We have arrived in Sancerre, in Loire Valley, this is our final destination on our trip. I will be here for 9 days, my friend is attending a French Language School in town and I will be hunting and gathering food, wine and drawings. It is a lovely old medieval town perched on the top of a hill overlooking the Loire River. It has many 15th century buildings and tiny, windy streets. A bit nerve-wracking for an Aussie driving on the wrong side of the road, but managed to keep all the paint on the car.
On my first walk around the town, I was struck by all the beautiful window boxes. The plants are all young yet and the planters have not yet reached their full. lush growth, but I enjoyed their young simplicity. The colours of the first pink geranium flowers against the french blue shutters was magical and to me so French.
I liked the drawing after I did the initial ink sketch and wasn’t sure if I should stop there, but I wanted to paint the flowers so continued on. Not sure it is better, what do you think? I had trouble getting the shutters and the pots right, I needed a lighter blue then I have in my pencil set, but the feeling is right. I am pleased with picture I think it captures the fresh simplicity of the scene which so captivated me.
The weather is terrible, cold and rainy. I have ventured outside to do get our food supplies, the Boulangerie for my baguette (carried under the arm in the true local custom), Fromagerie for their truly amazing goats cheese, Charcuter for my Jambon Sancerre and to finish it off a bottle of the local white wine. I cannot describe how amazingly good the food is here, but I will keep sampling until I get it right. Just put together a little snack before I go back to drawing.
Karen
Karen Bailey Studio 