Blue Shutters

Blue Shutters,  SOLD

Shady Lane

DRAMA!  The dog was barking while I was working away upstairs, its 6.30 pm and almost dark. I poke my head out the window and tell her to shut it! I hear 'Bonsoir Monsieur, mon canard est coincé'!  A lady was the other side of my garden hedge anxiously scratching around trying to locate her lost duck. I went to help. Mr lost duck man appears, and so armed with my broom I join in the apparently hopeless task of finding a duck that doesnt want to be found in a very thick and overgrown dark hedge. But then, as I lift a bit of foliage, there it is, motionless, as though if it didnt move I wouldnt see it...Its a white duck!  I grabbed it and Mr lost duck man came to help, much flapping of wings etc and finally the lost duck is found, safe a well under his arm.  Jemima meanwhile is barking frantically in the background and appears most distressed that she couldnt help catch the duck, I let her out so that she can make sure the garden is safe and secure and all is normal and quiet again...9pm and she's still out there!


Todays painting recalls a hot sunny day last Summer in a lane near Sibford Gower.

Shady Lane, £99. Purchase details: SOLD

On guard earlier in the day!

Broken Shutters

A cold grey day here today, hard to be motivated but Jemima always manages to convince me that a walk in the cold air would be good for us. And she's always spot on! So a walk through the wood during which she travels mostly with her head down in a kind of fast moving vacuum cleaner way, she must be enjoying it, I stop to look, round and around and back to the start, and quick glance up to me to see if I've moved on.  Later on I took a trip to a large market at Piegut stocked up on veggies and practiced my French, must do some homework!

Broken Shutters. SOLD

Todays painting: Path through the Conifers

It's really cold here, beautiful blue sky but cold! Decided to give the dog a treat (and me) and go for a long walk to Rochechouart. Avoiding the main road we meandered through the woodland past the conifers and found a quiet lane that followed the valley bottom. Passed through another old village little more than a farm and eventually arrived in town, bought the bagette and had a revitalising coffee in the Sports bar where the men were chatting about I have no idea what and playing lotto.  Too cold to hang around in town so headed back. In all a three hour round trip and really enjoyed it. Jemima has been crashed out in the window ever since our return... she will wake soon and want to go again, then its my turn to crash out.

Path through the Conifers. Purchase details click here

Todays painting: Old Barn Door

I live in Petit Meynieux, Grand Meynieux is about 200 yards away and although it once was the larger of the two villages it's clearly not now. But there are some beautiful old buildings amongst the lanes and todays painting is simply one of the old barn doors, would love to go and explore inside it.

Old Barn Door. Purchase details click here

Yesterdays painting

Went back to watercolours for this painting of The Chateau at Rochefoucauld. Its a stunning and impressive building who's family can be traced back to 1019, and to Foucauld - the Lord of the Roche.

If you are interested in buying this painting please click HERE to see purchase details.

A new adventure

Four weeks now since moving from England, well just over, moved on the 15th December 2010. Studio up and running and so I'm painting daily.  Jemima the dog is loving all the new walk experiences and new Frenchy smells. Took delivery of two cubic mtrs of wood for the logburner yesterday so wonderful log fires each evening, it can stay winter for a little longer if it likes - I love natural fires!

Before

After