A Beautiful Dream! Part Four – La Madone Plein-Air Painting Holiday in Roussillon, France!
Have you ever had a dream so beautiful that it felt real…I did…and it was. Welcome to Part Four of my dreamy ART journey to France, Italy, and Spain!
I spent seven days taking a painting course from Adam Cope at La Madone, with a group of artists from all over the world. Adam seeks to honor the deep, heartfelt artistic aspirations of his students, regardless of what level of painting they arrive with. You can find out more about his courses here.
We were a varied group culturally and artistically, which made it an extremely rich time for all of us. I like artists. We each had a story and culture that was different, but all had a creative soul we were there to explore. There was a lot of painting, eating, wine, and laughter during our time together. Besides the usual things like composition, color mixing, and color harmony, I learned about people, their countries, histories, and their stories. I learned some new Australian vocabulary, saw a one-man theatrical performance completely in the dark and all in French, and encountered some table manners that Americans don’t have, and don’t know we don’t have. I learned that I actually speak “American”, not “English”, and how to eat and greet the “French” way, and what kind of soap gets oil paint out of brushes the best. The scenery around me was stunningly beautiful, and the hearts of the people I met from Roussillon were even more so. I was extremely blessed by their hospitality and kindness.
The two paintings below are of the same scene. The top one, “Vines at La Madone,” was painted entirely outside in the bright sun. The entire palette was very dark because the light outside is much brighter than I was used to. Back home in my studio, I attempted the same scene again, “Light on the Vines,” using Adam’s suggested lighter palette with more muted tones. I love both paintings, but I think the one at the bottom is my favorite. Which one do you prefer?
The Vines of La Madone, Oil on Canvas Board, 12×16″
Light on the Vines, Oil on Canvas Board, 12×16″
While there, I got to visit the Okhra – Ecomusee de l’ocre. It used to be the former ochre factory in Roussillon, where natural pigments were extracted from sand and used for paint. Yes. I bought some paint there and perused an amazing selection of art books. The photos below are some of the plein air views I had to choose from at La Madone. Out of my bedroom window, I saw tall cypress trees and mountains, and out of my bathroom window, I saw a vineyard. Every direction I looked, I saw beauty.
Sketches from the week are below.
