Paris is simply an amazing place for artists and photographs, especially in spring, summer and early autumn, when all the splendor of countless flower beds and shrubs is wrapped in luxurious blossoms of amazing flowers.
The way Parisians buy them in many stores and Sunday markets, sell and grow at home is worth of imitation:)
I bought viola tricolor, one of my favorite flowers, and did the paintings in this post in our Parisian hotel’s room. Did you know that in Roman mythology, the ancient gods turned men into violas, who secretly spied on the bathing goddess of love – Venus?:)
Parisians often spend leisure time, sitting down on benches with a bottle of water, a baguette, a book or just a cigarette to take a little breath, relax after a working day or bask in the sun, going to market and flower stories and bringing these little beauties in their rooms to continue receive a feeling of being in touch with the wonderful:)
My favourite art store in Toronto is DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)
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.
An advice I received from the Leonardo Da Vinci’s Notebook is next: an artist always needs to find something new to paint or draw. So I am always trying to learn something new, outside of convenient “box”. This summer I realized that watercooler graphic technique is not about coloring sheets:) It was a little discovery for myself. So I decided to explore more..
My still life subjects are bright reddish peonies, I put them on the my treasured book Leonardo da Vinci, added my glasses and a cup of cappuccino and ….voilà:) my new watercolor and ink painting in my favourite impressionist style
Just imagine …warm evening, you walk somewhere near the Mediterranean sea’s streets and see flowers, red and pink peonies are in a straw basket on a wood door or window, watercolor and ink painting, impressionism. It’s my dream about our future travelling to the south of France or Italy or maybe …Greece. Who knows?:)
Thank you to my daughter for this great gift book Leonardo’s Notebook, it is providing so many tips to all artists from the Master who lived 5 centuries ago!
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 favorite art store in Toronto Deserres, Spadina Ave
Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)
I hope to have a chance to enjoy a truly cozy Norman village again sometime in the near future. It is especially beautiful in the evening while taking a leisurely stroll along the main street, admiring the old farms, going to a small restaurant, having a glass of crisp apple cider with a slice of camembert.
I recently found that the word daisy is the french word marguerite , and in the Greek means “pearl.” The word “daisy” comes from Old English daeges eage, meaning “day’s eye.” Our word, “day,” comes from the word “dawn.” The term “day’s eye” refers to the way the flower opens its petals in the morning and closes …
Early summer morning, just before the sun lights it up, the moist grass appears almost black in the shadow.Watercolour painting of marguiritues, its called shasta daisy.
In my opinion, the ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ is wrong. it should go: “he loves me, he loves me dearly, he loves me tenderly, he loves me passionately, he loves me…” This way, your mood is guaranteed to be good, and the daisy is pleased that it was not in vain that she sacrificed her beauty to resolve your heart’s doubts. “Guess the right way, love and be loved”. And believe the daisy, because it will always confirm that … your person loves you!:)
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.
Giverny. address 84 rue Claude Monet 27620 Giverny
Bon voyage! Until the next travel:) Stay healthy.
All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.
Links
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.
Even a regular #Mondaymorning could be enjoyable and relaxing, especially when #workingfromhome. This is a view from my home in downtown Toronto, with a dark rye sandwich with salmon, a small cup of coffee – what else could an artist need? And a watercolour painting on another morning…
Paintings with oil pastel. Coffee aromas come in all different flavours: fruity, caramelized, sometimes nutty and even burnt; it always energizes me. I take a few moments every morning to enjoy my coffee while watching the vibrant young Toronto get about its daily hustle and bustle
A cup of coffee and flowers, what could be better in the morning..? Adding some bright and delicate colours to the grey downtown city landscape #Toronto. Wild summer flower bouquet in a vase.
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 DeSerred. Address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Below is my favorite art bag with the travel brush, small watercolor paint box and album for sketching. A silk scarf is just for beauty…or you might use it as a mask.. it’s up to you:)
I painted the picture below in the late afternoon at #Toronto #downtown, on #Ontario lake 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.
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.
Summer is here!!! Do you like to go to the local markets when you are travelling? I love it! My favorite one in Rome is close to the Vatican. It is called Mercato Trionfale, address is at the end of this.
Our family stayed in one of Vatican area hotelsand we went to the Mercato Trionfale market often. Berry shopping was our favorite.
For this post, I gathered bright paintings from the market – only Italian and only berries.
I love cherries, especially Italian ones. For some reason, I associate the aromawith my parents’ summer house when there was a plate on the table with bright juicy cherries, sometimes sweet and sometimes sour. The aroma of cherries reminds me the feeling of a summer breakand leisurely summer evenings at the cottage. Cheries’ aroma and taste are so tender, joyful, feminine, just likesummer itself:)
My daughter sent me this photo with a view of their breakfast in Positano, Italy, above theMediterrenian sea with berries, fruit and orange juice. I wish to visit this place, so I added my art travel tools, the sketchbook and my favorite Staedtler pencil to this painting – e voila – it’s like I was here as well. Hope my dream will come true one day…
Grapes. Two interesting facts about them: they are also berries, and apparently, they have been around for 65 million years. Would youlike to know why grapes are different colours? The funny ancient legend says that grapes appeared on Earth a very long time ago, its parents were Earth and Sun. At the time of the grapes’ birth, it didn’t take them a month or two to ripen, as it does now; it happened very quickly – from morning until dusk, and those that had time to ripen by dawn, borrowed its tender blush from morning dawn and turned pink.
The clusters, ripened in the afternoon, became golden yellow – they took over the gold of its rays from the sun shining brightly in the sky. Berries ripened late in the evening as the southern night conveyed its dark or velvety blue tones. Voilà:)
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 DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)
Yellow, sour, fragrant … In tea with sugar it is pleasant … it is full of vitamins … And its name is LEMON! Perhaps each of us, both an adult and a child, knows this bright, yellow citrus fruit…
It was in Italy, travelling with my family around Italian “boot” from top to toe, several years ago. The painting was done in a south of Italy, one of its charming little towns.
One of our next stop was a town in the north of Italy, “top of boot”. Lemon trees were everywhere on the Borromean islands in Italy. The background are mountaints, part of south of Switzeland.
According to a legend, the aromatic fruits of the color of the sun were presented to Hera’s wedding when she married Zeus so that the newlywed was always young and beautiful: “Its aroma amuses the mind, the peel and grains are good for the heart, the flesh is excellent food, and the juice quenches thirst.
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 DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman.Derwent watercolour pencils. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)
Shopping in open markets (marché) is one of the most popular and fun ways to find the freshest food in a city. Paris and its suburbs has lots of food markets. One of my favorite is on Rue Cler , just next to the Eiffel Tower block.
Pomegranate is deservedly called the king of fruits – and not only because of its unique composition and healing properties. There is a legend that the “design” of the royal crown was copied precisely from a garnet with its crown of sharp cloves. Interesting idea… who knows?
Another legend about pomegranate is the Abduction of Persephone by Hades. This is one of my favourite ancient Greek myth where a pomegranate plays a central role.
The goddess Demeter had only one daughter, her beloved Persephone. The god of the afterlife Hades fell in love with Persephone. On black horses in a golden chariot, the lord of the kingdom of shadows Hades appeared from under the ground, who grabbed the young, unsuspecting Persephone, and in the blink of an eye disappeared with her on his horses into the bowels of the earth. Horrified, Persephone only managed to cry out … However, apart from Helios, the god of the Sun, no one witnessed the kidnapping. Demeter was yearning for her daughter to return so much, and from het great sadness, the earth ceased to bear fruit. Then the great Zeus sent to his gloomy brother Hades the quick Hermes.
Hades agreed to let Persephone go to her mother, but previously gave her some pomegranate seeds to swallow – a symbol of marriage. Smart and prudent decision… pomegranate seeds played the important role in the story.
Persephone ascended the husband’s golden chariot with Hermes, and in the blink of an eye they reached Eleusis. With great joy, Demeter rushed to meet her daughter, wrapping her in her arms, and returned to Olympus with her. Then the great Zeus decided that two-thirds of the year Persephone would live with his mother, and one-third in the kingdom of her husband Hades.
The mystical role of the pomegranate affected the Goddess’ decision to travel between her husband’s world and the parents’ one:).
Anyway, I just love pomegranates, these huge, sun-like fruits with delicate, large, crimson grains and juicy flavours.
Bon appetite..
and 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 DeSerred, address is 130 Spadina ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tools used for my painting. Watercolour brands Van Gogh and Cotman. Paper Canson Mix Media album 28×35 cm (11×14 in.) and Canson Watercolour album 25×35 cm (11 x15 in.)
In the centre of Paris there is Luxembourg garden that contains over a hundred statues, monuments, and fountains, it is one of the largest green spaces in the center of Paris. In addition, you might read about Luxembourg gardens in the memoir “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway.
It was originally owned by the duke of Luxembourg, then purchased by Marie Medici, the wife of King Henry IV. The Queen requested that the garden should be in Italian style. The Jardin du Luxembourg features several noteworthy fountains. Fontaine Medici is the most famous romantic Baroque fountain.
Fontaine Médicis. It is located at the end of a small pond at the north east side of the park. A central sculpture group shows the Greek mythological figure of Polyphemus who observes the lovers Acis and Galatea. It is flanked by allegorical figures depicting the rivers Seine and Rhône.
The central niche is occupied by a marble group depicting Acis and Galathea lying under a rock at the top of which appears the colossal bronze figure of Polyphemus preparing to throw at his rival the stone that is to give him death. Galatea, in Greek mythology, a nereid who was loved by the Cyclops. Galatea, however, loved the youth Acis. When Cyclops discovered Acis and Galatea together, he crushed Acis to death with a boulder.
Above is a composition of three sketches. Left side is two men in office suites are spending their lunchtime, behind them the statue of Sainte Geneviève, she is the patron saint of Paris in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. Right side is a man jogging in the park, behind statues from Greek mythology. In the middle a tourist is enjoying statue of Marie Stuart, the French Queen. Surrounding the central green space are twenty figures of French queens and famous women standing on pedestals.
Relaxing in the park during lunchtime, people are reading books, handing together, listening to the music, lots of students. This is also one of the parks where you can simply get hold of one of the many chairs and take it to the exact spot where you want to sit next to elegant statues around the park.
The park is popular with chess players and petanque players. I did some sketches on location.
In the middle of the park is a large octagonal pond Grand Bassin. Jardin du Luxembourg boasts many attractions such as pony rides, a large playground. Around the pond are nice lawns, paths, and some of Paris’s most beautiful flower beds. There’s also a tennis court, a music pavilion and an orangery in the park.
Next, just 15 min walking from Luxembourg garden might visit very famous restaurant La Coupole. It was one of my teen’s dreams to visit this famous place. Certain scenes were carried out at the legendary restaurant La Coupole with Sophie Marceau and Denise Grey, actress who played her grand-grand-mother. The Art Deco style, the massive counter and the chic brasserie spirit of the places is still in place.
La Coupole brasserie, it is one of the famous one and exist from 1927. On wall, you might see photos of their famous visitors Édith Piaf, Leger, Zadkine and others celebrities
I recommend trying some house specialities. And yes, I asked staff where is the table in the movie “La Boum” actresses were sitting; it was just next to our table 🙂
The painting was done during one of cozy pleasant summer evening in Paris’ bridge Alexander III with its chic street lumps. The gold, relaxing colours of evening’s sunset sky invited me to add some imaginary air balloons for my art.
Well, why I invite you to one of my favourite places in Paris? There are 5 reasons to visit the Luxembourg gardens: enjoying over a hundred sculptures in a free open air museum, read a book on a chair in any space you might choose to put it, jogging in the centre of Paris, enjoy French cuisine in any nearby cafe or have a snack with your colleagues or friends during your lunchtime and do urban sketching of local architecture and other many things…
Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)
All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.
You might visit my personal website pages and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.
Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)
Luxemburg Gardens. Address Rue de Medicis | Rue de Vaugirard Paris
La Coupole brasserie. address 102, boulevard fr Montparnasse, Paris
Every year, French Nation celebrates the most important day for the country French National Day or Bastille Day.
July 14 in 2019 was year of 230 anniversary of Bastille and 130 years of Eiffel Tower. It was one of my life’s highlights and here are some tips how to celebrate the Bastille Day in Paris.
The most attractive bridge in Paris, Alexander III, that connects Artillery Academy and Concord square. It is eliminating during a day and night with their gold statues, gorgeous street lamps, relaxing and busy locals and visitors from all countries.
July 14, some sketches were done on location with fireworks, parade and street lamps on the streets of Paris.
I suggest watching Paris’ morning military parade down the Avenue des Champs Élysées, there are representatives of different military units. Interesting view when aircraft planes are painting the sky in a 3-color rainbow- red, blue and white.
Then, relaxing walking around city, it is nice holiday atmosphere. I made few sketches on location.
How about wedding in Paris? I did the painting of a bride on one of the Parisian bridge when a designer, groom and photographer were around this young lady in her white dress in one of important day in the life:)
In the centre, next to Grand Palais people are playing football or sitting and enjoying lunch on the grass waiting for the fireworks. I noticed there were no one unpleasant incident during a day even the city is full of people:)
There is young couple on scooters exploring the city, mother and a girl are playing games next to Paris Military academy, very relaxing feeling on this day.
Sketch done in our favourite restaurant Bouillon Chartier
The restaurant Bouillon Chartier,with its magnificent stucco molding on the walls, the majestic atmosphere where the waiters write the bill directly on the tablecloth according their customs since the opening in 1896, and the most important – its food, ingenious, homemade, varied, not very expensive, and there is always something to surprise and welcome their clients. There is even a song about this restaurant. The restaurant is mentioned in Albert Willemetz’s 1939 song “Félicie aussi”, sung by Fernandel. In Les beaux quartiers, Louis Aragon mentioned Le bouillonChartier: the young medical student character Edmond Barbentane has lunch there regularly…
And of course the highlight of this day- firework in the evening! We chose a place to watch firework on the bridge. We were standing in Parisian Babylon, admiring the view of Eiffel Tower, firework itself and the reflection of the city and the next bridge, Alexander III. People were shouting joyful exclamations, they were from different parts of the world, enjoying of this show there were people from the UK, China, Portugal, Russia, Japan, and us, from Canada:)
Well, there are 5 reasons to be in Paris in National French Day. Morning parade, relaxing or play football with your friends in the centre of Paris or rent a scooter and enjoy Paris with some speed, view Eiffel Tower with some snack, baguette is must-be, night fireworks and of course, urban sketching of happy life and architecture of old and young city Paris.
Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)
All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.
You might visit my personal website pages and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.
Tools used for my painting. Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)
There are many options to do one-day trips from Paris. This time we chose a day trip to Fontainebleau & Vaux le Vicomte chateaus. The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is accessible by public transport but it will take a couple hours with subway plus train plus a local bus unless you drive by car.
Map to Vaux-le-Vicomte and Fontainebleau châteaux
Map to two chateaus. Our one day trip’s itinerary is from Paris to Chateau de Veux le Vicomte and Fountenableau, back to Paris. We took a bus from Paris City Vision. Departure is from Paris’ centre, highly recommend this trip, just book it in advance:) In the middle of sketch is our couple, my husband and I, who loves travelling, art and architecture.
A view to stunning Vaux le Vicomte château that later inspired the famous Versailles. I imagined that beautiful ladies with little coloured umbrellas from 17th century are walking at the park.
The legend says that Nicolas Fouquet invited King Louis XIV and the whole court to the inauguration of the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. The owners organized a grand and luxurious party and a dinner, gold-plated gondolas glided through the channels, and gold salad bowls decorated its tables. The monarch, blinded by the brilliance of the stolen gold, refused to stay away for the night and went to Fontainebleau. The unlucky aristocrat who dared to cast a shadow on the Sun King was arrested by the musketeers on charges of fraud of the state treasury. Sentenced to life imprisonment and deprived of connection with the outside world.
Ladies who guard the family and peace. What is the most fascinating in the history of the chateau are their legendary ladies of Vaux les Vicomte chateaux. Just some of amazing legends. The first, Marie-Madeleinede Castille, the spouse of Vaux les Vicomte, continued supporting her husband, when he received instead of three months of initial detention, later it was changed to life one. Mme Fouquet fought for her husband for many years, and recovered their family property 10 years later. Another intelligent lady was Guyonne de Durfort who during the revolution, didn’t let the castle be plundered and kept the whole situation in her hands, having given the castle to the “disposal” of the revolutionary committee and …voila …the whole furniture is still in place. One more heroic lady Permisine Cas de Dorier set up a military hospital in the chateau during World War.
The history says that the castle was built by three masters. Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV’s Superintendant, brought together an architect, Louis Le Vau, a painter, Charles Le Brun, and a landscape gardener, André Le Notre, to execute jointly the entire project. The result of this fraternal union was a work of supreme gorgeousness.
By the way, a cafe in the chateau will appeal to any lover of French cuisine
Crews and fun were present at only during the first ball. You might feel ghosts everywhere…
Why do not buy a magnet and little spoons with little squirrels on top. Yes, squirrel is emblem of the family and chateau.
On summer evenings, costume candles are held here by candlelight, we will definitely return…
Next castle was Fontainebleau chateau, Stendhal called it the “architectural encyclopaedia” and Napoleon called the “House of Ages”.
Four French monarchs were born in the Fontainebleau palace, and for many rulers it was the main residence. At present, the palace has become part of UNESCO World Heritage, and its chambers, galleries, parks and gardens are simply amazing.
I’ve learned about the Fontainebleau’s garden from BBC “The Impressionists” where young Monet, Renoir and Bazille were painting Fontainebleau forest.
In the middle of the magnificent French-style formal gardens there is the Egyptian Sphinx statue of Chateau de Fontainebleau, Paris, France. Why did it appear here, in the majestic royal and imperial château in the heart of the forest of Fontainebleau.
The chateau was the first to be conceived as a residential complex and not a bastion. Kings were born here; Napoleon signed the abdication in this room, on this chair the great commander was sitting. According to the legend Napoleon said to his subordinates “Did you want to relax? You will get your rest”.
In the chambers of Napoleon, you can immerse yourself in the time of the great emperor, who was famous for his desire to go down in history.
Gallery of Diana. The Fontainebleau’s library bathed in the sun, thanks to Italian masters, the French Renaissance was born. In the middle of the library there is a vast globe. The library contains the originals of books dating back to the 13th century.
Well next time we might visit another chateau, maybe Versailles?:)
Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)
All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.
Links
You might visit my personal website pages and find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings; purchase canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.
Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)
PARISCityVISION agency. address: 2 Rue des Pyramides, 75001 Paris. Trip to Fontainebleau & Vaux le Vicomte
Chateau de Vaux-Le-Vicomte. address 77950 Maincy, France
Chateau de Fontainebleau. address Pl. du General-de-Gaulle, 77300, Fontainebleau, France.
I will tell about the beauty of Provence based on our experience and long relationship of 10 years that we hope will continue for many years… We felt in love the Mediterranean coast of France and their towns at once and always come back here again and again.
Toronto- Paris- Antibes itinerary, 2019. Our voyage’s feeling always started from an airport door.
People are free from problems, little life concerns, they are in between countries, continents, air is full of vibrant mixture of cultures, customs, nationalities. (my favourite scene with Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan in movie “French kiss” the take off scene Everything is behind you…)
Freedom of speaking with temporary neighbours is everywhere on a road, at any airport especially during international flights is driving my happiness as the travelling artist.
This flight was with Air France. Especially I enjoy their safety movie with five young beauties that reminds me French movie Eight Women with Catherine Deneve, Fanny Ardant, Emmanuelle Bėart….classic chic madams and mademoiselles and their flared dresses and coloured shoes, beautiful and stylish, back in time.
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 might enjoy watching this video “Consignes de sécurité Air France – Bienvenue à bord” on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fi4RS7aARSo
a view from airplane above Mediterranean Sea and colourful land near Nice airport
In Provence, south of France there are lots intercity buses, both speedy and local, between Nice airport and Cote d’Azur towns.
We took bus #250 that goes every 30 min from Nice airport to Antibes and 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 colour paints were chosen, and the owner unexpectedly gave me one additional for luck:) Thank you, I will come back soon.
I will tell you about this wonderful place with some notes as traveller and my artist’s paintings and drawings of the Antibes, one of the Mediterranean French coast’s city with its legends, friendly people, museums, yummy food, sunny beaches, warm sea and the main important personally for me with artists’ paths.
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 but the locals even added some explanation on a house’s sign, below is the photo from this place.
Antibes beaches with its mild colours, 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 favourite two long sandy beaches, Ponteil and Salis.
I was painting sea’s stones on Antibes’ beach. This type of sketches is relaxing time spending…
One day visited this small museum 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 Etruscans and then Galls. There are lots of underwater amphorae and wrecks off Antibes with once fine wine were raised from the bottom of the sea.
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 for the Etruscan culture that had gone into oblivion and 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 special Etruscan museum, villa Medici in Rome, also our local Toronto’s museum ROM has the Etruscan section has also some good exponents.
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.
Another fascinated story of Antibes is about connection between the city of Antibes and Impressionism, the new art movement in 19th century. It started from Monet, my favourite artist and the creator of impressionism style. I have read book Monet and the Mediterranean book written by Joachim Pissarro several years ago that actually opened for me the city of Antibes.
Monet stayed in Antibes for 5 months in 1988 and painted lots of paintings from this place, “Antibes seen from La Salis”, “Morning at Antibes”, Gardener’s House at Antibes”,”Antibes seen from Plateau Notre-Dame, “The Gulf of Antibes”,”View of the Bay and Maritime Alps at Antibes” and others. Monet wrote to his wife Alice “What I will bring back from here will be pure, gentle sweetness.”
Winding paths, a view of the ancient city, the silver-violet color of the mountains that are visible in the distance, 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 might 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, and might probably invite you to visit you for travelling and producing some art works.
Once came to France for our family summer vacation, my husband invented a new expression as “Gourmet Immigration”, such as a brilliant discover term. 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
Two ladies, maybe sisters or friends may offer any French chocolate treats. They seem like mistress of Antibes’ chocolate makers with mouth-watering chocolate or as legendary Mistress of the Copper Mountain that had everything who loves chocolate, only instead of minerals, their product made from chocolate.
Note. Mistress of the Copper Mountain is also known as the Malachite Maid, is a legendary creature from Slavic myths and a fairy tale character, the mountain spirit from the legends of the Ural miners and the Mistress of the Ural Mountains, she is depicted as a beautiful green-eyed young woman in a malachite gown.
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 favourite Picasso’s expressions from this period are “I have spent my whole life knowing how to draw like a child” (J’ai mis toute ma vie à savoir dessiner comme un enfant) and “I do not seek, I find” (Je ne cherche pas, je trouve).
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 when the famous artist learned from very basic vases in his 70th at the local workshop that leaded to create the great and individual recognizable art works.
Picasso learned it for many years, and yes, it was free of charge training. However, from his side, the workshop might copy Picasso’s pottery art works originally made in this place for a certain number of times and sell this art works. 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 might see in the Antibes museum.
I’ve drawn and later finished with watercolours some of his vases. This is the advantage to being an artist, you might not allow doing photo but pencil sketch is fine for 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.
The market in the Antibes is particularly remarkable. Baguettes and croissants, handmade early in the morning, are sold at the market quickly. On the market you can buy real Antibes wine and Pâté de Foie Gras (goose liver) with coloured ripe vegetables and fruits Marche provencal . Address: 27 cours Massena, Antibes
Our favourite bakery was near our Royal Antibes hotel, great place that you might enjoy very close distance to Salis and private Royal beach with restaurant on it.
The bakery is just next to the beach, named La-brasserie-de-lillette. I would like to note that inside of the small store that sell croissants and other bakeries, customers are not allowed to be in their swimsuits even its a min 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.
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 might enjoy travel and paint with Joie de Vivre (a feeling of enjoyment of life)
Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Pastel GrayPas Expressionist, Derwent watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)
Below is information information for Nice express bus
For daily trips I recommend to buy the “Ticket Azur” that allow you to take two transport networks in succession, to complete 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)
Art and travel club 