Every year I paint these clementines from la Corse. See last year’s sketches at CLementines.

…clementines from Corsica…

Sketch done in moleskine with pen and watercolour

The next two sketches were done a while ago. I just sketched some things around me – a container in the living room with brushes and pens and stuff and part of a bookshelf. I try very hard to keep the bookshelf, neat, but I am starting to think we will never have neat bookshelves.

..brushes and pens…

…disorder…

Sketches done in Moleskine with rotring artist pen and water wash.

On Myfrenckitchen, I have posted some photo’s of a vendange in Vouvray that we did in Octobre. Good freinds have a bio vineyard where the harvesting is still done by hand. On one Saturday during the harvest period in October, all their family and friends get together for a day of grape harvesting. It was hard work, but a fun day, with a delicious lunch,  many laughs and jokes and a messy grape fight towards the end of the day. I only took photos, because I didn’t want to hide from the work behind my sketchbook! you can see some photo’s here at Pears in red wine and a wine harvest.

I am a collector of Carnets de voyage (travel sketchbooks).  They are scattered throughout my home, atelier and Coin Perdu in Correze and I enjoy them all over and over again! The problem is that I can get so caught up in them that I stay there and revel in their beauty and travels and strokes and stories and not get onto my own page. Here are a few of my favourites…

At the bottom you can find a list of links to some of the artists.

…carnets de voyage…

…rochefort – denis clavreul…

…iles de bretagne – Patrick Camus

…patrick camus…

…onze peintre de la marine ..

…ronan olier…

…le mexique – didier lisetti…

…didier lisetti…

…aveyron – alain marc…

…alain marc…

…le jardin de l’ile de Batz – denis clavreul…

…denis clavreul…

…eban…

…mali secret – stefano faravelli…

…stefano faravelli…

…balades a montrichard – yves de st. jean…

…yves de st. jean…

• Denis Clavreul
• Stefano faravelli
• Alain Marc
• Didier Lisetti
• Eban
• ronan olier
• Francoise Baume
• Michel Duvoisin
• Patrtick camus
• Yves de st jean

How to sketch/paint/draw/do any kind of art, when you’re in a slump.

I don’t know. I had such good plans when coming back from Hawaii and just suddenly, the pencil or brush refuses to do what I ask it to do. Not to mention the motivation that just disappeared into thin air. Why does this happen. How can it happen almost overnight? Why does it take so long to get back into it? And how to get back on track? Million dollar questions.

I walked up and down the Loire this morning. In the wind. With only a sketchbook and pen. Oh, and a coffee. Stopped at a little bench to finish the coffee and veil myself from the wind. But determined to get at least one or two sketches, I took the wooden steps down to the river.

I sat on a sand bank  here and there and only scribbled down some small puddles with stones and grass and debris. The wind drove me home earlier than I desired and I gathered  leaves to take along. At home I indulged in a hot chocolate and gave a wash to the ink sketches, which I shouln’t have done. They definitely looked a bit better only in ink. I “overwashed”  them all and now I feel like I’ve been doing colouring in; I couldn’t stop…SIGH…but at least I didn’t scratch them out like I have been doing with all my artwork lately!

With these last few sketches I conclude the reportage on my trip to Hawai’i. Since then, back here at thome, so many things had happened that made my life so full with running around – all good and exciting things! Hopefully I can recount on some of it later – I have already told of Katherine’s delightful visit! And I’m trying my best to get into my atelier to do some “island inspired painting”, for which I still only have the ideas tolling about in my head and nothing on paper or canvas yet…  Why does time fly by so quick when we have  a lot to do? Why does time fly by so quick when we get older? Why does time fly by so quick when we are happy? Why does time fly by  so quick when life is good?

…across the lagoon…

Sketches done in pen and watercolour in moleskine.

Some art work from well known artists from Hawaii:

1. Susan McGovney Hansen: (I can’t find a website of her, but you can try google her)

2. Suzy Papanikolas – who “makes Hawaii’s people come alive” by telling astories with color and canvas.. You can read and see more about her artwork on her website – www.papanik.com

3. Calley O’Neill. See more about her at her website – Calley O’Neill

4. Yvonne cheng, who also does batik. See more about her on Cedar street galleries

You can see some more art pieces here on Myfrenchkitchen: Travel.

This past week Katherine was in Touraine with her sister and niece. First stopping off to visit Monet in Rouen and then Paris and then arrived here in Tours, valley of the chateaux…but why am I telling you all when you can go read it on her Travels with a sketchbook and Making a mark.  See links  lower down.

…distracted sketches in Tours…

sketches done with pen and watercolour washes  in aquarelle moleskine

What I can tell you is that it was so great to meet her! Such a fascinating person! With a very real passion for art, for books. A sponge for information. She thrives on researching and gathering information, and sharing it is her way of learning and growing. She confessed that she loves being asked questions, which takes her to digging and researching…so there you go, ask away! She is devoted to sketching which she does with great ease and comfort in remote corners as well as around buzz with lively people and situations. In fact, she thrives on scenes where the challenge to capture people coming and going, results in a scene where the setting is static, but the ambiance is moving and changing. Withing as little as  ten – fifteen minutes she can sketch a restaurant scene with tables and chairs and windows, cake and drinks and a traffic of people arriving and leaving, and they all find a place in her scene, the Katherine way. That becomes her unique view.

She’ll capture the skies in order to define the relief of Mont St Michel.  Or sitting opposite a boring road, where there is nothing but a line of autumn trees with flaming yellows, soft greens and a dark tunnel and it tuns into a gentle  fall scene of serenity. Or how about Chenonceau, where she would seat herself on a corner away from the people traffic, patiently waiting for people, blocking her view,  to take their photo,  and then shows up with a fairy tale chateau, water reflections and all. Or the gesture of two couples on a park bench, worn down from being tourists, perfectly captured to make you almost feel their fatigue!

By telling you this, it may sound that we did a lot of sketching together, but unfortunately we didn’t even do a single one together! Time passed too fast and too stuffed with things to do.  However, I saw her sketchbooks, paged through them again and again and only really saw her art for the first time. The computer screen doesn’t do her sketches justice and seeing her sketch books, was like opening story books! We also did indulge in eating a deliciously light French chocolate mousse cake.   We made up for that little sin by lunching on light salads and last night said goodbye over candles with champagne and boeuf bourguignon! I was fortunate to enjoy her sketching the restaurant scene during lunch, while her sister and niece and I saw to the conversation and entertaining side of the meal.

But before you think I’m completely worthless, I can show two  quick and distracted sketches I did while waiting to meet up with them in Tours. Part of our hotel de ville, typical French streetlamp and a few chaotic brasserie chairs! I can also show you Katherine’s creative hands and part of her sketchbook. To full enjoy this trip of hers, you’ll have to visit her sketchblog Travels with a sketchbook, where a wealth of French sketches will await you, probably as from Monday, when she’ll be back home and start telling and showing. And with all the books she took back home, Making a mark will surely be filled with loads of information, perfumed with a little French panache. Don’t miss out!

And I’m leaving you with a little personal glimpse of her…She has a laugh that can be tickled easily, with eyes that join in, crinkling with delight. She can talk and chat as easily and entertainingly as her writing is. She has an enthusiastic YES! when fascinated by something, she adores her two cats, she can lose herself in travel…and oh yes, she loves a cup of tea!!

…Katherine’s lunch sketch…

…her book and her tools…