www.AdrienneArtist.com
email - AdrienneArtist@gmail.com
blogs -
Inspired by the Impressionists www.AdrienneArt.blogspot.com
Inspired by Africa www.AdrienneArtist.blogspot.com
on Facebook AdrienneArtist and Studio on the Green

From Paris to Normandy

Pics from today..... 

 

Picking up a rental car in Paris is no easy feat.

 

Try fitting 7 women, 1 man, 7 easels, paints boxes, art supplies, plus books and flea market finds, including a doll house into one van.

Beneath the historic city of Paris  is this futuristic rental car parking lot.

 

We were packed in tight but I personally didn't mind because I was captivated by the landscape passing by my window. All of the paintings we saw in the museums were becoming clear before our  eyes.

 

 

Arriving in Pont Audemer, we were in awe. There was beauty beyond our imaginations in every corner of the yards, houses, window boxes, canals and bridge. It is almost overwhelming. We plan to get up early tomorrow morning to have a painting session at the open air market and then head out to Giverney after lunch.

Musee D'Orsay et L'Orangerie

 Just a quick post before we head out for dinner.

Mary, Adrienne, Yoshiko and Layla at the Orsay.

Everyone is resting in their own way at the Orsay.

An artist after my own heart painting.

Lunch at Le Frigate.

Monet's series Les Nymphias at the Orangerie  were breathtaking.

Connie and Mary resting like Parisians.

Paris was a beautiful typical gray today.



We have arrived in Paris! Oh la la

Throughout the afternoon artists arrived at the hotel, each with travel stories to share. Mary and Layla got upgraded to business class (way to go girls) and Gail was evacuated from the airport Starbucks by police with machine guns just when she was supposed to meet Yoshiko, Yikes.  Well, they did find each other and we are all here safe and sound.  A group of us were able to spend some time at The Sennelier Store. It is the oldest art supply store in Paris and it really felt that way. It was small and crowded with a narrow spiral staircase that lead to the upper floor. It was very specialized with only the best paints and brushes, this is no Micheal's that's for sure. We had to fight our way to the counter to pay and say our fair share of "Pardon, Pardons" just to maneuver around. It was fabulous. I can't wait to try out my new Sennelier colors. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow when we tour the D'Orsay! A demain!

 

 

Magnifique, Merci Beaucoup & Bon Voyage

Magnifique! In case you haven't heard the great news, we have been granted exclusive access to paint in Monet's garden next Monday when it is closed to the public. (Check out the itinerary for changes)

Alexandra and Adrienne in Giverney 1998.

Merci Beaucoup Gail Knowles, our host in Normandy, for contacting the Monet Foundation and getting us this once in a lifetime opportunity. I never could have imagined this 15 years ago when I took my young daughter to Giverny. We were on a sort of pilgrimage inspired by the children's book, "Linnea in Monet's Garden" and my life long love of Impressionism. We surfed the crowds and looked for gaps to take pictures of the places we had admired in the book and in Monet's paintings. It was so difficult to get just one without scores of people in the shot. Now, to think I will be painting in Monet's very own garden with my own group of  artist friends just like Monet shared his garden with his friends like Manet, Renoir, Pissaro and Sargent.


Bon Voyage, Mary and Layla, who are leaving for Paris today. We will see you on Thursday afternoon when we start off our adventure by shopping at Sennelier, the oldest art supply store in Paris and purchase paints just like the Impressionists.

Cobalt Violet was a newly invented color when Monet said  " I have discovered the color of the atmosphere, it is Violet"

Time to Practice Plein Air

Since most of us going on this trip do not paint outside on a regular basis, I think  it is a good idea to practice this week as if you are painting in France to make sure you are comfortable with all of your supplies. This way you can  see what works and what doesn't and see what supplies you might need. This will give you have time to shop or order in line.

This morning I went just outside of my front door to do just that and here is what I learned.  Hopefully it will be of help to you.

I liked having a few canvases pinned to a cork board so I could work on several paintings at once and not overwork one.

I pinned a paper towel to the board so that I could wipe off extra paint there and free my hands from holding a paper towel. I was holding a wooden palette.

I am definitely going to bring my painting apron with pockets. I plan to put a rag and some wet wipes in my packets.

I loved, loved having a small palette knife for adding think paint to my lights. (It may be a good idea to bring some of those wet canvas carrier clips)

I was able to hang my mineral spirits and a trash bag to the hooks on my portable easel. I am going to throw some small plastic grocery bags in my suitcase.

Try different canvases to see what you like best. I did not like the cheap cotton pad I used last week. I think I am going to cut some squares of linen in various sizes.

I am really happy with the way the Alkyd Quick Dry White is drying to the touch in just a few hours. I would get some if you don't have any.

Hope that helps. 

From Boudin to Bonnard

A lifetime of passion, painting, travel and study will be coming together in less than two weeks when I embark on a tour of the Path of the Impressionists with a group of artists. Some are new to the group and some have been studying oil painting with me for many years and are studio mates at Studio on the Green in Great Falls, Virginia. We all share the same passion for art and passion for learning. We will begin in Paris touring the museums that focus on the Impressionists, the artists who inspired them and the ones that they inspired. We will study the paintings in the museums and then go on location to the same sights where they were painted. We'll travel the path of the Impressionists along the Seine river from Paris, through Giverny to the beaches of Normandy, painting and learning along the way.

We will focus our scope on the 19th century period encompassing Boudin to Bonnard with a major emphasis on Monet. Boudin being one of his first mentors and Bonnard, a Post Impressionists he influenced, was a pall bearer at his funeral. We will tour Monet's house and Garden in Giverny and paint on the same Normandy beaches as he and his friends. While in Normandy we will stay and paint in the picturesque village of Pont Audemer, known as the Venice of France. Like the friends who made up the group of artists known today as The Impressionists, we will paint together in the countryside and eat together in cafe's and brasseries of Paris and Normandy,  sharing, learning and hopefully becoming better artists and friends along the way.

Follow along on our journey and if you like what you see, perhaps you can join us next time.

Adriennne Wyman Kralick