In August 2008 I took my painting equipment to France. This was supposed to be a vacation for my wife Shirley and me. I was cautious about tying up each day painting, so I had decided earlier to keep the painting time to a minimum.
I also try to keep the weight down and travel light, so I packed only a few 8x10 and 6x8 oil primed linen boards. I thought it might be a challenge as I am accustomed to painting much larger on site. I took 14 boards with me so when we arrived in Paris I decided to only do a couple of paintings. I had already painted here a few years ago, and I decided to save most of the boards for the rest of the journey, as our trip would eventually take us to the south of the country. The first two I painted were in the Luxembourg Gardens on a hot day with everyone in the city, or so it seemed, walking around. I suppose the scene would not be much different to the what the impressionists of the day experienced, except for the modern clothing.
The next stop was in Lyon, and more of a stop over for the day as we were heading off towards Provence the next morning. We stopped in Lyon on route it has an excellent Art Gallery with some great artwork well worth a visit.
In Provence we stayed in the town of Vaison-la-Romaine, an old Roman town with interesting architecture. Most of my painting was done in the town, although we took some trips out to places like Roussillon with its bright coloured buildings of deep oranges, reds and ochres mined from the local stone. Typically, the Provençal weather was hot and I was happy that I had my umbrella attachment that fits on my pochade type easel to keep the glare off my painting and palette. Having my work shaded from the sun helps me judge the colours properly. Having plenty of water to drink and a hat helps the artist. It does not take very long after you set up before you attract the curious onlooker, and also the tourists who wish to engage you in conversation. Luckily for me, I have become used to it and I usually can carry on painting without upsetting the flow.
Our next stop was along the Mediterranean Coast in the town of Cassis. Many famous painters painted here including Monet and Mattisse, to name but a few. The town is not too touristy and has marvelous views of the rocky coast plunging into the deep blue green colour of the sea. I like painting rock and water, but I sometimes have to watch the rock I am standing on to paint from as it can get a bit wet with the spray from the waves coming in.
Our last place to visit was the little town of Villefranche-sue-mer with a lively little town centre and lots of restaurants offering seafood along the harbour. My last panels were painted from the harbour wall and of the narrow streets so typical of the area.
Even though it was more a vacation than a working trip, it was still possible to find an hour or two in the day to paint and capture something of the local area.
I encourage every artist to travel with paints. You will be amazed just how much information you can get on to a small panel. The main thing to remember is “travel light”.
John Alexander Day
John Alexander Day is represented by Tay River Gallery in Perth Ontario. An accomplished and prolific painter with over twenty years experience, Day paints primarily outdoors to capture the qualities of light and atmosphere in his paintings. John Day is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA).
