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Exploring the Charm of Antibes, French Riviera. Travel and art

Artist, ArtTravel, France, Uncategorized, Voyage

Urban sketching. Antibes, France. Itinerary for seeing one of the gem in Provence.

Going to Antibes in France… Why Antibes?

A watercolor painting depicting the coastline of Antibes, France, showcasing sandy beaches, boats in the water, and a distant view of hills and greenery.
A watercolor painting capturing the scenic beauty of Antibes, with its vibrant coastal landscape and distant hills.

I will tell about the beauty of Provence based on our experience of 10 years. We have had a long relationship that we hope will continue for many years…
We fell in love with the Mediterranean coast of France and its towns right away. We always come back here again and again.

Watercolor painting illustrating a travel route from Toronto to Antibes via Paris and Nice, depicting people and luggage in vibrant colors.
Artist’s watercolor depiction of a journey from Toronto to Antibes, highlighting the joy of travel and cultural experiences.
What is the beauty and goodness of Provence? Discovering Antibes: A Traveler’s Guide to Provence

Toronto- Paris- Antibes itinerary, 2019. Our voyage’s feeling always started from an airport door.

People are free from problems and minor life concerns. They exist between countries and continents. The air is full of a vibrant mixture of cultures, customs, and nationalities.

My favorite scene with Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan in the movie “French Kiss” is the take off scene. Everything is behind you…

Freedom of speaking with temporary neighbors is everywhere on a road. At any airport, especially during international flights, is driving my happiness as the traveling artist.

This flight was with Air France. I enjoy their safety movie featuring five young beauties. It reminds me of the French movie Eight Women with Catherine Deneve, Fanny Ardant, and Emmanuelle Bėart. Classic chic madams and mademoiselles and their flared dresses and colored shoes, beautiful and stylish, back in time.

A colorful watercolor painting of several figures in traditional attire, featuring vibrant red dresses and detailed surroundings, framed with a golden border.
A vibrant watercolor painting depicting women in traditional attire, evoking the charm of cultural celebrations.

The safety video shows in funny way usually regular boring but must-be learning process. Why not be entertaining and have safety training explanation at once? :)

You had a blast watching the video “Consignes de sécurité Air France – Bienvenue à bord.” It was flirtatiously fun. It felt like a romantic ad at 30,000 feet.

An abstract painting with vibrant colors, featuring a physical form that resembles curves and outlines set against a textured background.
A vibrant watercolor painting showcasing the beauty of Provence, highlighting the colors and essence of the Mediterranean landscape.
How to get there?

In Provence, south of France, there are many intercity buses. These include both speedy and local buses between Nice airport and Cote d’Azur towns.

A watercolor painting depicting a map of the Côte d'Azur with a yellow and blue bus drawn on it, showcasing the scenic coastal region of France.
A watercolor illustration of the bus route from Nice to Antibes, highlighting the picturesque landscapes of the Côte d’Azur.

We took bus #250 that goes every 30 min from Nice airport to Antibes. It then continues to Cannes. I highly recommend taking the express bus.

It will save your time and energy especially on the first day of your vacation after flight.(information about the bus on the bottom of post)

I started to do my sketches right away :) My Watercolour painting is done with Provençal magic Watercolour box Charvin. In the Nice’s store I hesitated to buy ALL of them.

Finally, 12 clear sea and old Provençal roofs’ building color paints were chosen, and the owner unexpectedly gave me one extra for luck:)

Thank you, I will come back soon.

CHARVIN PAINTS
A Charvin Paris watercolor paint set along with its carrying case, featuring colorful paint cakes in an open tin.
Artistic watercolors from Charvin Paris, perfect for capturing the vibrant colors of Provence.

French Riviera Beach painting on Salis beach (Plage de la Salis)

A watercolor painting depicting a serene beach scene in Antibes, France, with gentle waves, distant sailboats, and lush greenery along the shore.
Watercolor painting of Salis Beach in Antibes, showcasing the serene Mediterranean coastline and vibrant skies.
A woman sitting on a towel at the beach, enjoying a snack, while people are relaxing and playing in the background.
A serene moment on the beach in Antibes, showcasing visitors enjoying the sun and sea.
A colorful watercolor painting depicting a Mediterranean beach scene in Antibes, France, with colorful umbrellas, gentle waves, and charming coastal buildings.
Watercolor painting depicting the serene beach scene of Antibes, capturing the essence of the Mediterranean coast.

I will tell you about this wonderful place with some notes as a traveler. My artist’s paintings and drawings of the Antibes will also be included. It is one of the Mediterranean French coast’s cities. Antibes is known for its legends, friendly people, museums, and yummy food. It offers sunny beaches and a warm sea. Most importantly for me, it includes artists’ paths.

Sunset watercolor painting of Antibes, showcasing vibrant colors reflected in the water.
A vibrant watercolor painting depicting a sunset view over Antibes, showcasing the town’s coastal beauty.
Napoleon’s family Legend in Antibes

Let’s start with one of the Antibes’ legends is about Napoleon’s family. Locals are saying that Napoleon’s mother and his sisters lived in Antibes. It is not confirmed in fact. Nonetheless, the locals added some explanation on a house’s sign. Below is the photo from this place.

A sign on a stone wall, indicating a historical reference to Napoleon and the house where he allegedly slept, surrounded by blooming flowers.
A sign on a historic building in Antibes claims Napoleon once stayed here. It is surrounded by a charming stone wall and colorful flowers.

Antibes beaches with its mild colors, tender rose, blue and violet painting. I was painting this view of local houses and beach with hill surroundings. The long path leads to next town Juan les Pins, our favorite two long sandy beaches, Ponteil and Salis.I was painting sea’s stones on Antibes’ beach. This type of sketches is relaxing time spending…

I was painting sea’s stones on Antibes’ beach. This type of sketches is relaxing time spending…

Watercolor painting depicting colorful pebbles on the beach, showcasing a blend of hues like orange, yellow, blue, and green against a soft blue background.
This is a watercolor painting. It showcases the colorful stones and pebbles found on the beaches of Antibes. It captures the vibrant essence of this beautiful Mediterranean town.
Watercolor painting depicting a scenic view of the sunset over water with foliage in the foreground and a distant town in the background.
A serene watercolor painting capturing the sunset over the coastal landscape of Antibes, framed by trees.

Antibes is town with lots of energy and has “all in one”.

The old city of Antibes is full of charm

The old city of Antibes is full of charm. Under the south sun, all houses look like gold buildings. Flowers cover their walls.

A vibrant watercolor painting depicting a scene in Provence, featuring a house with a textured yellow wall, green shutters, and colorful foliage in shades of red and pink.
A vibrant watercolor painting capturing the warm tones of Provence, showcasing charming architecture and colorful flora.

Antibes has the Archaeological museum, see below the map of the Ville d’Antipolis, how Romans used to call it.

Map showing the proximity of the ancient city of Antipolis in relation to nearby locations and features.
Map of the ancient city of Antibolis, highlighting significant archaeological sites and surrounding areas.
A watercolor painting of chocolate-covered olives, depicting realistic chocolate textures and colors.
Watercolor painting of chocolate-covered olives, a charming treat inspired by the flavors of Antibes.
Archaeological museum in Antibes

One day, I visited this small archaeological museum. Even without translation into English, I learned about the ancient history of this place. It was the former settlement of the Greeks, then the Romans, the Etruscan and then Galls.  There are lots of underwater amphorae and wrecks off Antibes. These once held fine wine and were raised from the bottom of the sea.

It was the former settlement of the Greeks, then the Romans, the Etruscan and then Galls. 

There are lots of underwater amphorae and wrecks off Antibes. They once contained fine wine. These were raised from the bottom of the sea.

A colorful abstract painting depicting an Etruscan vase in vibrant blues and greens.
Etruscan vase sketch, reflecting the ancient culture and art of Antibes.

Another legend is the Etruscan learned to make wine residents of Provence’s French Galas. Interesting, isn’t it?:)

I drew one of their works of pottery’s art Etruscan vase.

10 years ago, I felt a deep connection to the Etruscan culture. It had gone into oblivion. I read some books about Etruscan culture by Jean-Paul Thuillier, Nemirovsky, and Jean-Noel Robert.

It opened my eyes to many things and historical events. After this, we visited the special Etruscan museum and Villa Medici in Rome. Our local Toronto’s museum, ROM, also has an Etruscan section with some good exponents.

A colorful abstract artwork featuring a profile of a male figure with curly hair, surrounded by blue and green hues.
An artistic interpretation showcasing Etruscan faces, highlighting the individuality of ancient personalities.

Etruscan faces on painting what remained of the exhibits expressed the display of the personality, individuality of a person’s traits. After the influence of Greek culture it started to be prettier but faceless personal features.

Connection between Antibes and Impressionism

Another fascinating story of Antibes is about the connection between the city and Impressionism. This was a new art movement in the 19th century.

It started from Monet, my favorite artist and the creator of impressionism style.

I read the book Monet and the Mediterranean several years ago. Joachim Pissarro wrote it. This book actually opened for me the city of Antibes.

Monet stayed in Antibes for 5 months in 1988. He painted many paintings from this place. His works include “Antibes seen from La Salis”, “Morning at Antibes”, and “Gardener’s House at Antibes”.

Others include “Antibes seen from Plateau Notre-Dame.” There is also “The Gulf of Antibes.” Another one is “View of the Bay and Maritime Alps at Antibes.” Monet wrote to his wife Alice “What I will bring back from here will be pure, gentle sweetness.”

Winding paths offer a view of the ancient city. The silver-violet color of the mountains is visible in the distance. These elements are inviting for a romantic walk.

Old pines are handed close over the path, setting beyond the horizon highlights the sea and the city in distance.

There are some artists discovered this amazing city and landscape around it. Long path near Antibes is very popular among impressionists and post impressionists like Monet, Sisley, Cross, Signac. Their artworks made this town famous.

Everywhere on a long path you see lots of reproductions of artists. They are standing exactly on the places where they created by different artists. This place inspired many artists and me. It can invite you to visit for traveling and producing some artworks.

Gourmet Immigration or Mistress of the Copper Mountain

We once traveled to France for our family summer vacation. During this trip, my husband invented a new expression, “Gourmet Immigration.” It is a brilliant discovery. I hope we will implement it in the future.

Chocolate olives in chocolate, chic, isn’t it? Full impression that it is OLIVES. No, no, no, no, no, no! It is dark and milk chocolates in the form of black and green olives

Watercolor painting of a bag labeled "Olives Chocolat" with chocolate-covered olives scattered on a wooden surface.
A watercolor painting of chocolate olives, highlighting the unique and delicious treats found in Antibes.


Two ladies, maybe sisters or friends offer any French chocolate treats. They seem like the mistress of Antibes’ chocolate makers with mouth-watering chocolate. Alternatively, they resemble the legendary Mistress of the Copper Mountain who loves chocolate. Instead of minerals, their product is made from chocolate.

Note. Mistress of the Copper Mountain, also known as the Malachite Maid, is a legendary creature from Slavic myths. She is a fairy tale character and the mountain spirit from the legends of the Ural miners. As the Mistress of the Ural Mountains, she is depicted as a beautiful green-eyed young woman in a malachite gown.

A watercolor painting depicting a box of chocolate olives alongside black and green olives on a wooden surface.
Watercolor painting of French chocolate olives, showcasing creative culinary delights found in Antibes.
Picasso Museum

I’m not really a fan of Picasso but his story of living in the Antibes is joyful. Picasso lived here after the Second World War when everybody’s feelings were happy because of the end of world war.  Picasso drew local women Antibes, and one of his famous painting is Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon). Then suddenly he decided to learn something new, but again in his style. It was start of the new era of Picasso’s pottery.

My favorite expressions of Picasso from this period are many. One expression is, “I have spent my whole life knowing how to draw like a child.” He famously said, “J’ai mis toute ma vie à savoir dessiner comme un enfant.” Another expression is “I do not seek, I find.” In French, it’s “Je ne cherche pas, je trouve.”

A watercolor painting depicting three sculptures on a coastal promenade with a view of the sea and a sailboat in the background, capturing the essence of the Mediterranean landscape.
A watercolor painting depicting the sculptures along the Antibes coastline, highlighting the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea and artistic inspiration.

Picasso decided to learn how to make sculptures from scratch when the local pottery master visited Picasso’s exhibition. It turned out to be 7 years of relationship. During this time, the famous artist learned from very basic vases in his 70th at the local workshop. This led to the creation of great and individually recognizable artworks. 

Picasso learned it for many years, and yes, it was free of charge training. Nonetheless, the workshop can copy Picasso’s pottery artworks. These were originally made in this place. They can copy them for a certain number of times and sell these artworks. They are saying that the agreement is still in force. Picasso began with simple vases, and then went on to do art in direction. Some sculptures you see in the Antibes museum.

A watercolor painting depicting abstract ceramic figures inspired by Picasso's pottery, with a light blue background and artistic representations of the sculptures.
http://www.antibes-juanlespins.com/culture/musee-picasso. Museum Picasso. Chateau Grimaldi, Place du Chateau, Antibes 06600

I’ve drawn and later finished with watercolors some of his vases. This is the advantage to being an artist. You not be allowed to take photos, but pencil sketches are fine under the museum’s rules. Voilà!

Antibes’ locals love cats; there are some signs on the doors in the Old Town. I drew them on the location.

Watercolor painting featuring a humorous sign that reads 'Une maison sans chat ce n'est pas une maison' (A house without a cat is not a home) along with decorative elements of a door and floral motifs.
Artistic depiction of a house sign in Antibes with a charming cat theme, reflecting the local love for cats.

The market in the Antibes is particularly remarkable. Baguettes and croissants, handmade early in the morning, are sold at the market quickly. You can buy real Antibes wine. You will also find Pâté de Foie Gras (goose liver) with colorful ripe vegetables and fruits at the Marche provencal. Address: 27 cours Massena, Antibes

Famous Gelateria is just next to the Market.

A watercolor painting of a gelateria sign that reads 'Gelateria Del Porto' with illustrations of ice cream cups beneath it.
Watercolor illustration of Gelateria Del Porto in Antibes, showcasing delicious ice cream offerings.

Our favorite bakery was near our Royal Antibes hotel. It is a great place that you will enjoy. It is in very close distance to Salis and the private Royal beach with a restaurant on it.

Watercolor painting of Royal Beach in Antibes, showcasing the beach area with sun loungers and palm trees, alongside a depiction of bakery and chocolate pastries.
A charming watercolor painting of the Royal Antibes Hotel and nearby bakery, reflecting the beauty of the French Riviera.

The bakery is just next to the beach, named La-brasserie-de-lillette. I want to highlight some rules inside the small store that sells croissants and other bakeries. Customers must not wear swimsuits, even though it’s just a minute away from the beach. Please respect the “Queen” – French baguette.

Sunset in French Riviera, Antibes

You get up at 7 in the morning and you go to meet the dawn. Nowhere in the world there is no such beauty.

A vibrant seascape painting depicting a small boat on the water with colorful waves and a dramatic sky.
A vibrant pastel painting capturing the serene beauty of a boat on water, reflecting the colorful sky in Antibes.

We visited more than 30 locations in Provence in last 10 years, and I am enjoying to paint on location, and Antibes is the city you will enjoy travel and paint with Joie de Vivre (a feeling of enjoyment of life)

Watercolor painting depicting the coastal town of Antibes in France, showcasing its charming buildings and the sea.
A watercolor painting capturing the serene beauty of Antibes, a charming town on the French Riviera.
Daily trips from Antibes. Transportation

For daily trips I recommend to buy the “Ticket Azur” that allow you to take two transport networks in succession, to finish a journey, including one change between one of the lines on the Departmental Council’s TAM network and a line on one of the following networks: Envibus (Antibes and surrounding area), Communauté de la Riviera Française (Menton and surrounding area), Sillages (Grasse and surrounding area), Bus Varmer (Carros and surrounding area), Ligne d’Azur (Nice and surrounding area), Bus Azur (Cannes and surrounding area)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

You are welcome to visit my personal website pages. There, you can find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings. You can buy canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

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Nice Art Store. https://charvin-arts.com/, address 39 rue Gioffredo, 06000

Tools used for my painting include Charvin and Van Gogh watercolours. I also used Pastel GrayPas Expressionist. Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens were used as well. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

Brasserie  la-brasserie-de-l-illette24 boulevard Marechal Leclerc, Antibes 06600.

Antibes’ chocolate store . Le Comptoir de Mathilde, votre épicerie fine/chocolaterie à Antibes. Address 20, rue de la RépubliqueAntibes

Antibes’ Gelateria https://www.gelateriadelporto.com/

Royal Antibes Hotel,residence https://www.hotel-royal-antibes.com

Train sites https://www.raileurope.ca.

https://www.raileurope.com

Below is information information for Nice express bus

Travel and Art based on Inktober 31 days=31 drawings fun challenge. Day 30 – Slither

Artist, ink, Uncategorized, Urban sketching, Voyage

The next Inktober prompt is Slither.

For Inktober prompt Slitcher I did an ink drawing of ice skaters. This joy that you experience from sliding … fast and not very … Lightness, smiles!Beautiful lighting, music  and a huge amount of endorphins – hormones of happiness – are released into your body and you are full of optimism and joy:)

How long have you been skating? Last winter? Or many years ago, as a child? Cutting through the air, rushing on skates is fun that charges us with positive and makes us feel so fast and light:)

I am looking forward for skating here, in Toronto this winter!:)

And I am ready for tomorrow’s Inktober prompt – Risk.

Here is the official site with 2021 prompts and rules https://inktober.com/

Bon voyage! Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave

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Welcome to a world of limitless possibilities, where the journey is as exhilarating and where every moment is an opportunity.

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Travel and Art based on Inktober 31 days=31 drawings fun challenge. Day 9.

Artist, ink, Uncategorized, Urban sketching, Voyage

The October 9th prompt is Pressure.

A rainy Saturday afternoon encouraged me to draw some sort of social ink drawing for Inktober 2021. Pressure and manipulation of public opinion to a person, pressure from a city, pressure from the employer…And it would be great to break the “fetters” from a manipulator and manage your life by yourself:)

And I am ready for tomorrow’s Inktober prompt – Pick.

Here is the official site with 2021 prompts and rules https://inktober.com/

Bon voyage!

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

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Travel and Art based on Inktober 31 days=31 drawings fun challenge. Day 4.

Artist, ink, Uncategorized, Urban sketching, Voyage

The October 4th prompt is Knot.

For this prompt I was doing a drawing with trees’ roots intertwined into knots in this enchanted forest. We visited Jones waterfall on Ontario, Canada and were impressed by it by view of these trees’ “knots”…

There is a raging and rumbling waterfall right in the forest. Well.. it was a combination of a scary fair tale’s feelings to overlook many huge intertwined roots in knots of gigantic trees on the edge of the abyss and at the same time a magic view of the waterfall.. I do recommend to visit this place to everyone:)

I added a little bit burnt sienna and peat brown ink for adding some autumn’s atmosphere for my drawing.

And I am ready for tomorrow’s Inktober prompt – Raven

Here is the official site with 2021 prompts and rules https://inktober.com/

Bon voyage!

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

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Travel and Art based on Inktober 31 days=31 drawings fun challenge. Day 1.

ink, Uncategorized

For Inktober I bought two new albums and tested both, Rhodia and Clairefontaine Goldline. Both have great quality of paper,hmm not easy desicision..:)

I chose Rhodia ink album, Noodler’s ink and Lamy pen for my Inktober 31 days maraphon 2021. Let’s start FUN!:)

The October 1st prompt is Crystal. I choose our daughter’s souvenir from Denver, USA as my reference to draw a crystal. A little iron horse is standing on a postament made from ametist.

Crystal of ametist has interesting option to refract light and its dark view has magical power to this stone, looks like very fregile and light but it is strong and beautiful. Did you know that crystals were used by some medieval poets as a way to question desire and the wonder of love?:)

Inktober 2021. Day 1. Crystal

My discovery that ink drawing is easy to do with Lines and Spots and enjoy the process:) And one more thought, next time during my travelling I will buy more souverirs, they are the best memory:)

I am adding my stamp with logo of Travel and Art that I did by myself and date for my records.

And I am ready for tomorrow’s Inktober prompt – Suit.

Here is the official site with 2021 prompts and rules https://inktober.com/

Bon voyage!

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

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Travel and Art based on Inktober 31 days=31 drawings fun challenge. Beginning.

Illustrative Journey, ink, Uncategorized

This is the 1st time I decided to participate in the famous global challenge Inktober 31 days maraphon. Let’s start FUN!:) Here is the official site with prompts and rules https://inktober.com/

My drawings Inktober will be based on some little stories about travel, happened in past and planning future ones. It will be about my favourite places in France, Italy, Spain, motherland Belarus and my current home country Canada, maybe I will discover new places with my virtual travel and art.

Who knows it will be an easy or hard journey for future 31 days or after couple days my regular full time job tasks will stop my optimism to do daily drawings and posts and move it away with Toronto fall windy weather.. will see:)

My goal is attempt to learn something new and be part of my colleagues artists in all countries. I am inviting everybody to join our community:)

I am planning to use watercolor paper and black ink, maybe will add some light tones with other ink’s colours or some watercolours, will see how it goes. The October 1st prompt is Crystal, until tomorrow:)

https://inktober.com/

Bon voyage! Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave

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All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

The magic of the holidays is in the making! ✨ Join me on this artistic adventure as I explore the captivating world of #TravelVibes #ArtAdventure

My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. November, Winter mood. Part 10

ArtTravel

This post is a collection of my October daily sketches, but we’re jumping straight to winter. Because why follow a calendar like normal people?

Toronto’s winter is basically nature’s way of saying “time to stay indoors and contemplate your life choices.” Think snow, think wind, think your home suddenly becomes a cozy fortress where you can enjoy the view from your window while secretly judging people who actually venture outside. There’s ice skating (bring your bruises), and a festive Christmas-New Years atmosphere that makes you forget your heating bill exists.

Fair warning: All paintings in this post are refugees from previous seasons. Consider them time travelers.

Ontario Place in winter, immortalized in oil. Pro tip: If you squint really hard at this painting, you can spot the CN Tower looming in the distance—you know, that charming 0.5 km tall landmark that Toronto residents can see from literally everywhere, even from their nightmares.

Spot the CN Tower. No seriously, it’s in there somewhere.

Winter at Toronto Music Garden downtown? Chef’s kiss. Fancy lights everywhere, a stunning CN Tower backdrop, and—here’s the plot twist—a couple of bright yellow summer beach chairs just casually hanging out on the frozen Ontario lake, apparently on strike from summer and refusing to acknowledge they’re in the wrong season.

Beach chairs on ice. Summer is in denial.

Queens Quay West and Spadina: The year is ending, and Toronto’s streetcar is basically in a mad dash to the finish line! This imaginary masterpiece features a Toronto tram hurtling toward the New Year like it’s late for a very important date, complete with Christmas sled deer (yes, deer—stay with me), flying gifts, and a suspiciously placed bucket of champagne just waiting to get obliterated by a speeding tram. What could go wrong? Happy Holidays will be welcoming… especially this year :)

Yet another Toronto Music Garden watercolor! Featuring: one lonesome snowman, striking a philosophical pose with the CN Tower as his existential backdrop, and a shimmering silver Christmas ball judging his life choices. This was painted during a winter when Toronto actually got snow—yes, that rare, mythical phenomenon. Spoiler: snow doesn’t usually crash this far south near Ontario lake. When it does, locals act like they’ve discovered a new planet.

Or maybe it was a family having the time of their lives, engaged in the ancient tradition of hurling snowballs at each other and collaborating on a frosty monument to their own architectural ambitions.

Behold: A breathtakingly frosty twilight of downtown Toronto—complete with the Financial district’s fortress of high-risers, a cameo by the CN Tower, and Thompson Hall photobombing the party. I even threw in some gold powder because subtlety is overrated.

Gold dust included. You’re welcome.
Toronto in winter. Beautiful. Cold. Very cold.
Holiday vibes, zero heating bills pictured.

Gold fantasy extravaganza featuring the CN Tower, Thompson Hall, and Christmas balls so large they probably require their own zip codes.

Romantic. Festive. Definitely not freezing.

The romantic holiday painting with the beautiful night view of Toronto, featuring cheerful downtown during the holiday season. Clock counts down minutes to the New Year, Champagne is ready.

…and winter sunset skyline of Toronto downtown with CN Tower and Rogers centre. My dream shows lots of Christmas balls up in the air with my favorite places in Toronto – CN Tower, Rogers centre, Zoo, ROM Museum, Thompson Hall, Union station, AGO Museum, Pearson airport balls. Everybody can find their interesting places and buildings in the city. Watercolour painting with the landmarks and museums  of the City on the Christmas balls, impressionism

Blue hour. Deep thoughts. Frozen toes.

The Toronto Music Garden at night, now in moody blue. Very brooding. Very mysterious. Very “I’m contemplating why I’m standing outside in the snow.”

The snowman has seen things. He stares into the void.

Fingers crossed that my Toronto posts successfully convince you that this city is beautiful and welcoming! (The winter part is negotiable.)

Bon voyage! Until the next adventure :) Stay healthy, stay warm, stay away from icy patches.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission. (Yes, I’m watching.)

Tools used for my painting: Watercolour by Charvin and Van Gogh brands (yes, THE Van Gogh—no big deal), Derwent watercolour pencils that cost more than my rent, and Faber Castell artist pens for the details. Paper by Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.) – perfect for when you want your masterpieces portable-sized.

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Music Garden, downtown. Part 9

ArtTravel

Welcome to the grand finale of my daily “travel and art” expedition through my home city Toronto—specifically October, when the weather couldn’t decide if it was summer or fall and everyone just wore a hoodie with the faint hope they’d covered all their bases. This post is about my neighborhood and that delightful little oasis called the Music Garden, where I pretend I’m culturally sophisticated when really I just wanted a place to sketch away from distracting squirrels.

Yes, that lamp is judging you.

The current unusual year with #stayhome and #lockdown is giving me the “opportunity” (read: forced chance) to discover the bright and friendly place I live in. Turns out when you can’t leave your city, you get really creative about appreciating it. Who knew?

The tram that never waited for anyone.

This painting is mostly for fun :) Honestly, the main subject is that bright yellow street sign screaming “Sidewalk maybe slippery” at the pedestrians—because nothing says “artistic endeavor” like immortalizing municipal warnings in watercolor. I may or may not have laughed while painting it.

I used to trudge this way every morning to my office like a regular working human. Not this year! Almost all locals are now professional Zoom dwellers, except for our essential and frontline workers—thank you, seriously! This particular bridge? It’s on Spadina avenue at Front street, where I stand looking artistically contemplative while secretly plotting which coffee shop to revisit.

Nature doing its best impression of a painting.
Still prettier than my apartment.

The Music Garden is still blooming, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that autumn exists. Apparently Mother Nature didn’t get the memo about the seasonal calendar this year, which honestly? Respect.

The garden, unbothered, thriving, iconic.

My fall “travel and art” adventure in October’s Toronto has officially concluded. Turns out there are buckets of lovely places in and around the city if you’re brave enough to venture beyond your kitchen during a lockdown. (Spoiler: I was.)

High Park in fall. No filter needed — but I used one anyway.

I documented some of my daily sketches this month, capturing my “art office” in all its chaotic glory—you know, that corner where I pretend to look professional while surrounded by paint-stained brushes, mysterious crumbs, and at least three empty coffee cups. It’s organized chaos. Mostly chaos.

Bon voyage! Until the next adventure :) Stay healthy—and more importantly, stay creative!

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission. (Yes, I’m protective of my work. You would be too if you’d spent this much time not getting paid for it.)

Tools used for my painting: Watercolor by Charvin and Van Gogh (the fancy stuff that makes you feel fancy for approximately 0.5 seconds before you drip it on your sleeve). Derwent watercolor pencils and Faber Castell artist pens (because I like to mix media and confuse myself). Paper: Strathmore Watercolor and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)—perfect for when you want to create art but also maintain your sanity by keeping it to a manageable size.

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Old Toronto. Part 8.

ArtTravel

My daily sketches’ journey in October 2020 is very close to the end. The next chapter is Old #Toronto.

Gooderham and Worts Distillery National Historic Site of Canada with industrial skyline of pitched roofs, turrets, chimney stacks and parapet.

When every chimney has retired but still dresses for the occasion.
Brick by brick, century by century — still standing, still judging your latte choices.
Old buildings staring down the new ones like: ‘We were here first.’

There are abandoned buildings with modern city’s buildings as background. Paintings were done as mixed of watercolour pencils, watercolour paints and acrylic, above added oil to add some texture for bricks.

I added cum clouds for peaceful sky and keep the interest in the scene to substitute buildings’ pipes that do not smoke anymore.

Abandoned? Prefer ‘vintage and unbothered.’
Cobblestones: lovingly restored. Tourist elbows: free of charge.

A lovingly rebuilt historic district that’s now so touristy, even the cobblestones are posing for selfies—yet somehow the old spirit still refuses to check out.

Canada Malting Site .It is one of two remaining silos in Toronto’s Harbourfront in Ontario, Canada. It is almost 100 years.

The museum and house Sir William Campbell is a vibrant public space where members of Toronto’ communities giving life to the words “freedom of expression.” Painting was done as combination of fountain pen with watercolour paints.

Almost 100 years old and still not on TikTok. Respect.

Toronto’s CN Tower, casually photobombing downtown with its reflection on the surrounding buildings, has been the city’s superstar landmark for the last 45 years. That basically makes it ancient history by our young country and city standards. CN originally stood for Canadian National, the railway company that decided, “You know what would be fun? A *massive* tower.” At over half a kilometer tall (555 m), the CN Tower spent more than three decades as the reigning champ of tallest building, tower, and freestanding structure—because apparently “really, really tall thing” needed multiple categories.

The CN Tower refused to be painted directly. A diva to the last pixel.

I decided to be “original” and painted this famous building, the CN Tower, not directly, but as a reflection in the fancy high-rises that try very hard to look taller than Canada’s tallest landmark:)
I splashed in deep blue and juicy raspberry colours for a slightly over-the-top romantic vibe. This early-dawn scene was painted in the morning before work hours—because coffee and sunrise apparently make me think I’m a landscape poet with a paintbrush.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Weird statues-2. Part 7.

ArtTravel

Daily sketches in downtown Toronto with some funny sculptures. In this post I am adding 3 interesting sculptures and architecture that are located at one park, very convenient for the artists, locals and tourists:)

Dog Fountain at Berczy park. 2020 new reality. I saw some disposable masks on the sculptures of dogs. It is still one of the favorite meet point for friends in the city:) I added coolers of sour cream, tobacco and cappuccino to add warmth of the last days of the Indian summer. 

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-dog-fontain-at-berczy-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Toronto downtown beautiful Flatiron building by architector Derek Besant. It has a narrow angle from one side, but I like its facade on Berczy park, overlooking the square, like the wrapped edges of autumn leaves. I using colors salmon + rose + vanilla

https://pixels.com/featured/torontoflatiron-building-at-berczy-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

And another weird and fanciful sculpture of hands out of the ground. Maybe they are life-giving hands of the Earth?:) In my painting I used matte and very deep black with indigo, grass is an autumn shade of flax. The background is the peach-colored building Flatiron building at Berczy park.

https://pixels.com/featured/torontohands-sculpture-at-berczy-park-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Weird statues. Part 6

ArtTravel

My “travelling and art” journey in my city of Toronto, and the next chapter is some… weird sculptures:) The idea is to enjoy a city and study its history and architecture while walking around the city and making sketches.

“Between the eyes” Toronto street sculpture, Ontario. We know how the smile of the Cheshire Cat looks like from the book Alice’s Adventures popularized by Lewis Carroll. My guess that the sculpture shows how the Cheshire Cat’s eyes look like:) I added some silver powder to my painting with sea-colored and raspberry paints for the buildings on Yonge street.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-megapolis-sculpture-between-the-eyes-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

Another weird and funny statue is “Rising” in downtown of Toronto, at University avenue. I would say that it is a combination of an animal …maybe an elk or.. a deer or… an elephant in combination with the branches of forest’ trees. The “Rising” like the Atlant carries on himself the whole colossus of a high rise building. I added spicy brown color to the wall that gives some warmth to the cold silver’s colour of the statue.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-rising-statue-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

The next interesting composition called “Fair grounds”, consists of four pairs of stainless chairs in the middle of a street Wellington W. at John st. One pair of the chairs is “looking” in the same direction, representing a “familiar/family” relationship. The 2nd pair is “arguing” as they are set back to back, just like when two people don’t want to look at or talk to each other. The 3rd pair is “friends”: they are set facing each other, just like friends who sit down to have a chat. And the last pair is set near each other but they are looking in different directions – just like “strangers” would.

Some of these chairs are elegant, some are simple, and each has a unique style, just like people… Next time you walk by these, have a seat at this unique composition. It’d be interesting to see which pair of chairs you would chose: “Family”, “Arguing”, “Friends” or “Strangers”?:)

And adding the bright sketch of Red canoe. Why I am adding this drawing to the post with the weird statues? Because this red boat is standing on top of my neighborhood’s hill!:) Nice warm weather is helping for outdoor art. Enjoying the sun and fresh air and local sketching exersises!:)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Ontario Place. Part 5

ArtTravel

Toronto daily sketches are continued…Mild autumn weather in Toronto helps my art activities.

https://pixels.com/featured/evening-golden-fall-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Ontario Place is an artificially created island park in downtown with recreation area, on the territory of which there are venues for various festivals, an IMAX cinema, a Budweiser concert stage, well this year they are quite empty..

https://pixels.com/featured/ontario-place-toronto-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

It has a small marina with snow-white yachts, and many pleasant paths for walking and cycling.

Lovely sunset in Ontario Place and its lonely standing windshare. It reminds me about its famous windmills near Amsterdam, or Cervantes Don Quichotte mills in Spain or a flour mill of my grandgrandparents as per our family’s legends in Belarus. Yes, I am missing so much our annual vacation in Europe, hope that this “stayhome” will be over soon…

Toronto’s fall is very soft and warm, so you can enjoy all this beauty, leisurely walking through numerous the local parks and the picturesque waterfront of Lake Ontario.

https://pixels.com/featured/trees-golden-fall-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Beautiful maples, painted in bright red and gold, are planted along the Ontario lake’s parks.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Marine theme. Part 4.

ArtTravel

The marina theme of Toronto’s daily sketches is quite expressive. Ontario lake and Kawarta lakes are within an hour driving. It gives some rest during long summer weather from May until October. Yes, Toronto has 2 main seasons- summer and winter with short periods of spring and fall.

The city of Toronto is young, lively, developing, sometimes it is frightened as in current lockdown times.

Toronto downtown sketching was done one quiet morning with some boats near the Music garden near Ontario lake.

I painted this picture in the late afternoon at #Toronto #downtown, before another #downpour this evening.  It was quiet in the park – that perfectly calm feeling before the storm – with only lightly swaying boats creaking in rhythm on the waves. 


The scent of ozone signaled stormy weather so I ran away just before the rain started pouring- but I captured the atmosphere – see there are actual rain drops in the painting? I love summer storms.

#Ontario #Kawarta #lakes -This watercolour was done directly on the boat on a warm summer evening as my husband was fishing 1 foot away from me in the same boat :)

I aimed to catch the soft evening hues of the little cottage on the shore, and the surrounding green leaves and and the monochrome stones. The lake and two birches on the high lake shore reminded me of my motherland, the far-away #Belarus. 

Ontario Kawarta lakes- all bathed in the pre-sunset golden warmth. September forest, the season is called Indian summer. The painting was done on the boat.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Marine theme. Part 2

ArtTravel

The journey of Toronto’s daily sketches is continued. Nautical motives of urban sketching in Toronto. 

Why I like sketching ? It is fun walking around the city, during which we make small sketches – of everything that attracts attention.

Toronto is located on the shores of Lake Ontario. The city also includes a group of small islands located directly opposite downtown, that these islands have recreation areas, summer cottages, parks, a lighthouse.

Queens Quay Station – Ferry Docks

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-sculpturesteering-wheel-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

Marina Quay West has a sculpture.. as per my opinion of the Steering wheel of a Big Ship, maybe it’s just my own interpretation of the sculpture:) It took my attention and I did watercolour painting with neon colour adding some silver powder. Interesting effect:)

October evening , doing some sketching of kayaks at Harbourfront #Canoe & #Kayak Centre at #Ontario lake, waiting for a new season, maybe next summer or Indian summer this year.

https://pixels.com/featured/torontokayaks-at-ontario-lake-tamara-vitsenkova.html 

It was July lovely summer weather, I was doing some sketching of  kayaking lessons at #Harbourfront #Canoe & #Kayak Centre at #Ontario #lake.

I was in the process of sketching while the students of the school learned the basics – and then they suddenly left the place!:) I was running after them to finish the sketch.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission..

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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My Toronto. Stay home and Urban sketching. Travel and Art. Part 1

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I am starting a new journey. This time it will be “travelling” in my own city. I am planning to do daily sketches of city of Toronto, showing my preferred places, sometimes bright spots on its streets, sometimes… weird sculptures:)))) , the multicultural megapolis that is in harmony with its people.

Woodpecker Column – Toronto, Ontario at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-pileated-woodpecker-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

Metro Convention Centre’s woodpecker. This bird symbolizes construction, hardworking people of Ontario. It is prophetic bird, symbol of magical power, guardian of kings and trees. Even in mythology, the woodpecker is dedicated to Zeus (Jupiter), Ares (Mars), Sylvanu. In the eternal city of Rome, the woodpecker is said to have guarded Romulus and Remus, according legends.

Monument of culturalism. The statue of a man who uses all his strength to tighten the meridians of globe in this multinational city. On the “meridians” one can notice some birds perched up.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-multiculturalism-sculpture-near-union-station-tamara-vitsenkova.html?newartwork=true

This is a place where residents or visitors of Toronto arrive or leave by subway, tram, bus, train, or airport. It is the heart of Toronto with its historical Union station. The statistics say that it has an average of 200,000 passengers passing through it each day. However, during the lockdown, that number was only 10% of its usual stat. In my hope for the best (and healthy) future, I captured the moment when the sky har  the mixture of chocolate and rose hues. To complement it, I added some shades of coffee and vanilla to the sculpture.

https://pixels.com/featured/toronto-bike-share-toronto-near-rodgers-centre-tamara-vitsenkova.html

Bike share Toronto. Who doesn’t know these famous bicycles in the streets of Toronto the colour of green apple? There are stations all over the city, including near the Harbour Centre, CN Tower and Rogers centre. You can rent a bicycle and spend a great time cycling for example near Ontario lake.

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

You can visit my personal website pages here and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

My favourite art store in Toronto is Deserres @Spadina avenue.

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

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For all the coffee lovers.Toronto, still life and urban sketching.Coffee and breakfast in megapoles

ArtTravel

Even a regular #MondayMorning could be enjoyable and relaxing—especially when #WorkingFromHome means you can attend Zoom calls in your pajamas. This is the view from my downtown Toronto home office: a dark rye sandwich piled high with salmon (nature’s way of saying “I’m fancy”), a small cup of coffee (the fuel that makes Mondays bearable), and the burning question on every artist’s mind: “What else could an artist possibly need?” Well, possibly some watercolour paint. And maybe a shower. But mostly coffee.

Salmon on rye: because adulting requires at least one fancy breakfast decision.

Paintings with oil pastel: A small cup of coffee for a busy-morning breakfast—because nothing says “healthy nutrition” like caffeinated courage and hope in a ceramic vessel.

Coffee: officially a still life subject AND a survival strategy.
Wild flowers in a vase: fighting back against Toronto grey, one petal at a time.

Paintings with oil pastel. Coffee aromas come in all different flavours: fruity, caramelized, sometimes nutty, and occasionally burnt (which tastes suspiciously like Monday morning mistakes). It always energizes me. I take a few precious moments every morning to savour my coffee while watching the vibrant young Toronto hustle and bustle outside my window—basically, I spy on everyone else’s productivity while I’m still in my pajamas. Living the dream!

A cup of coffee and flowers—what could be better in the morning? Absolutely nothing, unless you count oxygen and consciousness. I add some bright and delicate colours to the grey downtown city landscape of #Toronto to prove that life doesn’t have to be monotone—a wild summer flower bouquet in a vase, basically nature’s rebellion against urban beige.

Bon voyage! Until the next adventure :) Stay healthy, stay caffeinated, and for heaven’s sake, use sunscreen—your future self will thank you.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission. (Yes, even if you think you can sneak it past the internet. You can’t. We all know about screenshots.)

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Summer vacation, lakes, boats and travel in Ontario, Canada

ArtTravel

Summer vacation is basically nature’s way of saying “Go forth and create art!” So naturally, the only sensible thing to do is pack paint supplies and pretend you’re not sweating through your shirt. What do you actually need to paint masterpieces in the great outdoors? Just some simple art tools and the delusion that you won’t spill watercolors all over your lap.

Love the summer feeling with this hat

Behold! My beloved art bag—the tiny vessel that somehow holds a travel brush, a modest watercolor paint box, a sketchbook for doodling my failures, AND a silk scarf. That scarf serves dual purposes: it makes me look artistically sophisticated and doubles as a mask when I need to hide from other hikers questioning my life choices.

The whole studio. It fits in a bag. Take that, real artists.

So there I was at #Toronto #downtown, perched on the shore of #Ontario lake, racing against an impending #downpour because apparently I make terrible weather-based decisions. The park was eerily quiet—that perfectly calm, slightly ominous feeling right before a storm hits, with only a few boats gently creaking and swaying on the waves, as if they, too, were nervously waiting for nature’s tantrum to begin.

Boats patiently waiting for the storm. Relatable.

I could literally smell the ozone (which sounds more dramatic than it actually is), so I wisely abandoned ship and sprinted away just before the rain started its assault. But plot twist: I totally captured the pre-storm atmosphere in my painting—see those actual raindrops? I didn’t accidentally get water on the paper; those are intentional artistic choices. I absolutely love summer storms, even when they’re chasing me away like an angry mob.

Those dots are raindrops. On purpose. Obviously.

#Ontario #Kawarta #lakes—This watercolor was painted directly on a boat during a warm summer evening while my husband was fishing approximately one foot away from me in the same tiny boat. The artistic process is truly romantic, except for when you realize you’re both taking up maximum space and someone’s going to accidentally knock over the paint water.

Painted this while my husband caught fish. We both tried our best.

My mission: capture the soft, dreamy evening hues of a charming little cottage on the shore, surrounded by lush green leaves and moody monochrome stones. The lake and those two birches on the high shore? They took me straight back to #Belarus, my motherland—minus the actual traveling part, which is the real dream during #lockdown.

A cottage so cosy it made me homesick for a place I’ve never lived.

Bon voyage, you absolute legends! Until our next adventure. Now go forth and create some art before something terrible happens on the weather front!

All paintings belong to the author and are protected by the international law of “I made this and you can’t copy it.” No image is to be copied without permission. Seriously, don’t do it.

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Urban sketching. Calm water and sky above Toronto island’s Billy Bishop airport, with no flights. Spring 2020.

ArtTravel

Behold: Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, the adorably tiny airfield tucked on Toronto Island like a boutique coffee shop in a corporate office park. This spring, however, 2020 decided to crash the party—and by crash, I mean everything literally stopped. No boats. No airplanes. No noise. Just the lake doing its best impression of a yoga retreat while the world had a collective panic attack. Spoiler alert: it was eerily peaceful.

It feels so unusual to see this normally busy lake so quiet and empty. As I work on these three paintings – morning, late morning/noon, and afternoon – a few people pause at a little distance, gently saying hello and offering kind words of support to us as artists. Their warmth has touched me, and I know I will carry the memory of this day with me for a long time.

Morning. The lake is barely awake. Same.

A watercolour painting I did at noon by Ontario Lake (which, let’s be honest, was probably the most exciting thing happening in Toronto that day).

Late morning. The light warmed up. So did the lake.

Afternoon vibes: the lake is serving calm waves with a side of tired, melancholic yellow sun—nature’s way of saying, “Yeah, I’m exhausted too. Let’s just rest.” By evening, Ontario Lake had achieved what none of us could: the zen state of not caring about literally anything.

Afternoon. Everything glowing, everything shifting. Nature, clocking in.

Leonardo da Vinci, history’s ultimate Renaissance overachiever, was obsessed with water. He called it “vetturale di natura”—”the vehicle of nature.” Translation: the man understood that water is basically nature’s delivery service, and honestly? He wasn’t wrong. Water shows up, does all the work, and everyone else takes the credit.

Bon voyage! Until our next adventure (hopefully with fewer apocalyptic vibes). Stay healthy and keep painting!

All paintings are mine. Like, I actually made them with my own two hands. No stealing, copycats! Seriously though, I worked hard on these—respect the artist hustle.

My artist toolkit of choice: Van Gogh and Cotman watercolours (for when you want your paintings to have that authentic starry-night-versus-budget-friendly chaos), plus a Canson Mix Media album at 28×35 cm (11×14 in.)—the Goldilocks size of art paper.

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Water ripples. Why I look at circles on the water when throwing stones into a lake.

ArtTravel

There’s an old joke—and I’m about to prove its timelessness—that there are only three things worth watching forever: fire, water, and other people working. (Presumably while you avoid doing any of those three yourself.)

Me, pretending this 5-min walk counts as ‘travel’.

So there I was, “travelling” to Ontario Lake—which is basically a five-minute walk from my downtown Toronto apartment, but let’s call it travel and feel adventurous—doing art between sips of coffee and existential dread.

Spring morning fog was performing its usual magic trick: making water ripples look like they’ve achieved enlightenment before 9 AM, while I was still figuring out which end of the paintbrush to hold.

Fog: nature’s way of saying ‘not a morning person either’.

Here’s where it gets philosophical (buckle up): when I throw a rock into the water and watch those perfect circles expand outward, I’m basically witnessing the universe’s most patient motivational poster. Each ripple is like the water’s way of saying, “Hey, something happened here. Everything matters.” Which is beautiful, except when you realize most of my “important actions” are just throwing rocks at nature. Still counts as meaning-making, right?

Throwing rocks at water. This is my art practice. I’m serious.

But here’s the kicker—and this is where my brain decided to get uncomfortably deep—if you DON’T look at the circles, if you just throw the rock and walk away, then the whole thing is pointless. It’s not the throwing that matters; it’s witnessing the ripples. Which is basically life, except we’re all terrible at the “witnessing” part because we’re too busy scrolling through our phones. (No judgment. I’m absolutely guilty of this.)

The lake’s reflection — two skylines for the price of zero effort.

Think about it: all our accomplishments, our achievements, our “I finally got my life together” moments—they’re all like circles on the water. Here today, dispersed by tomorrow, absorbed back into the lake of indifference. The point isn’t that they disappear; the point is that we actually LOOKED at them, that we paid attention to our own ripples. We cared about what we left behind. Which, admittedly, is a lot more meaningful than most of what I do on a Tuesday afternoon—and that’s precisely why this spring is giving me permission to be delightfully philosophical about it. :)

The lake’s waves are pulling off their own art project—reflecting trees, buildings, the skyline—basically acting as nature’s Instagram filter, but with better composition and no ads.

Some spring raindrops plunge into the lake like tiny philosophers themselves, joining the water’s existential crisis. (The lake is very moody this time of year.)

Nature’s Instagram filter. No ads. No sponsored content. Just vibes.

Reflection of trees and water in the lake—basically nature’s way of saying, “Let me show you everything twice so you don’t miss it the first time.”

Ripples: the universe’s polite reminder that something happened here.
Raindrops joining the lake’s existential crisis. Relatable.

Claude Monet—a man who clearly understood obsession—once said: “The essence of the motif is the mirror of water, whose appearance alters at every moment.” Which is a fancy way of saying, “Water is always changing, so you better pay attention.” He gets it. He spent years painting the same water lilies from every possible angle because he understood that meaning isn’t fixed. It’s fluid. (I’ll see myself out.)

Bon voyage to you, dear reader! May your next travel adventure be as profound as a pebble hitting water—or at least half as pretentious. Until next time, stay healthy and keep looking at your ripples! :)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission. (The ripples, however, are free for everyone.)

The tools I use for my paintings—including Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman, plus Canson Mix Media and Watercolour albums (sizes 28×35 cm and 25×35 cm). Everything an artist needs to obsess over water ripples professionally!

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