ALFONS MUCHA, watercolor and ink on travel note-book

ALFONS MUCHA, watercolor and ink in travel note-book, after Alfons Mucha's poster.
Mucha was from Prague, the Check Republic, and became famous in Paris, almost overnight. He designed one poster for Sarah Bernhardt, and she loved it so much, she immediately offered him a 5 year contract. His posters were a fantastic success, contributing to the birth of Art Nouveau.

His best works show figures with a longing look, almost in a hipnotical state. His own immersion in art was often in a state of trance. His drawings and pastels show he never stopped drawing.
We should learn from him. Never stop, keep drawing, practice, practice!

FAREWELL TO CAUTERETS, watercolor in my carnet de voyage

FAREWELL TO CAUTERETS, (France); watercolor in my carnet de voyage. Last view from the second story window of my apartment this year. The mountains around town are changing colors daily. I painted this a week ago, they must be more red today. The contrast with the rooftops, all made of grey/black slate, is always beautiful, more so in the Fall. Enjoy!

C'EST QUOI LE RAPPORT? watercolor - carnet de voyages

C'EST QUOI LE RAPPORT? watercolor in my carnet de voyages. I just read this book, very cute, by Jake Oliver, asking about different things which apparently may not have anything in common, but they do. You are supposed to guess WHAT is it that they have in common. For example: what do the "coquille St. Jacques", the "limace" and the "Poisson-clown" have in common?
They are all  Hermaphrodites. Some are simultaneous hermaphrodites, while others are sequentials. The simultaneous have both sexes all their lives and use them according to who's their partner. The sequential hermaphrodites, like the "poisson-clown", are born with one sex that can change according to the needs of the group.
It is nature. It is their nature.

LISA EN LAC DE GAUBE - watercolor in sketchbok

LISA EN LAC DE GAUBE , watercolor in my travel sketchbook - carnet de voyages.
This lake "lac de Gaube" is after the famous waterfalls "Pont d'Espagne", near Cauterets, France. Lisa   Marie Evans is a video artist who did a creative residency with me. At the end of her residency, offered a film in creative animation, presented at  the Bibliotheque de Cauterets. It was very well received.

LE CLOT, HAUTE PYRENEES, France, watercolor

Le Clot, Haute Pyrénées, France, watercolor, 9x12 in.

While resident artist in Cauterets, France, I was invited to paint plein-air in this beautiful place, with a group of beginner artists, including Theo, a 12 year old artist from the region. It is very interesting the way the French refer to a "beginner" artist, they are called: "artist en herbe" = "artist who has started to grow like grass" (at the ground level, I guess it means). Idiomatic expressions are always funny when translated from or to another language.

Le Clot is behind Le Pont d'Espagne, a beautiful waterfall in this region, up high in the Pyrénées.

SIGNER SAND, watercolor sketch

SIGNER SAND, watercolor sketch in my art-notebook. I made it as part of my summary of the book: SIGNER SAND, by Martine Reid. The book deals mostly with Aurora Dudevant's decision of choosing and signing her name....differently. How different? To begin with, a man's name: George, and the last name: Sand, the last part of her editor's name. But why? why would a young girl in 1832 want to sign her writings with such a name? Why write? The author argues that George Sand (Aurora Dudevant) had a terrible identity complex. She tried to hide her pain...for her father's early death and her mother's distance. What do you think?

HOTEL LE PETIT TRIANON, St. Jean de Luz, France, ink and watercolor

Hotel Le Petit Trianon, St. Jean de Luz, France, ink and watercolor.

This is the view from the window of our hotel room in St. Jean de Luz, a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. This is a lovely town! This quick sketch is in my "carnet de voyages", travel sketchbook. Enjoy!!