The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search
of people, of adventure, of experience.
~Daniel J. Boorstin
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| hoarfrost, Aquitaine |
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| Payenché (south face) |
Trying to escape from the frigid New England winter and I land in France during a cold snap. Frost this morning, on the grass and trees, and every little branch. Beautiful! The russets, light purple-greys, and soft greens of the season are tinted with a white-cobalt blue. I have walked the Payenché circuit a couple times, taking photos and breathing in the fresh country air, re-acquainting myself with this beautiful area. Deeply absorbing every detail as it is fresh, again, to me. Drinking, inhaling, devouring the wonders of the countryside, the buildings (and yes, I hugged the ancient stone on the first day), the colors and textures, down to each tiny detail, the smells, the tastes (ah, the tastes of France), the ever-changing light and air. Such Life!
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| Payenché (side gate to the orchard) |
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| Payenché nooks |
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| Payenché's timeworn but solid stairs |
For those who did not follow me before when I came to Aquitaine in 2012, this beautiful limestone farmhouse which my friends own sits on the crest of the hill Payenché and is surrounded by fields of an old orchard and woodlands. Newer homes encroach on the hill in small neighborhoods, but there is enough land here to insulate this home from those. This cream-colored, two-foot thick limestone house was built in the 1600s and maintains a venerable ambiance of that time, yet Denis and Vivi have functionally modernized the home in subtle ways that do not at all interfere with its rustic quality.
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| Payenché view north from my painting table window |
It's a blessing to stay here. My cherished hosts, my "family" here, Denis and Vivi, are the most generous and comfortable people. I met them a few years back in Delaware through my college colleague Chanh, whom they had met while living and working in New York City years back. We became instant friends and they invited me to visit - which I did - in 2012. They do not "show me around" as a tourist, but involve me in their everyday lives and
this is how I come to know this part of France. The
best way to travel, for me, is to live with the people who inhabit a place. Experience their lives, their tastes, their surroundings, their language. A truly profound blessing.
I have a room which looks out over the orchard through a large window, in front of which sits the table where I paint. it's on the north side of the house so should make any artist happy (north light is supposed to be the best light since it is more consistent all day long - however, personally, I prefer the south and full sun with it's constant changes for shadows and color - one just needs to paint quickly. Great example: Monet with his cathedrals and haystacks.)
Two paintings started, both are soft pastels, of which I am more pleased with the second (below). I love to work quickly and with energy and intuition, rather than planning a painting to a tightly contained existence. Set it free! After getting the artwork not-quite completed, I like to set a painting aside for a few days to live with it and make adjustments as they come to me. I'm sure with these pastels, I will be making final touches just before framing them at home - since they do have to travel back and will sustain some minor stacking/smudging damage. The colors are now all amazing russets and greens and the purple-greys of what would be early spring in Maine. Th
e chilled air literally frosts everything with a pale cobalt-white and accents the deep charcoal blacks of the tree trunks. Beautiful!
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Hoarfrost, Aquitaine - soft pastel on tinted Canson paper (partially completed)
* MORE PHOTOS *
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