2025.

In July 2025 my beloved gifted me, for our 25th anniversary, a 7-day plein-air painting workshop in the South of France. At the time, I was still somewhat blocked and hadn't painted in nearly a year. I was still in shock over all the rapid moves of 1000s of miles, and this helped me bust out of it. 

I had been experimenting with using a palette knife to paint with. I love the simplicity of it. You just wipe it on a towel, done. No washing, no conditioning. Plus, it helped me to get those lovely impressionist images I was chasing. 

The workshop is "Art in Provence". 

My first "real" painting in Aux en Provence was of the house belonging to the caretaker for Paul Cezanne's home. 

 Paul Cezanne's home

 Mason Maria, oil on linen panel.

 Caroline's Vinyard, oil on linen panel. 

For 7-8 days (and some evenings) during an unprecedented heat wave we painted starting at 9 am for several hours, then ate an enormous French lunch, drank wine, and then painted some more. 

I was sunburned, bitten by ants and horseflies, AND was able to break through my artist's block. 

While there, I splurged and purchased a SolTek easel which I'll highlight in a later post.  

I took lots of pictures becuase I had just completed Art History I at the local Olympic College. But the ones that I find most interesting are the French street art. 

  Painting with Jill in Casis.   

Not one of my best. 

 Himself. 

After the workshop we went to Marsaille. I have a lot of pictures of Marsaille, but we went on a walking/tasting tour and I was fascinated by French Grafitti. 

 

 We visited a few basilicas. 

 Even in France, Breaking Bad is a thing. 

We went kayaking on the Mediterranean. 

 

 

 

 

We also visited Switzerland, and drove through the Alps. 

 

 

You know how the Swiss are the time-keepers? It's true. 

We received a speeding ticket after we got home for going 2 km over the speed limit. 

Anyhoo. 

I returned to Washington where I was ready to paint, paint, paint. began to learn how to paint boats

 oil, palette knife, 6"x6" canvas panel

and fog:

 Into the Mist, Oil, palette knife on linen panel

moody seas and rocky beaches

 Rocky Beach, Acrylic (class assignment) , palette knife on stretched canvas

 Kingston Beach, Oil on hand-stretched canvas

I started doing more en plein air painting and volunteered to coordinate paint-outs for the local art league. This one I particularly like:

 Tidal Flats on Indian Island, Oil on board

 Fort Townsend Beach, Oil on Board

And of course I'm now learning how to handle a million shades of green:

 Forest Morning, 24x36" Oil on cradled board.

I’m going to be in charge of picking out monthly plein air locations for our group, and I’ve joined yet another plein air group, so I’ll have lots of pictures to add from now on. 

I’m also attending Olympic College, studying art. I’d love to transfer to a 4-year uni for art, but that would be in Seattle. Although UW is only about 40 miles away, it involves crossing two draw bridges and taking a ferry, a minimum of 2 hour commute, and at this time I'm just not feeling it. So I'll take another 2 years at Olympic College, and then get on with my life. 

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