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More Paintings of Paris Café, French Landscape Painting

7/29/2009 11:37:26 PM

Paris Café XLIV So my French friend was a little concerned that my paintings of cafe scenes in Paris might give a wrong impression (read yesterday's blog post). He said that people may think the French do nothing but sitting at a cafe. Of course it is an exaggeration to say that they do it all day, but it is important to join their friends even just for 15 minutes for greetings and a little conversation. Both my friend and I know that it is pretty much a way of life, or a part of their culture, for many in France. Here are more paintings. Please [...]

Paris Café XLII, French Landscape Painting

7/29/2009 1:17:04 AM

"I love your paintings, but I think maybe you shouldn't keep producing so many paintings of French cafe scenes. People will think that is all we do here in France." When my French friend suggested this to me the other day, I knew he was half-joking. But it was an interesting point of view I had never really thought about. However, I also know that sitting at a cafe is one of the things on a to-do list of many visitors to Paris. They, if not all, are so attracted to the ambiance and culture of Paris cafes such as this historic place called [...]

Au Revoir, Brioude (French Landscape Painting)

7/28/2009 1:39:18 AM

What fun two weeks we had! Here are some of the paintings I made at the 4th Biennial of Watercolors in Brioude, France. The event came to a close on July 26 with much success. More than 1,000 works by 40+ watercolor artists were enjoyed by thousands of visitors every day in the last two weeks. Dozens of workshops and demonstrations were well attended. And the event was managed and operated by an incredibly efficient team who literally worked around the clock. I'd like to thank those of you who came to visit me to see my exhibition and demonstrations. It was [...]

Paintings of Clermont-Ferrand, France, French Landscape Painting

7/22/2009 12:06:16 AM

Clermont-Ferrand is a major city in the Auvergne region and not so far from Brioude (Scroll down to see my paintings of Brioude and read about my exhibition there). Surrounded by volcanic chains, the city has its magnificent, tall cathedral (as depicted in my Clermont-Ferrand VI, VII and IX paintings) constructed entirely with dark-colored lava stones from the region. Actually, volcanic rocks were used in many buildings, the city as a whole looks gray or almost black in some areas. Some might say the atmosphere created by this is too heavy or somber, but to me, it is calm and almost philosophical. Please enjoy below several [...]

More Paintings of Brioude, France (French Landscape Painting)

7/21/2009 12:00:11 AM

Brioude, France V (sold) Brioude continues to inspire me! Here are more paintings of streets of this lovely town in the Auvergne region of France. All Paintings Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in (on 12 x 9 in. paper) Please send me an email to inquire about any available works. Brioude, France VI (sold) Brioude, France VII (available) [...]

Market Day, Brioude, France IV, French Landscape Painting

7/19/2009 11:41:10 PM

Brioude marché, France IV Among locally-grown vegetables, colorful ripe fruits, freshly-baked breads, all kinds of honey, jam, sausages, vendors cook and sell ready-to-eat food at the outdoor market, too. The aroma of roast chicken wafts through the air. Paella, cooked in a huge pan, is always popular. But here in Brioude, and perhaps in other towns in the Auvergne region, there's one unique food, called aligot, that is not sold outside the region. Aligot may be compared to mashed potato but is more flavorful and definitely different in texture and taste. To make it, potatoes, local cheese and other ingredients are beaten until the mixture looks silky and gooey. The [...]

Brioude, France VIII, French Landscape Painting

7/19/2009 12:47:03 AM

Brioude, France VIII This painting is another of my demonstrations I did at the 4th Biennial of Watercolors (See others in my last several blog posts). It shows a view into a narrow street from a small town square where the Basilica St. Julien of Brioude stands. The tallest, Romanesque-style basilica in the Auvergne region, it was constructed between the 11th and 13th century, and was recently renovated. Particularly of note is an new addition of stained-glass windows. These are not typical designs seen in most churches. The ones found inside the basilica in Brioude were designed by Kim En Joong, a renowned Korean-born painter who immigrated [...]

Market Day, Brioude, France III, French Landscape Painting

7/18/2009 12:42:57 AM

Brioude marché, France III The bright sunshine greeted us on the morning of the weekend market in Brioude, France. In this small town of 7,000 + residents, everybody seemed to come to shop here as the streets were packed. It was delightful to walk around, pick up some fruits, and sample locally-made sausages. Also packed were several exhibition halls of the 4th Biennial of Watercolors that are set up all over town. From July 11 through 26, Brioude showcases watermedia works of 46 international artists who were selected for the event. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of the artists in person such as Kristof Ludwin (Poland), Marc [...]

Market Day, Brioude, France II, French Landscape Painting

7/17/2009 12:53:24 AM

Brioude marché, France II This painting is another demonstration I did last weekend of the weekly outdoor market in Brioude, France (click here to see the other one). Lively streetscapes such as this are a delight to paint! During the two-week exhibition at the Brioude Biennial of Watercolors, several participating artists teach workshops. Some others, including myself, are scheduled to do demonstrations. I'd like to invite you to one of my five demonstrations next week on July 24 (3 sessions), 25 (1 session in afternoon) and 26 (1 session in afternoon) if you will be in Brioude, "capital of watercolors in France." I love painting [...]

Market Day in Brioude, France, French Landscape Painting

7/16/2009 1:24:13 AM

Brioude marché, France I We have been receiving a warm welcome since our arrival in Brioude on July 10! The town, situated in the heart of France, is hosting the Fourth Biennial of Watercolors this week and the next for 40+ exhibiting artists. And it's been very well attended. At the beginning of each day, there's always a line of visitors waiting, and hundreds pass through each exhibition hall every day. This is also a well-advertised event and people arrive here to visit from literally all over France and nearby countries. Last weekend there was a weekly market in the town's main square. Local cheese, fresh [...]

Biennale de l'Aquarelle in Brioude, France, July 11-26

7/10/2009 1:33:27 AM

Brioude, France I If you are a watercolorist or if you like the medium, Brioude, France is the place to be in. In the next two weeks, starting on July 11, the Fourth Biennial of Watercolors will take place in this charming small town located in central France. Meet 50 juried artists from France and other countries as they exhibit their watermedia works in galleries all over the town. Each artist has at least 15 original paintings on their walls and will be present on site most of the time. I am excited to be one of the exhibitors in the fourth edition of the [...]

Le Vieux-Nice, France II, French Landscape Painting

7/9/2009 1:48:41 PM

Le Vieux-Nice, France II Shown here is one of the squares, an open space, so there's plenty of sunshine hitting colorful walls of the buildings. But if you wander into one of the small alleys behind these buildings, there is quite a different scene. The alleys run like a maze between buildings, with small restaurants and shops lined up right next to each other. These alleys are so narrow that the sun doesn't reach all the way down to the ground most of the time. This is the Old Town of Nice, France. While it has become a bit touristy, this is a place [...]

More Paintings of Nice, France, French Landscape Painting

7/9/2009 1:32:14 AM

Nice La Lumiere The Light in Nice, France Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in (on a 9 x 12 in paper) Purchase: Sold Le Vieux-Nice, France III Le Vieux-Nice, France III Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in (on a 12 x 9 in paper) [...]

Nice Harbor Café II, French Landscape Painting

7/8/2009 3:36:42 PM

Nice Harbor Café II Nice shines like a big diamond among all the towns and villages along the coast of French Riviera. Its size as a city of over a million people says that it is not just another pretty place, but an onslaught of vibrant colors (and I don't mean in any negative way) simply dazzle visitors' eyes. So many buildings, especially in the Old Town section, are painted in orange, yellow, pink, and any hues in between. I found this tiny cafe near the Nice Harbor. Here, too, warm colors radiate and glow in a special way that is only possible under [...]

Arles, France II, French Landscape Painting

7/6/2009 12:29:18 AM

One of the pleasures of traveling, especially in the sunny Provence, is that we can get a freshly-baked baguette at a boulangerie, cheese, ham, some fruits at a specialty store like the one in this painting, and make a picnic in a park. We don't have to spend a fortune at a fancy restaurant (although it is nice), but eating outdoors under a huge plane tree is just as nice. Watching children feeding pigeons, men playing petanque, and hearing songs of cicadas... it is a moment to savor the joie de vivre. "When the Good Lord begins to doubt [...]

Arles, France I, French Landscape Painting

7/4/2009 11:39:35 PM

Streets in Arles, if not all, don't seem to have changed for centuries. In some parts of the town, narrow alleys between buildings with weathered blinds are so quiet in the middle of a hot summer afternoon. Occasional sights of children riding their bikes or an old woman sitting by her shady door steps, however, make me realize that I am not alone here. The summer sun blazes as hard as it can, and I know almost everyone is trying to stay indoors until it cools down later in the day. Arles backstreet I heard a voice from around a corner. There [...]

Arles, France III, French Landscape Painting

7/4/2009 1:17:17 AM

Arles always looks bigger than what it really is. I think there are more visitors than its own people walking on the streets at any given time. It is so interesting in so many different ways - history, art, geography, food and ambiance - it attracts people from all over the world. Summer is a time for festivals and it attracts even more visitors. The first Monday of July is Cocarde d'Or everyone in town is waiting for. Men and boys are dressed up in cowboy outfits, and many ladies are in their traditional costumes of Provence. In the days before this big day, excitement builds up as the town presents various [...]

Marseille St-Charles, France, French Landscape Painting

7/3/2009 7:42:03 AM

As soon as we stepped off a train, we were welcomed by a chorus of familiar voices of Provence -- cigales (cicadas). The heat was pretty intense near the Alpes a few days ago but there was no sound of this creature there. I think there must be an invisible line somewhere between Lyon and Marseille these insects wouldn't cross and they stay on the south side of it throughout summer. St-Charles is a main train station of Marseille, the gateway to the land of sunshine and the Mediterranean. Every time a TGV arrives here from north (Paris, Lyon), families with children, old [...]

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