Sheep, snow and love!!!!!

I know that for many the snow was a pain, but it was very beautiful with everything covered in white…But sad when the thaw sets in and everything then looks dead and burnt.  But now room for our spring flowers to bloom...and I hope they will after being fooled before la neige arrived into thinking it was their time....

Tried as much as I could to take piccys whilst I was out and about but my camera gave up  in the end as it could not cope with the cold which reached -16 at its coldest….Be warned! The instructions (now that I have read that bit) say do not use outside the limits of 0-40 degrees....Now it tells me!  Not practical if you want to photograph snow though! Ouch! And I really loved my little camera.........

Came across these little sweethearts when I was out and about and they were having fun and came bounding up to me as if they had always known me….Early for the lambing season I thought, but that’s maybe because I was taught that they only arrive at Easter! Apparently not!

EVENTS!

Yoga fans******* take note ........

Liz Warrington - qualified and experienced Yoga teacher will be running a Yoga week with us here in July. 

The week includes full board ensuite  accommodation, yoga instruction and visits to local sites.  Vegetarian/vegan menus catered for.

It promises to be a very relaxing and inspirational week and if you want to join us and need more information click here

ART 

A reminder to those that Keiko Tanabe and Matthew Palmer will be visiting us for tutored workshops in watercolour in April..(and Matthew is back with us in June too)..For more information on either one of these artists please click on their names.  We still have spaces available but hurry as time is getting on!
Standard art holidays and fishing holidays are also available....check websites
www.francepaintingholiday.com  and www.francefishingcarp.co.uk

Sketching and Art Journalling 

Bandouille Lake

Gary's sheep - PMP

Conch sketch

My lovely son Toby gave me a wonderful sketching journal at Christmas as I promised myself that I would get into sketching more and try and be more disciplined....So chicken as I am I started sketching outside the book to get some practice. (It has to look right!!!!!)  I intend to take it with me when I go out and about and travel.  In the meantime here are three sketches that took approx 20 mins and are all A5 size and certainly learnt alot by working within a set time limit.


On the subject of art journalling have found another lovely site 
http://janeville.blogspot.com/2011/09/art-aprons.html which shows lovely journal pages and plenty of links within this site and also wonderful little tutorials on lots of arty stuff.  Well worth a visit!  Or just type in Art Journals in google and click images....A pretty huge collection!  Youtube is also a great way to view these and there are loads of instructional videos on how to make your own sketchbooks too.....Great fun!


Valentines day 
This was my painting for Valentines day to all those that I love - and I called it "Unlock my heart".


Its a handmade padlock that I found in our local medieval town Parthenay a few years ago and loved it and knew that one day I would paint it and now I have....

This little scene would have been perfect, but behind this perfect front was a blue plastic bucket support by a green nylon rope....Hence me not including those!!!!!!


 I also included this in this months I draw and paint watercolour challenge and there is still time to participate..We already have had some wonderful entries!

Next week now that the weather is a bit warmer and brighter I will be oing out checking out painting sites for our future guest tutors and their students …so that should be fun. Hoping to find something new and different.  The only way to really do that is just to get lost on the labyrinth of country roads around here.  Its amazing what you do find that way!  Will let you know what I discover.

So that for the moment is it!  Remember to log into facebook on our France Painting Holiday pages for more photos past and present and that these can be used as painting reference if you wish.

Looking forward to any comments you may have or suggestions of what you may like to see and in the meantime 

.......a bientot mes amis! B and Drew x

watercolour painting holidays
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watercolour holiday
watercolor painting holiday