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Tag Archives: Musee D’Orsay

Painting in to the New Year

20 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by pat in Art, paintings, sketching, Travel, Uncategorized

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Musee D'Orsay, Paris

I have been back in the studio on a regular basis, and am absolutely loving my time there.  I must confess though, it is exhausting.  Such concentration on a regular basis for long stretches is a challenge, but so satisfying when something good comes of it.

The Cities series begins in the studio.

The Cities series begins in the studio.

I spend an hour or so each morning working on the Creativity Workshop we are planning for next September in Bath. Can’t wait.  Art and England and My Beloved Brit.  Heaven on earth.

The River Avon at Bath

The River Avon at Bath

The workshop will focus on the artist traveler and how to use their precious time in an unfamiliar environment to best advantage. When we get back to work on our art at home, we will have an immense reservoir of ideas and reference.

If you click on the “Workshops” link at the top of this page, you can see all the details.

The Crescent, Bath England

The Crescent, Bath England

The “Cities” series of paintings I am working on now is a direct result of my years of travel.  And it is the true satisfaction and increasing interest I find in the subject of using travel for inspiration that led me to put together the workshop.

Musee d'Orsay, Paris.

Musee d’Orsay, Paris. My photo.

If you remember, back in August I began the “Cities” series, sketching a painting of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, a direct result of my visit last spring to the magical city.

The first sketch on canvas

The first sketch on canvas

Musee d’Orsay is one of my favorite museums in the world.

The Musee d'Orsay in Paris.  Photo by me after a long happy visit inside.

The Musee d’Orsay in Paris. Photo by me after a long happy visit inside.

And of course, Paris….need I say more.

Starting to chose a color palette

Starting to choose a color palette

As always, one of the most difficult things when you get home from travel is what to choose to paint.  Even though I have a pretty good idea of my choices before I leave the foreign location thanks to editing my photos and sketches on the road, I looked at this image as well as a few others for months before I decided I had to try to interpret this particular idea. The multiple perspectives were daunting, and the arches and architectural details could be a nightmare. But I decided to tackle it.

Image 5

What I wanted to come out in the final painting was the art lovers, the museum visitors, who were dwarfed and stunned by the gorgeous museum, carved from an old train station in the center of Paris. (I love how cities have re-purposed old buildings for art–think Tate Modern in London which used an old power station)

The last stage of the painting. Art lovers embraced by architecture.

The last stage of the painting. Art lovers embraced by architecture.

This Parisian landmark is reminiscent of an ancient tomb. And yet it is so light and bright with the arched skylights overhead, perhaps it seems more like a cathedral. I am always awestruck by this museum…the building as well as the content.

Paris: Musee d'orsay, painting and photo by me

Paris: Musee d’orsay, painting and photo by me

I think the painting is where I want it. Such satisfaction to finish the last stroke. Now it sits drying in a corner of the studio while I get to work on other ideas from other travels.

New beginnings. Photo by me, the studio

New beginnings. Photo by me, the studio

I have about 5 different pieces in almost finished stages.  Unusual for me.  In the past, I have worked on one or two pieces at a time. But this series is so interesting to me, I keep rushing on with it.  There are at least 5 more ideas that I have not even started sketching yet.  Such fun, and I get to relive each travel adventure as I paint.

“Cities” Begins

07 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by pat in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, England, London, paintings, sketching, Travel

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Metropolitan Museum, Musee D'Orsay, Paris, Tate Modern, Tuilleries

At the end of the summer, I started a new series of paintings called “Cities”  It has been sleeping in my artistic sub conscience for a few years now, ever since I did “Metropolitan Spring” in 2009.

Metropolitan Spring, oil painting by me 2009

It resurfaced in 2011 with two small paintings…

Gallery View, oil painting by me 2011

… “Gallery View” and “The Taxi”, both the result of a visit to my sister’s in NYC and a wintry afternoon visit to MOMA.

Taxi, oil painting by me

As you may have guessed, I spend as much time as I can in cities and especially art museums. Although at the moment I live in a more rural community,  I am drawn to the urban environment and the museums, street scenes, parks and buildings that make them so vibrant.

Times Square, summer 2012, photo by me

After visits to Paris, London, and New York City all in the span of the past 12 months, I decided it was time to explore my three favorite cities that I return to again and again.

The lunch cafe at Tate Modern, London, photo by me

What makes them all so energized, what makes each unique and who are these urban dwellers that I feel so attached to?

The Louvre, photo by me

In the mountains of North Carolina this summer, I started sketching my first canvas. “A Game of Boules, The Tuilleries in Paris” came from a whole series of photos I took while crossing the famous park last spring.

Tuilleries evening-Paris

I sketched this painting months ago when I was up in the mountains but couldn’t quite decide where to go with it. That sometimes happens.

Over the past few months, it all made sense.

It’s only the beginning of the cities series.  I am in the studio every day now working away.  I am always at my best when I am deep in to a new series of paintings.  The energy is great fun.  Almost like being back in the cities that inspired these paintings.

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