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As the title of this post states, I'm now on my 4th Moleskine sketchbook of drawings done while on my trips to France! Although I had a pretty bad headcold for most of the time away in France, I did manage to get some drawing done of our trip, in the last week (first few days of October) ... not a lot, but some.
drawing copyright 2010, Judith Nijholt-Strong
"Ancient Apple Tree" Chateau-Chervix, France
pen & ink with watercolors in moleskine sketchbook
Did the drawing of the ancient apple tree in front of the rental house where we stayed, in Chateau-Chervix ... while also doing a lot of sneezing! I love that tree, though the apples are inedible. I was miserable all day, but I kept on drawing/painting this one from inside the living room, through the picture window. The tree is right across from the window... lucky me.
For part of a day, I felt good enough to go to Limoges for a few hours where I did this one, while having coffee:
drawing copyright 2010, Judith Nijholt-Strong
"The View Outside of La Tart-in Café" Limoges, France
pen & ink with watercolors in moleskine sketchbook
I have no idea what that ornate building once was, (or is now), but along with the bright blue October sky, I loved the ornate balcony and huge shuttered windows. The bit of the building on the right of the drawing is a medieval half-timbered house - there's a lot of mixing of the centuries in Limoges which I find extremely fascinating.
Here I am starting that drawing - my husband had to amuse himself with his new Lumix camera, while I insisted on drawing...lol.
photo copyright 2010, Auke Nijholt
"Judy drawing and drinking coffee in Limoges"
Another day, in the beginning of October, I managed to do this ... from the car!
drawing copyright 2010, Judith Nijholt-Strong
"Little Chapel in the Field" Vicq-sur-Breuilh, France
pen & ink with watercolors in moleskine sketchbook
We've never been in that chapel, (or church, not sure which), though we've driven past it many times on our way back to Chateau-Chervix. I'm not real sure if you can even go in it, as it sits in a corn field which looks to me like it's on private property - though it is a lovely little building from the outside.
We also did a trip, by car, through some pretty villages in the Correze area of the Limousin - just below the Haute-Vienne area where we were staying. This drawing was done in the church (Eglise Saint Robert) in St. Robert - which sounds so much better if you pronounce St. Robert as the French do. :o)
drawing copyright 2010, Judith Nijholt-Strong
"Capitals and Reflections, Eglise St. Robert" St. Robert, France
pen & ink with watercolors in molekine sketchbook
I did all the initial ink work right in the church and then did the watercolor, later on that night, back at our rental house. I might have gone a tad crazy with the reflections from the church's stained glass windows on the floor, but they were there and they were beautiful! Obviously, I was also attracted to the original column capitals from the church, which they had in what was an interesting, albeit odd, display.
And this is the final drawing I did during this trip to France ...
drawing copyright 2010, Judith Nijholt-Strong
"Little Cider Apples of Chateau-Chervix", Chateau-Chervix, France
pen & ink with watercolors in moleskine sketchbook
Even though those little apples are truly inedible, I did stick a few in my "art bag" to bring back to Holland. They are now sitting on my desk and, remarkably, drying out without rotting! Good souvenirs and future still life models. ;o)
Ooops!, almost forgot the Kermits and their photo moment of this trip :
photo copyright 2010, Judith Nijholt-Strong
"The Kermits at the fountain of the Jardin Botanique"
Limoges, France
And my Little Kermit also had his first swimming lesson in the fountain!
photo copyright 2010, Auke Nijholt
"Petit Kermit's First Swimming Lesson"
Jardin Botanique - Limoges, France
Oh those Kerms! :D ;o)
If all goes according to plan, come May of 2011 we'll return to the house in Chateau-Chervix for another wonderful vacation. We're looking forward to seeing Anne Marie, (the wonderful owner of the house), again and of course, the lovely "Minette" & "Blanchette" (the cats that actually own the house). :o)
tot ziens,
Judy
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