Spring Sketching & Painting

 "L'aubépine en fleurs"
40x30 oil on canvas 

I see I haven't uploaded anything to this site in a while. Spring is such a hectic time. I think even the garden feels the need to rush and get everything done before summer. I've been trying to capture some of it in a sketchbook but can't seem to keep up. Yet when the "Aubépine" (Hawthorn) put on it's extravagant display once again, it was time to get out my paints. 

More news coming shortly but, meanwhile, check out my recent Flickr albums:  the Lotto Brussels Jazz Weekend and the Zinneke Parade. 

Parcours d'Artistes -- "Chambres avec Vues 2026" - Namur

 

The open-studios event in Namur, "Chambres avec Vues", is taking place during two weekends in March. It's a great time to visit the city and meet all the artists. There's even an interactive map on the city's site so you can plan your tour. 

I'll be exhibiting at "Côté Cèdre" on 14-15 and 21-22 March
from 11h00 to 18h00

 Find all the information at the following link:

 Chambres avec Vues 

Some January Snow

 

Snow is rare here in Namur and when we do get some, it doesn't last very long. So when I looked out the window and saw this, I had to get out my paints and give it a go. What a difference from my recent green series! Stay tuned for Spring next...

Meanwhile, I wish everyone a healthy, happy, creative New Year! 

 "Playing in the snow"
60x40cm oil on wooden panel

 

Garden Stories

"The Garden seen from the House"
60x40cm, oil on wooden panel

Fall began kicking in early and I wanted to catch this scene before it was too late. I wound up painting it three times from end August to mid September. The larger work above might not be completely finished but the garden has already moved on. Below are two smaller earlier versions. Every time the sun came out, it was like a fireworks display:

"Feeling a bit like fall"
35x25cm oil on canvas panel

 

"That yellow bush!"
30x30cm oil on canvas panel

On rainy days, I worked on a Monet copy I had started ages ago (one of his many versions of "The House seen from the Garden"). Wow, look at that color scheme and calligraphy!

Copy of Monet's "The House seen from the Garden"
30x30cm oil on canvas panel

 

 

Sketches in Green

Green no.1

Green no.2

Green no.3

Green no.4

 

Green no.5

Spring is always a wonderful time to paint outdoors, but then I get discouraged when summer comes along and everything turns green. This year I decided to conquer my fear of green. A roll of 40cm unstretched primed cotton canvas made a handy support for exploring the garden's tree/shrub shapes in oil. Not sure I now have a better grasp of color but I thoroughly enjoyed trying to make sense of the chaotic foliage. 

Namur Parcours d'Artistes: "Chambres avec Vues" 2024

The 2024 open studio days in Namur take place during two weekends in March:  

March 16th and 17th

March 23rd and 24th

Some 500 artists will open their studios or show their work in shops, galleries, churches, cafés, etc. 

The Interactive Map and the full catalog is now on line: Carte et Catalogue

You'll find me by searching my name in the "Catalogue Chambres avec vues - Partie 1 : Namur", or on the Interactive Map.

We'll be open from 11h00 to 18h00.

See you there!

Namur!

 

"Il neige!"
25x25cm oil on canvas panel

We had some excitement here in Namur: it snowed 15cm this week -- locals say it's been 13 years since they saw a snowfall like this. So, I tried my hand at painting snow. 

 

"Il a neigé!"

30x24cm, oil on canvas panel

 

 

But before all this, there were what seemed like two months of solid rain; the grass stayed green, plants kept their leaves, while moss and mushrooms flourished. Weather forecasters found a myriad of ways to describe the grey skies and precipitation. I started jotting them down. They tried to remain positive: "...et puis cet après-midi on espère que quelques eclaircies vont commencer à se dessiner". 

 

Here's a view from December with the Meuse River in the distance:

 

"En attendant la dissipation"
oil on 25x25cm canvas panel