A Painting A Week No 117 - Vieux Menton

For Sale - 29th November 2012
Vieux Menton, France
Size: 21 x 15cm
SOLD
(Postage and handling included)

I love this view of Menton old town from across the bay. It comes into sight just after arriving in France from Italy along the coastal road, and to me highlights the wonderful haphazardness and colour of old Europe. Its rather tricky to photograph as it needs morning sun, and then a nice clear day, and a good long lens helps too. You may have noticed that I've painted a version of this 2 or 3 times before, and probably will again!

Menton itself is a slightly more sedate version of Nice or Cannes and a great base for exploring that part of Provence by train. Formerly entertwined with the principality of Monaco, Menton became a part of France in 1860.

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on this link to my  Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.

A Painting A Week No 116 - Autumn Colours, Languedoc

For Sale - 20th November 2012
Autumn Colours, Languedoc
Size: 21 x 15cm
Price A$90
(Postage and handling included)

When we were in the Languedoc region of France recently, everything was bursting into vibrant autumn colour. Autumn was my favourite season when we lived there, and I particularly love the changes in the thousands of hectares of grape vines in the area. Different rows seem to change to different colours, and each field seems to change at different times (if you get my drift!), so you have a glorious evolving patchwork effect everywhere you look.

I took this photo near the village of Villeveyrac.  We were cruising through the area and James and I both immediately spotted this view, with the coloured trees in the foreground just adding to the picture. I loved the row of olive trees near the centre of the picture as well!

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on this link to my  Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.

A Painting A Week No 115 - Idle Boats, Vernazza

For Sale - 13th November 2012
Idle Boats, Vernazza
Size: 21 x 15cm
Price A$90
(Postage and handling included)

Now that we're back in Koroni, I have many many more photos to reference for my paintings.  Its been an incredibly busy year of travelling, and it's likely I'm going to have to spend all winter organising all these photos, not to mention  previous years. This one though, was taken during a spring visit to Vernazza in Italy's lovely Cinque Terre.  Some of the boats that are usually moored in a nice orderly line in the harbour were lying up on the higher level amongst the restaurants, I would suspect, following a nice winter paint job.

When I was actually painting this I was thinking it was Portofino as I have taken similar photos there, but then as I was working on 'ageing' the buildings, I realised it couldn't possibly be Portfofino; the buildings in the background were far too 'tatty' (just as I like them!)

We were in Vernazza again about a month ago with James, and I'm pleased to report it seems to have almost recovered from the devastating mudslide there last autumn. The harbour area is back to normal, though the main street through the town is still pretty chaotic and noisy, with workmen, jackhammers and the like. Most of the shops do seem to have reopened and are sporting new and interesting facades.

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on this link to my  Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.

A Painting A Week No 114 - Albi, France

For Sale - 1st November 2012
Albi, France
Size: 21 x 15cm
Price A$90
(Postage and handling included)

We are still in belle France and the sun is now shining brightly after nearly a week of messier and colder stuff. It's been a sharp reminder of winters spent in France, and those 'warmer' items of clothing I packed in Greece really haven't done the trick at all!

I took the photo for this painting some years ago, and despite the 'washed out' blue sky, it was a very cold gloomy day. Following a lot of heavy rain, the buildings across the river Tarn glowed in rich shades of ochre, with the water almost matching them. The photo was taken from the garden outside of the lovely Musee Toulouse Latrec, which stands next to the huge cathedral which is so very stark from the outside and incredibly detailed inside.

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on this link to my  Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.