• About
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure

accentBritain

~ a romance with art and all things British

accentBritain

Tag Archives: Paris

Paris Street Music

07 Sunday Jun 2015

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

La Comedie Francaise, musicians, Paris

Only in Paris…classical musicians hawk their wares (or CDs) outside La Comedie Francaise, just a few short blocks from The Louvre Art Museum.

Image 3

As I walked back to my hotel after visiting the Louvre, I heard the uplifting sound of strings in a nearby plaza. Edged by grand arched buildings sheltering cafes, people were sitting outside in the cool spring air listening to the musicians.  It was lovely.

Image 5I have had the photo of this scene taped up on my studio wall for over a year, and would often study it.  I loved the graphic pattern of the musicians against the red, gray and white backdrop.

Image

But even more, I loved the individuality of the musicians, sitting or standing amongst their cases and bags, concentrating on the music with looks of serene joy. There is nothing like an artist practicing their craft.

Image 2

Each musician had such a distinct personality. I found as I worked on them, I got to know each one, and made up nicknames for each.

Image 4

As I worked from left to right filling in the details, I got to know each one and their precious instruments.  I had never sketched or painted musical instruments before.  It was a struggle, but also an education…the different shapes, the different shades of wood.  And each player had their own stance that did suit the personalities I had conjured up.

Image 1

I wanted to create a rhythm and a visual movement to match the music I could hear in my head reminiscent of when I had actually been with them on that Paris street.

Image 6

With the unfathomable violence this past year in Paris, it made this scene even more serene and poignant in my memory.

Image 4

Each figure had a certain wistfulness.  Were they lost in the music or their own private musings?

Image

I would never really know for sure.

But it is rather like my paintings.  Each viewer will put their own story to it, create their own scenario surrounding the particular scene and figures.  Reality is always in the eye of the beholder.  If only that interpretation could always be peaceful.

Image_2

Like the “violet girl”, the details would build our understanding of the individual until they become more real, if only in our own mind.

Image 7

This painting took a very long time to paint for me.  It was two months of almost daily work.  Many hours were spent studying the figures and deciding how they worked alone and together, before completing the background.

Image - Version 2

Finally, like a good orchestra, it all worked together in harmony.

Image

Paris Street Music, 36 x 24″, oil on linen.

 

Floating

13 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by pat in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, paintings, sketching, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

art studio, cut outs, Henri Matisse, oil painting, Paris, Polynesia, The Centre Pompidou

And finally, Floating. I have always loved Henry Matisse’s cut outs that the artist did in the last years of his life.  When I saw these two Polynesia works at The Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the three figures sitting in front of them literally being drawn into the floating images…I was there.

Image 3

Sometimes one the most difficult parts of a painting is deciding what to paint.

Image 3I often take many, many photographs and tape them to my studio wall, hoping that something will jump out at me.

Image 12

This is after hours of playing with the images. Re-cropping. Adding or subtracting and re-adding figures. Deciding which color palette fits the mood of the scene. Shadows. Light and dark.

Image 2

Then, finally, once it is sketched on the canvas, deciding on the ground color that will set the tone for future layers of paint.

Image 3

And it is always at this middle stage of the painting that I wonder if it was really the right decision.

I recently was reading an art tutorial blog and the artist mentioned this middle period of horror when you think all the hours you have put in are for naught! I thought it was just me that had to force myself to work through this phase. Obviously it is a common issue.

Image

But finally I come out on the other side, and I am happy.  It’s when I breathe that final light into the canvas that the image lets itself be born.

I don’t stop working on a painting as readily as I once used to.  If I come back the next morning and some area just doesn’t seem quite right, I work with it.  And sometimes it might get worse before it gets better. It takes immense concentration, patience (not my strongest virtue) and focus.

Image

But experience has taught me it is worth the frustration.  Finally, one morning, I come back in to the studio and just breathe a deep sigh of satisfaction and relief.  The painting is finally alive. And finished.

Image 5

All photos and images by me.

The Pompidou and Francis Bacon

08 Tuesday Oct 2013

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

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Center Pompidou, Female Nude Standing in a Doorway, Francis Bacon, Paris

This past summer I spent a relatively long time when I was on holiday in London looking at art.  I love being near the great museums, wherever they are, and I had just finished a painting at home that reflected this obsession of looking at art.  I can so easily get lost into a particular work and find a new world.  That was the focus of “Through the Doorway”, a painting I had finished just before I had gone on holiday.

ImageWhen I was in Paris in 2012, I had observed a young woman intensely looking at Francis Bacon’s “Female Nude Standing in a Doorway”.  Headset on, she was listening, but it was the twist of her pose on the bench that caught my attention

Image 1The scene was at the Center Pompidou, the museum of contemporary art in the center of Paris.

The view from the museum rooftop in Paris. Photo by me.

The view from the museum rooftop in Paris. Photo by me.

And the Bacon work dominated the room in content if not in size.

Image 2I wanted the pink of the art lover’s scarf to connect with the hints of pink in Bacon’s nude, so I under painted the wall on the canvas with the same pink undertone. When it was fairly dry, I worked on top of this dominating color. My hope was its essence would peek through.

Image 4The diagonal on the wall to the left of the painting was added to complete the connection. The warm colors reflected the reality of the Center Pompidou, especially the predominant golden floor, but also enhanced the warmth I perceived the viewer felt from the art.

Image 5My dear friend in LA, who is also an artist and art teacher, noticed my subject’s leg in the forefront didn’t look correctly weighted. I was happy I had sent her a jpeg of the work in progress. After much consideration, I adjusted the leg and foot and added shadowing.  A fresh eye in this case was very welcome. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in the scene, you miss the obvious.

Image 6

I spent weeks with the figure making sure she was comfortable. I added an edge of wall on the right and a bit of light on the floor so she didn’t seem so boxed in.

Art is all about connection and taking us to a world beyond the day-to-day. Bacon certainly succeeds.

Image 3I hope my “Through the Doorway” accomplishes this, also.

 

 

 

Why travel abroad?

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by pat in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

Joshua Tree, New York City, Paris

Many Americans do not have a passport, which is unimaginable to me. Statistics estimate only about 30% of Americans have passports.

IMG_1622_4

Grand Central Terminal, New York City. Photo by me.

When My Beloved Brit first came to America to be with me, he was stunned by how large this country really is. One long drive from Washington, DC to Maine and he had a much better understanding of why so many Americans never leave home.

IMG_0423

My Beloved Brit in Maine. Photo by me.

You want palm trees, we’ve got Hawaii, or Florida–from St. Augustine to Key West.

A cruise ship departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Photo by me.

A cruise ship departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Photo by me.

Big cities? Of course. On both coasts, and top and bottom.

Times Square, New York City. Photo by me

Times Square, New York City. Photo by me

The metro in LA, California. Photo by me

The metro in LA, California. Photo by me

Mountains?  Try out west or the gentler slopes of Vermont.

Driving cross country, we understood what they meant by "big sky country". Photo by me

Driving cross-country, we understood what they meant by “big sky country”. Photo by me

MBB at Yosemite, and yes, he is hating the cold.  Photo by me.

MBB at Yosemite, and yes, he is hating the cold. Photo by me.

Dessert…yup.

Joshua Tree...the dessert in the snow. Photo by me.

Joshua Tree near Palm Springs…the dessert in the snow. Photo by me.

Crossing western Texas. Photo by me.

Crossing western Texas. Photo by me.

Oceans…two of them.

The Atlantic on the east coast. Photo by me.

The Atlantic on the east coast. Photo by me.

 

And lots of bays.

My Beloved Brit looking towards San Francisco on the west coast. Photo by me

My Beloved Brit looking towards San Francisco on the west coast. Photo by me

 

Green lanes, quaint villages and lush gardens…New England was named that because it must have reminded the settlers of home.

A quiet stroll in Bath, England.  You could easily find a similar scene in New England in America.

A quiet stroll in Bath, England. You could easily find a similar scene in New England in America.

We do love exploring these great United States, but there is something totally astounding about going to a new land where the currency, the language (and being married to MBB, I am convinced American and British are two different forms of English), the food, and the customs are, well, foreign.

A cafe in Paris with this architecture is unique to the city.

A cafe in Paris under these ancient columns is so “Parisian”.

I love escaping from my own comfortable cocoon and going to a world where nothing is quite so familiar.

IMG_4880

Versailles in early spring. Photo by me.

And of course, that is what I do with my art.  

Me at Capa Rocha. Portugal

Me at Capa Rocha. Portugal

And one of the many "Wave" paintings that came from this journey. painting by me.

And one of the many “Wave” paintings that came from this journey. painting by me.

 

But you must already know that if you read this blog.

(For information on the creativity workshop “The Creative Journey: finding inspiration in travel for the visual artist”, click on “workshop” at the top of this page.)

City Parks: London, Paris & New York

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

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

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

Central Park, New York City, Paris, St James's, The Tuileries

I have always loved large cities.  And traveling has just increased that love and fascination. What is it about these magnificent cities that lure me back again and again?

A Paris street. Photo by me

A Paris street. Photo by me

I think there is something incredibly special about spending a day in a major city–visiting museums,

IMG_6930

maybe a movie or a show…

Times Square in New York City, featuring a movie, a play or just people watching. Photo by me.

Times Square in New York City, featuring a movie, a play or just people watching. Photo by me.

or a bit of leisurely window shopping…

 

Window shopping in Paris. Photo by me.

Window shopping in Paris. Photo by me.

A shop windows near St. James Palace in London, photo by me

A shop windows near St. James’s Palace in London, photo by me.

And then when you have just about had enough (but never quite), and your feet cannot carry you another block, you find a corner of a cozy park to settle down in with a cup of coffee or a cold drink.

A quiet corner of Central Park, NYC, in summer. Photo by me.

Central Park in summer, with a jazz musician playing under the bridge. Photo by me.

I think it is part of what makes a great city, well, great.  A green oasis in the center of the bustle and noise. They have their own excitement and energy…

Central Park

Central Park in summer, photo by me.

But also moments of peace and tranquility.

Sailing boats in Central Park

Sailing boats in Central Park, NYC. Photo by me.

Of course, I grew up near New York City on Long Island, and spent many happy hours in Central Park. And in the decades I worked in Washington, DC as a graphic designer, I also had a small studio apartment in NYC right across the street from Central Park.  I could walk out the door of the building, cross the heavy traffic of Central Park West and I was in that very special place…a city park.

One of Central Parks Broad Avenues. Photo by me

One of Central Park’s Broad Avenues. Photo by me

I have many images of Central Park that I have been looking at and sketching as part of the “Cities” series of paintings I have been working on this year. One of the things I have noticed working on this series is how similar the great parks are.  Although each region has its own personality, the parks also have common elements–the broad walking paths, gorgeous ancient trees, people playing games…socializing…walking, and cool swaths of rolling lawn.  And of course a water feature.

St. James Park, London. Photo by me.

St. James Park, London. Photo by me.

In London, I think my favorite park is St. James’s Park.

The London Park's incredible flowers.  Is it the abundance of rain? Photo by me.

The London park’s incredible flowers. Is it the abundance of rain? Photo by me.

Right down the street from Buckingham Palace you can always find a garden or a group of ducks on the edge of the lake that help to rejuvenate you.

IMG_5850

One of St. James’s noisiest residents. Photo by me.

Kensington Gardens, a Royal Park, is one of my new favorites in London, just between Hyde Park and Kensington Palace.  On my last trip to London in November it was golden, and I managed to take lots of pictures.

Kensington Park, London. Photo by me.

Kensington Park, London. Photo by me.

Luckily a painting was born. I look at this, and see any of the parks I have visited in large cities. This is just the beginning, but although it is Kensington, it could be a scene in New York or Paris.

Image

The beginning of a painting of Kensington Park. Oil sketch by me

The three women are connecting with each other as they stroll through the lanes.  You can hear children playing the background, maybe a dog barking, but mostly it is a quiet space where the women stroll in their own special world. The beauty of parks in a big city is it offers the residents a place to come together before retreating back to their small, or large, living spaces behind locked doors.

It reminds me of the painting I did of Bath, England a few years ago.  The two women are alone under the trees walking and talking.

IMG_1584

“The Voyeur”, painting by me.

In Paris, my favorite park is definitely, without a doubt, the Tuileries. It is a spectacular park. And is so “Parisian”.

The Tuileries in Paris. Photo by me.

The Tuileries in Paris. Photo by me.

All the elements of the other parks are there. The social games…

IMG_4947My version of the scene…

Image 6

The water feature…

The edge of the Tuileries with the Louvre in the background. Photo by me.

The edge of the Tuileries with the Louvre in the background. Photo by me.

The grand trees and broad avenues …

A lovely road through the park. Photo by me.

A lovely road through the park. Photo by me.

In Paris, everything is so neatly trimmed unlike the wild abandon of the English parks…

Kensington's ducks being fed. Photo by me.

Kensington’s ducks being fed. Photo by me.

Or the naturally sculpted woods of Central Park…

Central Park's rolling lawns. Photo by me.

Central Park’s rolling lawns. Photo by me.

But each has its own special magic. I can’t imagine if I really had to pick a favorite, which it would be.

Good night, dear cities.  Sleep well. Your parks will wake up early in the morning.

IMG_4491

Paris from my hotel window. Just beyond the rooftops, is The Tuileries. Photo by me.

Painting in to the New Year

20 Sunday Jan 2013

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

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

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

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.

A path to explore

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

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

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

New York City, Paris, parks

It is always good going to my gallery in Rehoboth Beach.  I get to see the other work…

Santo Mirabile (mobile) and Rose Minetti (painting) at Gallery 50, photo by me

 

…and discuss with Jay (the owner of Gallery 50 Contemporary Art) my thoughts on my art.  This trip has confirmed a thought  process I had been having about exploring cities in a social context.  The gallery sold one of my favorite new small paintings, “Gallery View”, the week before My Beloved Brit and I arrived.

“Gallery View”, oil painting by me

I had been giving a lot of thought, after all my travels, that I wanted to explore social interaction in three major cities…NYC, London and Paris (3 of my favorites) and see what they had in common and what made them unique.

Cy Twombly at Tate Modern, London

The Louvre, Paris, photo by me

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photo by me

The blending of location and culture has always intrigued me, and this was an interesting progression to take in my art. I’ve looked at cities before, and the interaction of their inhabitants.

“Metropolitan Spring”, painting by me

MBB and I have discovered, living in a more rural area, that we really are urban animals.  There is nothing I like more than the feel of hot pavement under my feet taking me to explore a great museum, or view an array of shop windows or wander into a park.

“The Voyeur”, painting by me from a park seen in England

A cafe in the Tuileries, Paris, photo by me

I will probably focus on the leisure activities of the cities…what people do when they just want to relax and unwind…and of course it will revolve a lot around what I do with my free time.  So as I explore museums and parks and walking around great cities, I imagine these new pieces will go in that direction.

Playing boules in The Tuileries, Paris. Photo by me

But that is the beauty of a new series.  I am never quite sure where it will take me.

A Dream…Versailles

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by pat in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, entertainment, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Degas, Museum d'Orsay, Paris, Versailles

Ever since I saw Sofia Coppola’s 2006 production, Marie Antoinette, I have dreamed of visiting Versailles.  For her movie, Coppola was given unprecedented access to the vast palace and grounds and it looked magnificent.

It was pretty grand in true life, although the billions of visitors made it a tad crowded. Nonetheless…

I wasn't alone wanting to see Versailles this morning. The palace was overrun with tourists speaking many languages. Photo by me

The Versailles Station after a ride through the "country" from Paris on the double decker train. Photo by me

Thank goodness I managed to catch an early train this morning from Paris. The 30 minute ride was very pleasant, and the ticket seller at the station actually was quite helpful. Luckily with internet, I had researched the excursion and sort of knew what I was doing.

I even managed to get through the gates of the Palace fairly easily despite the massive crowds.  Having the museum pass helped a lot I think.  The ticket lines were unbelievable.

And once inside I got to see this…

Inside Versailles. One of many spectacular chandeliers. Photo by me.

and this…

This bedroom might be a tad fussy for me, but you have to admire how they mixed prints. Photo by me.

 

And this…

Hall of mirrors. Photo by me

Enough of the gold and the crowds, I looked for an exit.

The corridors were lovely and mysterious. Where did they all go? Photo by me

I headed outside, and even though very little had even started blooming or budding “Le Jardins” were spectacular.

Versailles' back garden. Photo by me

I walked around the grounds for hours before escaping back to the Starbucks in town and the train home. Another day in Paradise.

Peace and quiet. The further I got from the Palace, the less crowded it became. This was still on the palace grounds. It went on forever. Photo by me.

I got back to the train station in Paris just in time to catch the last hour at the Museum d’Orsay. I managed to fit in their special exhibit, “Degas, et le nu” (Degas and the nude).

The main hall of Museum d'Orsay. Such a uniquely beautiful museum in an old train station. Photo by me

It was a spectacularly rich show including sketches, influences by other artists and final paintings, but no photography allowed so you’ll have to take my word for it. It even had one of Degas’s small sketch books on exhibit behind glass. Amazing.

The sun sets on Paris and the Museum d'Orsay. Photo by me

I walked back across the park for my last evening in Paris.

A final sailboat race on the fountain pond in the Tuileries. These are the first clouds I've seen all week. Rain tonight. Photo by me

I paused to watch a rousing game of boules. Photo by me

And finally crossed over to my hotel during rush hour. Photo by me

Good Night, Paris.

 

 

Palm Sunday in Paris

01 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by pat in Art, Art Museums & Exhibitions, Gardens, paintings, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Flower Market, Palm Sunday, Paris

Today is Palm Sunday in Paris, a point hard to miss in this city.  On my way to breakfast I passed the ladies at the door of the church preparing the greenery.  In Paris, it is sprigs of boxwood rather than palms, but the point is made just the same.

The ladies prepare greens outside the church for Palm Sunday. photo by me

At every church in the city, it seemed you could get a sprig of green to carry around.  And at Notre Dame they had big white tents set up to entertain the children. Church members in white sweatshirts would answer any questions you might have about the day, and their church, and their religion.

Notre Dame, photo by me

Around the corner, a flower market bloomed.  I happened on it quite by mistake while making a detour for a scoop of haagen dazs (chocolate praline carmel crunch).

This flower market went on for blocks around the corner from Notre Dame. Photo by me

Perfect for the patio, from peach trees to pussy willows. Photo by me

And as I became intoxicated with the smell of fresh spring blooms, I heard  birds chirping away.  There were cages full of tiny birds, every variety imaginable, to the great delight of children straining to escape from their parents to see what it was all about.

Tiny birds, chirping away, hoping to find a home for Easter. photo by me

There were all shapes and sizes and colors. Fascinating. I don’t know if this was just for this weekend or if this a regular occurrence, but it was really quite magical.

The varieties were endless. Something for every taste, so to speak. photo by me

There were booths with all types of birdseed…

Bird seed by the bulk. photo by me

…so you can feed your nesters and get your own fresh eggs.

You could also buy live quails, chickens and doves at the market if you wanted your own endless supply of fresh eggs. Photo by me.

And that was just part of my day.  The highlight was a visit to Centre Pompidou, the Paris version of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.  A unique building, very modern and industrial, it was a delight, and the collection was interesting and varied.

The courtyard from the roof of Centre Pompidou. Photo by me

The last time I was in Paris, much of this museum was closed for renovation, so today was a treat and I spent hours there. My poor Beloved Brit I am afraid would have been bored to tears, which is why I came on my own.

Outside the galleries are sculpture gardens in a pool high above the city.The views of Paris from up here are spectacular. Photo by me

The collection is varied, but my favorite area is Floor 4 and 5, 1900 to present.

Matisse cutouts. Never disappoint. Photo by me

A few of my old favorites…

Joan Mitchell. I have this image in a book back in the studio, but it pales in comparison to the real thing. Photo by me

And of course Peter Doig…

Peter Doig, the painting in real time. Photo by me

I could go on and on and on–way too many to mention here.

Just a spectacular day.  And then I walked outside and down the street on my way to Notre Dame, and saw this…

A small side street captured my attention. Ssssh, don't tell anyone. Photo by me

You’ve got to love Paris for the art.  Just when you think you’ve adjusted to the visual overload, something else pops up and blows you away.

 

 

← Older posts

♣ Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 27 other subscribers

♣ Archives

  • September 2022
  • May 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • August 2021
  • May 2021
  • January 2021
  • September 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • July 2017
  • April 2017
  • February 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • January 2016
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011

♣ Recent Posts

  • Autumn Stroll on the C&O Canal
  • A Winter’s Project
  • A Walk In The Park
  • An Adirondack Pond
  • Golden

♣ Categories

  • Art
  • Art Museums & Exhibitions
  • Bath
  • Books
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • cars
  • Cornwall
  • Cornwall
  • England
  • entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Food
  • Gardens
  • Grasmere
  • Guana Island
  • History
  • Lake District
  • Lake District
  • London
  • movies
  • Music
  • National Trust
  • Olympics
  • paintings
  • Peak District
  • Sailing
  • Scotland
  • Shopping
  • sketching
  • The New Forest
  • The Royal Family
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • United Kingdom

♣ my button

accentbritain.com
<a href="http://accentbritain.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://accentbritain.com/accentBritainbutton.jpeg" alt="accentBritain.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>
Copyright 2011 accentBritain LLC. All rights reserved. All original photos, text and art is copyright protected.

Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Chateau by Ignacio Ricci.

 

Loading Comments...