Quillan

Another day, another charming French town...Quillan. It had a good selection of scenes to sketch, but three of us decided to sit in a little parkette under an arbour of wisteria and paint an old bicycle leaning against a wall! Could have been anywhere - does not say "Quillan" to an observer, but is just a typical vignette one could find in any village around here... 

Usually we start the day with a sometimes endless and frustrating search for the perfect scene to paint.....so why not just a bike? It was right there beside the parking lot, and seemed quite photogenic and paintable...Done!

It was ever so relaxing to just sit and enjoy the sun and the locals who meandered by and smiled and showed an interest in what we were doing... We met some lovely folks from Kent England who live in the pink house in the extra...and when we needed a break, we could just mosey on up that alley beside their house to check out the church, or the cute little square beside it, or perhaps the cafe around the corner...Perfect! 

Oh and the woman from Kent? She was the one who had arranged the bicycle vignette, and she came over to apologize that she had not, as yet, planted the spring flowers on the bike - but suggested that if we wanted to paint them in, there would be white daisies in the mailbox on the back rack and some tulips in the paint can on the front rack! Love it! The people you meet  make the day, right? 

I keep using the term "paint" when I really mean "sketch". At some point, though, I am going to have to actually paint. I have been sketching  but not all that successfully.. I am not adept at Plein Air painting...so many distractions...wind, bugs, dogs, passersby..and everything balancing on your lap? I have dropped some paint onto a couple of sketches but have nothing really to show for all these  daily "painting" expeditions! I may end up painting from my photos instead! So, will the world end? NOT...It didn't the last time people were convinced it would! ( see yesterday's posting on Bugarach)

Today, to illustrate my point perfectly, the wind blew Marilou's painting into the river! She managed to chase it downstream and catch it by getting out into the river on some stepping stones! But AHA! She says it is the best watercolour she has ever done! So much better after its river adventure! So watery looking with such soft, muted colours.... 

Then, it was back home to le Monastère for dinner prepared by Fabienne, the owner, who is a marvellous chef..and always uses locally produced wine, meat and produce...this time, it was duck! Fabulous....Great way to end a great day...