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Dinard, French Landscape Paintings

11/17/2014 3:30:21 AM

Years ago when I visited Dinard in the height of summer, I gave up going to this beach simply because it was so crowded with holiday makers and I couldn't find a parking spot. But last month when my workshop students and I went there, there was no one except a few locals enjoying a quiet stroll by the water. I thought I came to a different beach. In front of us was a vast stretch of sandy beach, the calm blue ocean, the town of Dinard on the left, the skyline of Saint-Malo in the far right. It was almost too [...]

Il fait toujours beau en Bretagne! no.II

11/9/2014 1:18:50 PM

This painting is one of the demonstrations I did in my recent workshop in Brittany. Pointe du Chevet is at the tip of the peninsula near Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer on the Emerald Coast of Brittany, France. As seen in the photo (below), the view we had from there was stunningly beautiful, and the weather couldn't have been better, either. Both my students and I were so eager to take advantage of this one fine day to paint outdoors. When we arrived there, the tide was low, exposing much of the mud flat in front of us. Damp mud glistening in the sunlight, instead of [...]

Il fait toujours beau en Bretagne! no. I

11/2/2014 8:13:45 AM

Il fait toujours beau en Bretagne: I was in Brittany last month and my Breton host taught me this expression. When people say "il fait toujours beau" (the weather is always fine), it may be true in certain parts of the world. But "en Bretagne" (in Brittany) in northwest of France? The area is known for variable weather patterns even in a day. Recently I taught a plein-air workshop near the small town of Ploubalay of Brittany for 5 days. Each morning around the dining table where we all ate, our conversation started with "what's the weather like today?" and ended at [...]

Festival International de l'Aquarelle in Aiguillon, France

10/24/2014 2:12:02 AM

A few days ago a friend who lives in Aiguillon took me to the top of a hill behind a small village of Nicole. Just before the sunset on an unseasonably balmy day, the view from there was stunning. I could see the town of Aiguillon far down below, the vast valley where it lies and the two rivers, Lot and Garonne, which meet near the town. I felt blessed to be able to spend a marvelous week in Aiguillon, in southwestern France, to participate in the 7th International Festival of Watercolor as invited guests of honor with French artists, David Chauvin and [...]

Huntington Beach Art League Demonstration

9/4/2014 11:14:09 AM

I had the pleasure of spending some time yesterday together with members and guests of the Huntington Beach Art League (HBAL) who invited me to do a demonstration for their September meeting. It was quite an honor for me, as a watercolorist, to do a watercolor painting demo to an all-media art group such as the HBAL as they kick-start their fall season. I did a demo, showing my process from the beginning to the end, of a street scene with corner cafés in Paris. I painted this subject from my previous plein-air sketch, and I did so in response to the [...]

Have Fun with Your Imagination

8/27/2014 8:20:30 PM

When it comes to choosing a subject of plein-air painting, I think I'm fairly easy. What it means is that I am pretty relaxed about what I can find to paint in most situations, even in a new place in a foreign country. In a plein-air workshop situation, it is usually a person who organizes this that is more worried than me if I like a particular view or if I see anything that is paintable for my group. As a realistic painter, I find it somewhat important to be situated in an ideal spot where there is good light and [...]

On the Road (4) - France, Interior Paintings

11/28/2013 5:26:21 PM

Recently I wrote a blog post about my workshop experience in southern Spain - how a lunchtime is taken rather seriously over there. Another country where lunch is enjoyed with vigor is France. I have taught quite a number of workshops in this country. I have found the time they take for lunch may not as long as in Spain but on many occasions lunch is a sit-down ritual, starting with a serious look at the menu and ending with a plate of various kinds of cheeses and/or incredible sweets. Bottles of wine are also a common sight on the table. Even if we don't [...]

Working Out a Composition

11/14/2013 10:23:04 PM

One of the key factors to make a painting that has an impact is a good composition. Whether I work outdoors in the nature or in my studio using a photo reference, it is very rare to see a perfect arrangement of all shapes in a scene that I'm painting. So a composition needs to be worked out to be a strong one. Of course it is essential to work out a composition before you start painting. I have found it helpful to do several small studies on a big sheet of paper divided with a masking tape to see which composition [...]

12th Edition of the Rencontres Artisques du Val d'Anglin Closed

10/21/2013 9:16:33 PM

The 12th Rencontres Artisques du Val d'Anglin, an all-media international exhibition that I participated in in Bélâbre, France, came to a close on the 13th. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organizers and the entire committee who put together such a wonderful show and made my stay there during the show such a special one. I also want to thank all my students who worked with me for a week in a workshop I did over there, and all the visitors who took the time to watch my live demonstrations. I was very pleased to have been given [...]

An Exhibition of All-Media to Begin in Bélâbre, France

10/3/2013 4:11:31 PM

I'm very pleased to announce the beginning of the 12th Rencontres Artistiques du Val d'Anglin, an all-media exhibition with French and international artists. I am extremely delighted to be invited guests of honor together with Eugen Chisnicean, a watercolor painter from Moldova. The show opens on October 4 and runs until October 13 in the town of Bélâbre (Indre), France. In addition to exhibiting 10 or more works each, we will also conduct a workshop and do live demos. Ploumanac'h, France II Click here for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paperImage Size: 14.5 x 21.5 inches (36 x 54 cm) Purchase: Please send me an email - [...]

My New Book "Bretagne - Breizh"

9/19/2013 9:44:47 AM

One way to really understand French culture is to get to know the regions that make up the country. Each region is so unique with different character, history, climate, cuisine, etc., and visitors need to spend some time within a particular region for an in-depth look. After numerous visits to France, I'm just beginning to understand myself how deep their rich diversity is. This past summer, my travel destination was the region of Brittany (Bretagne in French, Breizh in Breton) in the peninsula between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. Tucked away in the northwest corner of France, people there [...]

Workshops in Kyoto & Osaka, Japan

8/22/2013 2:27:15 AM

I just finished two workshops in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. I was told, in both locations, classes were filled months ahead of time and there was still dozens on the wait list. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who braved this summer's record-breaking heat to participate in my workshops. This was my second workshop in Kyoto. While sign-ups were taken on a first-come, first-served basis, I saw several familiar faces in the classroom. It was nice to see them again after my first one back in February. This time we practiced painting a street scene involving a café [...]

Plein-Air Painting: Love It or Hate It?

7/11/2013 10:44:59 PM

Just before my workshop students arrived in the morning, I scouted the surrounding area of a classroom to choose a good location for all of us to go to paint. That had to be close enough and have shades for us to be working in at least for 3 hours. I found a spot with a view of a hilltop village that I thought really represents a typical landscape of the area, and it met the criteria: it was just a few minutes walk from a classroom (some of the students had so much stuff they needed to make a few [...]

Bretagne - Enchanted Land, French Landscape Painting

7/5/2013 11:45:30 PM

I just completed a sketching tour of Brittany, France (Bretagne in French, Breizh in Breton). Often dubbed as an enchanted land, I have found this corner of France indeed mystic in many ways. Foggy coastlines, sprawling hills dotted with menhirs, rush forests, fast-moving clouds... all that makes up their landscape looked something uniquely different from the rest of France that I know. With so many wonderful spots to paint everywhere in Brittany, I really felt like a kid in a candy store. I am excited to be putting together paintings from this trip and plan to make a book later this year. A publication date will be announced [...]

Arcachon I, French Landscape Painting

6/27/2013 8:21:28 PM

I did this painting on location from the beginning to the finish, during which I probably experienced four different types of weather conditions: overcast, windy, rainy and sunny. Plus the temps were lower than I expected and I was shivering as well. Nonetheless, I felt great when I completed the painting and I must say I even enjoyed the crazy weather changes in a short period of time. So after this one, I attempted another painting of a small shipyard nearby. I was halfway done when a local French woman came up to me to see what I was doing. She said [...]

Cafés in Bordeaux, French Landscape Paintings

6/26/2013 7:55:57 PM

While most of us may normally associate Bordeaux with their famous wines, this city in southwestern France has a lot more to offer: vibrant cultural life, great architecture, beautiful landscapes nearby... Cafés and bistros with wonderful atmosphere and food are also not to be missed. In fact, some of these cafés look too attractive to be enjoyed just for coffee but well worthy of extra time to set up an easel to paint. Start your day with a nice cup of coffee and good breakfast to get going. After painting all day, you can relax and have a glass of Bordeaux and [...]

Rainy Day, Bordeaux I, French Landscape Painting

6/25/2013 4:20:41 AM

In my previous blog post, I said imagination can be one of the important ingredients in my creative process. But I was talking about my studio paintings. What about when I work en plein air? When I paint the subject that is in front of me, does imagination influence my vision and painting process? I believe so. I remember, when I just started painting outdoors, I was trying to describe faithfully or report in my painting what my eyes saw. But as I had more experience, I was begininng to digest the visual information to edit and to make my own story [...]

Workshop at Catalyst, Westminster, California

6/10/2013 2:51:11 AM

I just finished a 3-day workshop at Catalyst, Westminster, California. Painting with 18 very enthusiastic painters three days straight was fun, inspirational and a great learning experience for all. I'd like to thank each one of my workshop participants for choosing to study with me. In a workshop situation, I may be called a teacher or an instructor but there's so much that I learn in each worshop I teach. In a way, I am also a student, with no doubt. Each day I normally do two live painting demonstrations where I show my creative process from the beginning to the [...]

La Jolla Art Association Plein Air Juried Show

5/28/2013 8:12:35 AM

The current show that hangs at the La Jolla Art Association is "Capture the Light: Plein-Air Juried Exhibition." I am pleased to have included two of my paintings I did on location in the southwest of France last year, Clermont-Dessous I and Bordeaux Cafe III. The show closes on June 2. Read a review of the show by Will Bowen of La Jolla Light. Clermont-Dessous, France I Click for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 13 x 19 inches (33 x 48 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Please send me an email for details. - Join me on Facebook and follow my blog on NetworkedBlogs. - Follow me [...]

Le Vieux-Nice VI, French Landscape Painting

4/16/2013 10:35:11 PM

I am honored to announce that I've been invited to exhibit my watercolors in the Printemps d'Aquarelle 2013 to be held in Saint Cyr sur Mer (Var), France next month. The third edition of the exhibition showcases works of 18 watercolor artists from France and other countries. Multiple pieces of original watercolors that I'm planning to display will include new landscape and cityscape paintings of various parts of Provence. I am also pleased that I will do a 3-day workshop "Capturing Light and Atmosphere of Provence," May 20-22, and a demo on May 23. For more information and enrollment, please visit this [...]

Pétanque (Saint-Paul de Vence) IV, French Landscape Painting

4/9/2013 5:22:59 PM

On a sunny afternoon, several men gather in a little dusty square and chase and throw metal balls under huge plane trees. People sitting in a nearby café watch this simple yet very engaging game called pétanque while sipping pastis. Time passes slowly here and cicadas all around sing incessantly like a broken record... Isn't this joie de vivre at its best? A scene such as this is repeated everywhere in the south of France when the weather is good - and it is most of the year. While traveling in the French Riviera, I witnessed another game in Saint-Paul de Vence, [...]

Marseille Vieux-Port V, French Landscape Painting

10/2/2012 7:39:47 AM

After a long voyage at sea all the way from Japan, an expansive view of Marseille was the first thing my father saw as his ship pulled into the harbor. Back in the early 1960s when travels to a foreign country were so rare and expensive for most Japanese, my father, still a young scholar, was invited by the French Government to spend a year in Paris as a guest researcher. I can imagine what the experience really meant for him as his lasting impressions never faded and he devoted his academic career to the teaching and research in French literature [...]

Marseille Vieux-Port V, French Landscape Painting

8/13/2012 6:37:56 AM

I am pleased to announce that "Marseille Vieux-Port, France V" has been juried into the San Diego Watercolor Society 32nd International Exhibition (judge: Nicholas Simmons). The exhibition will open at the SDWS Gallery on October 1 and run through October 31. The opening reception will be held at the venue on October 5, with many exhibitors and visitors attending. Marseille Vieux-Port, France V Click for an enlarged view of this painting. Media: Original watercolor on paperImage Size: 21 x 29 inches (53 x 74 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Available during the exhibition through gallery Please send me an email for details. - Join me on Facebook and follow my [...]

Marseille Vieux-Port IV, French Landscape Painting

8/10/2012 9:15:19 AM

"I was lucky to come from a difficult area. It teaches you not just about football but also life. There were lots of kids from different races and poor families. People had to struggle to get through the day." - Zinedine Zidane, French soccer legend, native of Marseille, son of Algerian immigrants For almost two thousand years, Marseille has been a gateway for people arriving in France from other countries. Immigrants have come from virtually an every corner of the world but mainly Greece, Italy, Turkey, and in later years from North Africa such as Algeria and Morocco. With many settling there, [...]

International Biennial of Watercolor in Sainte-Féréole, France

7/26/2012 5:13:22 AM

In the heart of France, in the beautiful region of Correze, I just had the pleasure of teaching a 2-day workshop with participants who traveled there from different regions of France and Belgium. We were blessed with sunny days with mild temperature, so everyone tried painting both outdoors and indoors. Today's painting is one of the demos I did on the street by the meadows with a view of a house built in local architectural style. This workshop was held in conjuction with the 2nd International Biennial of Watercolor that started on July 21 and runs until August 5 in the town of Sainte-Féréole. [...]

Rochemaure I and II, French Landscape Paintings

7/11/2012 4:53:33 PM

The opening of the 2012 Salon Biennale d'Aquarelle de Rochemaure on July 6 was attended by a large group of exhibiting artists, city officials from Rochemaure, the organizing committee, volunteers and guests. The fourth edition of the Rochemaure watercolor biennial has been described by many as the best ever, with 18 French artists and 9 foreign artists (previously selected) who are gathering here to share the spirit of "aquarelle sans frontières (watercolors without borders)." The venue, Chateau de Joviac, is a perfect place for this as its owner, who is an avid art lover, has opened up his place to make it possible. I had the pleasure of [...]

La Rochelle II, French Landscape Painting

4/18/2012 12:40:14 AM

If anyone wants to paint or learn to draw elegant boats, I'd say, go to La Rochelle. Signs of heritage and tradition as an important seaside town in the French maritime history are everywhere. Especially if you approach La Rochelle by boat, you will understand it immediately as you are welcomed by massive medieval towers that were built to protect the town from enemies coming from the sea. Then you see hundreds of boats and yachts in their ports behind the fortified walls, and beautiful houses of shipbuilders and merchants in their historic old center. A jewel of all towns dotted along the Bay of Biscay, La Rochelle is [...]

La Rochelle I, French Landscape Painting

4/15/2012 12:54:34 AM

La Rochelle must be one of the lovelist and the most inviting cities in western France. During its 1,000-year history it emerged from a fisherman's village to an important seasport town on the Atlantic Coast. Walking around the town is such a delight as many seventeenth- or eighteenth-century buildings inside the historic center have been well-preserved. Arcades, old shipowners' mansions, half-timbered houses, Gothic-style architecture... at every turn, there's something to appreciate and marvel at. Colors of many buildings are almost white or come with light pastel hues. And they glow in the light that is much softer and a bit cooler compared to what one typically sees in [...]

La Seine, Paris V, French Landscape Painting

4/9/2012 8:30:32 AM

Cities like Paris seem to have such charm that they make you dream of things both ordinary and extraordinary. For instance, thinking of Paris makes me dream of strolling down a street with a baguette in hand or living on a luxurious houseboat on the Seine. In Paris I always enjoy walking along the river banks to see all the boats, especially the ones with their owners living inside. What a life it must be to wake up to a view of the Eiffel Tower and be able to take your house out to sea! La Seine, Paris V Click here for an enlarged [...]

Springtime in Paris, Paris Café Painting

4/5/2012 12:30:50 AM

"With so many trees in the city, you could see the spring coming each day until a night of warm wind would bring it suddenly in one morning... Sometimes the heavy cold rains would beat it back so that it would seem that it would never come and that you were losing a season out of your life. This was the only truly sad time in Paris because it was unnatural... You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare [...]

SouthwestArt Magazine Watercolor Portfolio

3/23/2012 3:56:57 AM

I am pleased to be included as one of the 10 watercolor artists to be featured in Southwest Art magazine (April, 2012). In the latest issue, the magazine focuses on artists working in mediums other than oil, which is predominantly the choice of medium to be considered by shows and galleries across the U.S. It is quite an honor for me to be among the 10 watercolor artists who "capture the world in a demanding medium where - unlike oil paint - second chances are rarely available," as noted by the magazine editor. Nine other artists included in the watercolor portfolio are Stephen [...]

2ème Salon International de l'Aquarelle 2012

3/9/2012 9:16:10 AM

I am pleased to announce my first participation in the Salon International de l'Aquarelle. The second edition of the Salon will take place in the city of Caussade, France, March 17 through April 1 this year. I have been invited to exhibit 12 original watercolor paintings, including several new works that have never been shown anywhere before. My works hung in the show are mainly French landscapes and cityscapes and some Japanese landscapes. Sarlat, France II Click here for an enlarged view of this painting. Media: Original watercolor on paperImage Size: 15.5 x 11.5 inches (39 x 29 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Sold - Join me on Facebook [...]

Springtime in France

2/5/2012 11:00:36 PM

"This is our beautiful house in the Deux Sevres region of France, called Bandouille, a wonderful stone building, part 12th century monastery, and part 18th century farmhouse, set within the 24 acre grounds, facing the 12 acre lake. We have numerous outbuildings and barns, the remains of the original church, the magnificent monastery dome, two smaller lakes, fields and orchards. "... after some time in the studio, we will take you out and about, to some of the locations we have found in the area. Historic towns, chateaux, landscapes, rivers etc. are all within an hours drive. Subjects to inspire you to [...]

Japan Watercolor Society Second Exhibition in Yokohama

1/31/2012 3:36:07 AM

I am pleased to announce that I have two paintings, "Le Panier, Marseille, France I" and "Orvieto, Italy VII" included in the Second Exhibition of the Japan Watercolor Society (JWS). The show starts on February 1 and ends on February 7. All the paintings hung in the show are original watercolor works by 24 members of the JWS. Venue: Gallery Dada, Yokohama Sogo Department Store 9th Floor, Yokohama, Japan Merchandise: Two sets of postcards (with images of artwork of the exhibitors) available for sale at the Gallery or online (order form). Postcards with images of the artists' work - already selling quickly Le Panier, Marseille, [...]

watercolor-world.com

12/22/2011 3:11:49 AM

I am happy to announce that some of my paintings are represented by watercolor-world.com, an online gallery of works by professional watermedia artists. Please visit the gallery's facebook page to become a fan and learn more about participating artists and their works. Clermont-Ferrand, France XI Click here for an enlarged view of this painting. Media: Original watercolor on paperImage Size: 21.5 x 14.25 inches (54.5 x 36 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Please send me an email for details. - Join me on Facebook and follow my blog on NetworkedBlogs. - Follow me on Google+.- Visit my gallery at Daily Paintworks.- Follow me on Twitter- FASO Artist Websites - Easy, Professional [...]

Road to Santiago de Compostela

12/8/2011 6:51:57 AM

Le Puy-en-Velay is situated in a setting that is uniquely beautiful and almost surreal. The town is also known as one of the four official starting points in France of Christian pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Although a journey on the Camino de Santiago Compostela can be made from anywhere in Europe, I have heard that the one starting here is more interesting for pilgrims as the path passes through villages with the best-preserved Romanesque churches. I am pleased that this painting, depicting a panoramic view of Le Puy, is featured in the latest issue of DestinAsian (Dec/Jan 2012), [...]

Country Road, Auvergne, French Landscape Painting

11/26/2011 3:50:58 PM

I don't know where this road takes me but I have no worries because Jean-Pierre, behind the wheel and sitting next to me, knows every nook and cranny here in the peaceful countryside of Auvergne. Situated in the center of France, this sparsely-populated region may be the least known to visitors to France, or even to the people in other parts of France. We drive through rolling hills, meadows, thick forests, stopping here and there to visit charming villages and pristine creeks… A beautiful summertime memory like that never fades away because it's kept forever in the work I do. After summer, Jean-Pierre [...]

Ambiance de France - My Solo Exhibition Opens on 10/19

10/8/2011 4:01:46 AM

My first solo exhibition in San Diego will open on October 19 at the North Coast Repertory Theatre Gallery (NCRT), Solana Beach. "Ambiance de France" is an exhibition of my recent watercolor paintings of French towns and Paris cafés. This show will take place in conjuction with the Theatre's next play HEROES (original title "Le Vent des Peupliers," French comedy by Gérald Sibleyras, translated by Tom Stoppard). I've been a big fan of France for many yeasr and travel there as often as I can. So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to bring my work to make the [...]

My Solo Exhibition Next Month in San Diego

9/29/2011 2:11:11 AM

Next month we will meet Philippe, Gustave and Henri, three World War I veterans living in an old soldiers' home in the French countryside. We will listen in as they make a crazy plan to escape from there (or from their nun, to be precise), with their stone dog… To where? To the poplar trees that they always see from their terrace! This is a story from HEROES, Gérald Sibleyras' play, which received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy. HEROES will be the next play at the San Diego's North Coast Repertory Theatre (NCRT), October 19 (preview) - November 13. I am [...]

Merci, Brioude!

7/26/2011 6:04:06 AM

Well, time flies by quickly especially when you are having a great time. The 2011 Biennial of Watercolors ended on the 23rd with much success, having welcomed more than 8,000 visitors from all over France and other countries during two weeks. The weather has been on the cooler side with more rain than usual, but everyone - artists, visitors, and volunteers who worked tirelessly every day - was very happy with the results. As for me, after four workshops and five demonstrations (free for the public), the event was not just to exhibit my works but more about meeting people and other [...]