Sennier Art Shop Paris
When I was planning my trip to Paris, I looked up Art Stores and found a great video on Sennelier Art Shop, it looked so fantastic I had to go.
Sennelier Art Shop
Sennelier has been there since the 1800s and you can only imagine which artist they have supplied in that time. It is still in it original fit out with lovely wooden cabinets and shelving. It is full of wonderful colours, paints, pencils, pens and papers. It was a bit overwhelming in some ways, full of serious Parisian artists, very earnestly discussing the pros and cons of the various products, an over excited Aussie jumping up and down did not fit in. But the Parisians are tolerant and were very helpful, I found a few things but it was the paper that was the most inspiring.
They go on shopping trips all over the world and bring back all this amazing hand-made paper. The most stunning rice papers from Japan and Thailand, coloured paper from Bhutan and Senegal made from their native vegetation, paper from India and so much more. Huge pieces of paper that would have been four times the size of A1. (Could not figure out how to get that home, and did I need to be contemplating drawings that big!!) I finally decided on the coloured paper form Bhutan and Senegal and some thicker Thai paper. As I sit here writing this I think I should go back and get some more.
My paper form Sennelier Paris
I have been drawing, but the pace of sight seeing has picked up, been taking a lot of reference photos and when we slow down in Sancerre I will be doing more drawing. Today we are off to Champagne, so I think that will be more of the drinking and less of the drawing again. Oh well its a tough job, but someone has to do it.
Karen
Karen Bailey Studio 
Gday Karen, such an honour to reply to such a beautiful blog, your sketches are lovely and your paper reminds me of some of your early works. For some reason I have memories of you using paper like this a long time ago, am I right?? Sounds like your having a great time, enjoy. Love Chris
Hi Chris, so glad you dropped by my blog. Isn’t this paper great! I know I should be shopping for designer clothes in Paris, but I am so happy with my paper. Yes, I have often had lots of coloured papers around, it has been a long term love affair. We have just arrived at Champagne and looking forward to a little drink tonight.
Wow – that shop looks amazing and the paper looks beautiful – almost too nice to work on! 🙂
It was all so amazing. I do find it hard to draw on my good paper, frightened of messing it up and it is so pretty as it is. But I have a couple of plans, just want to keep the paper showing through, I want to add to the papers not cover them up. Anyone who loves paper and is in Paris has to go, they change the stock regularly depending on what they have sourced in the latest buying trip.
paper, paint & pastries?! paris is more glorious than i imagined!
I know, isn’t it fantastic and the wine is not bad either. I understand why people want to stay.
yeah the wine (sigh)…. & coffee. not as good for the alliteration! thanks for the reply. cant wait to hear about your next adventures.