Paris Sketchbook: Louvre classics

Johannes Vermeer's 'Milkmaid.'

We toured the Delacroix and Louvre museums yesterday and are heading back to the Orsay today for some more ahhhht.  These fun sketches were inspired by these magnificent classic paintings from the Louvre—old friends that I never miss seeing when I visit Paris. I had fun sketching some of my favorite Masterpieces. Above is Vermeer's 'Milkmaid.'

Jacques-Louis David's 'Portrait of Madame Rèclaimer.'

Jacques–Louis David's 'Napoleon Crossing the Alps.'

Rigaud's 'Portrait of King Louis XIV.' The man, the myth, the legend...

Paris Sketchbook—sculptures, Musée du Louvre

 

We were enchanted, once again by these three favorite sculptures—and many others—at the Louvre Museum today. Each time we view them—with different lighting or from various angles—t produces a spine-tingling result.

Paris Sketchbook— Les Deux Magots

 

It's a cool foggy morning here in Paris, but we are warmed and fueled, by ridiculously rich and velvety hot cocoa from Les Deux Magots cafe. We are ready to stroll this beautiful city.

 

Paris Sketchbook—Fleurs sign

I love this sweet little flower shop sign because of the contrast between its scrolling art nouveau metalwork—bathed in glorious patina—and its modern neon lettering.

Paris Sketchbook—L'escargot

Tonight's dinner included, among myriad culinary delights, a dozen of these delectable morsels from L'escargot, this particular restaurant's speciality. Butter and garlic make anything taste delicious, oui?

Paris Sketchbook: The Quai d'Anjou

This is the view from Pont Sully looking down on the Quai d'Anjou, and in the background you see bits of the Louvre.

Paris Sketchbook—eclairs

Eclaires for you! With all manner of gorgeous sweet treats here in Paris, (okay—gorgeous savory treats also) I have a sneaky feeling that I'll make a lot of 'foodie' sketches on this trip.

Paris Sketchbook series!

We're back in Paris! 

Inspiration abounds in the city of light, 

and I've brought my watercolors with me. Were in a 

darling little apartment on the Rue du scene in the 

Boulevard Saint-Gernmain area of Paris.

Summer sketchbook: Crane's beach

More of my summer watercolors... 

I've got my toes in the sand on a gorgeous, warm 

and sunny September afternoon. 

Where is that chap who comes around 

with the tropical fruity drinks?

Summer sketchbook: Our sunken garden

Chilling in our sunken garden and playing with watercolors. La dolce vita!

Sometimes I like the early sketch stage the best.

a photo, from a slightly different angle

Happy Hour at Shea's Riverside

Happy Hour at Shea's  5 x 7"

This is the glorious marsh view seen from the back side of Shea's Riverside restaurant in nearby Essex. Drinks on their back desk—which overlooks the picturesque Ipswich River—is a delight on a summer afternoon. Below is a more zoomed-in 'en plein air' sketch of the same view (from my Summer Sketchbook series) that I made of the scene earlier in the summer.

Maggie's Cherry Trees

Maggie's Cherry Trees 12 x 16" 

This was a commission piece painted for my neighbor Maggie to give to her daughter Katie for her upcoming wedding (to clarify, the gift was a bridal shower gift). I hope the painting will always remind Katie of her childhood home.

Two Fine Gents Out for a Summer Sail

'Two Fine Gents Out for a Summer Sail'   8 x 10"

Being blessed to live so close to the ocean all of my life, I am always inspired by a trip to my favorite spot—the salt marshes. The deep blues and lush greens knock my socks off every time I visit—in whatever season—but especially on an easy, breezy summer afternoon, which was when I spotted these two fine gents out for a summer sail. I would love to have been able to hear their conversation that afternoon... Were they talking about their kid's achievements? ... a nagging knee issue that won't go away? ... Missing a deceased spouse? Hopefully they were just out having a grand day of summer bliss. In any case, their sail inspired this painting. 

Available for sale. Write to inquire about pricing.

Summer sketchbook: Clamshack Landing

I had a lovely Friday afternoon down at the 

marshes in Essex with my good friend 

'Sofia' (she has a very bubbly personality). 

Dutch angle intended.

A good summer memory!

Summer sketchbook: Essex marshes

 

This is a view of the beautiful salt marshes in Essex, at Clamshell Landing.

Summer sketchbook: Lone boat

 

This lonely boat is perched under a tempestuous sky.

Summer sketchbook: Barn at Appleton Farms

This is the picturesque red barn on one side of Appleton Farm, where Dan and I often take long hikes. I believe a caretaker lived in the white house behind it for many years.

Summer sketchbook: Sweet treats

Here is a fun watercolor sketch of the cake and some sweet treats 

that I made this summer.

My summer sketchbook series

Salt marshes behind Shea's Restaurant in Essex, Massachusetts

It's been a busy summer! These days I can't seem to carve out enough time for oil painting sessions (I generally like to give myself a 3-6 hour stretch), so I've taken to making these watercolor sketches to satisfy my craving to create. I wish I had a Medici as a patron so I could play all day with paints.

And here are a few quick watercolor field study sketches that I made this week. By quick, I mean 15—20 minutes. I just want to capture the spirit of the place, the colors and the composition. I may revisit some of these scenes with my oil paints one day.

A lone fisherman at Rafe's Chasm in Magnolia, Massachusetts

A stretch of the Magnolia coastline

Lemon honey bee cake

I made this lemon honey bee cake for a garden dinner party 

that I had this summer. It was Bee-licious.

Color Inspiration: mixed border

Holy smoke—that's a whole lot of scrumptious color and texture happening here. The giant rhubarb leaf alone has that rusty mauve groove happening, and the leaves of the deep purple huchera (coral bells) is divine.

Garlicky broccoli salad

Sometimes you just crave a big ol' bowl of broccoli. Well, don't you? This is a quick and easy Italian broccoli salad that's super to make. The dressing is a basic vinaigrette with Parm. cheese added in. The raw broccoli has a fab crunch, and serving it this way us nice, especially on these hot summer days, but if you prefer your broccoli cooked, you could quickly blanch the broc and serve this as a warm or room temp dish, they way the Italians like to serve their veg.

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced (if the raw garlic is too much for you, then sauté it quickly in olive oil first)

a dash of red pepper flakes

1/4 of a red bell pepper, diced finely /

     (can omit, but the contrasting color is pretty)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on after it's dressed

*

To make the vinaigrette

Mince garlic and red pepper, put into a jar with the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Put cover on jar and shake like mad to emulsify.

To assemble salad

Chop your broc and add into a bowl. Drizzle the dressing over it, mix well (can let sit for an hour or so) then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese right before serving. How easy was that? Mmm, dragon breath.

*Note—occasionally I also like to add sunflower seeds to this salad.

Swiss Alps paintings

Recently I had an interesting commission to paint. A woman who spent her high school exchange in a chalet, nestled in the steep alps of Switzerland, many moons ago, wanted this painting as a gift for the father of her host family who will be 90 this summer. The chalet was so remote that supplies had to delivered to the chalet by helicopter drop. I had little to work with regarding reference photos so I patched together several photos in my mind's eye. I made two paintings with different color palettes and will let my client choose the one that she connects with the most. I truly hope that her 'Swiss Papa' will be happy with his gift.

Flags for the 4th!

Flag Day, Fifth Avenue, July 4th, 1916, by Childe Hassam 

detail from Flags on the Waldorf, by Childe Hassam 

On this—our day of independence—let your flags fly! American impressionist Frederick Childe Hassam loved painting our American flag. He was born in 1859 in the Boston area—in Dorchester, MA., as a matter of fact. After World War I Hassam painted a series of roughly 30 Patriotic "American Flag" canvases. Here are a few of my favorites, and a few other artist's works as well.

 Flags on the Waldorf, by Childe Hassam


The Avenue in the Rain ,by Childe Hassam

Allies Day, May 1917, by Childe Hassam

+ + +

Below, something completely different by artist Jasper Johns.

Three Flags (1958) by Jasper Johns

Okay, this last painting is of French flags 

and was painted by Claude Monet, 

but since we were in the red, white and blue spirit...

Rue Montorguiel, Paris 1878 by Claude Monet

Click here to see to read more about this last painting.

An ombré of lettuces

Home grown lettuce—that's a satisfaction that you just can't get by buying lettuce from the green grocers or from a farmer's market. I have two small symmetrical plots on the ends of my veggie garden that are reserved just for salad greens. In front I am growing a mix of microgreens, then above them there I've planted a few rows of about 6 types of lettuces, and above that I have 4 types of kale. I've also just planted some nasturtium seeds—their baby leaves are nice and peppery. I just wish my tomatoes were ready to pick now too, then we'd really have a party in a salad bowl.