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#25 - Lingering a bit...

With this pandemic, we have taken a detour on the blog. Come along with me as we make our way through all this together and I take this blog in a slightly more personal direction while we are finding our way.


With 'stay-at-home' orders extending, I thought why not linger a little longer in Paris!... virtually. It is a good time to soak up more of their beautiful art and architecture.


PS - For any of you taking my online painting class right now, I included some specific paintings for you with strong compositions and value patterns. After all, composition and value was our lesson this week. Please look for those elements - and enjoy the 'reinforcement'. ;)


The magic of Paris...

Visiting over the Christmas season, the Holiday decorations add to the magic of the city.

If you follow through this blogging detour on our "Art & Architecture" trip to Europe, you will see an underlying "Leonardo da Vinci theme". What an incredible artist throughout his entire life. I wanted to learn more about him while I was on his home turf. So follow along as he pops up throughout the next few blogs.


Here, we see Leonardo da Vinci's most famous painting - Mona Lisa - behind glass at the Louvre getting a lot of attention!

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo a Vinci in the Louvre - and my daughter Anola.

And of course the Eiffel Tower - an architectural icon of Paris...

The view over Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Yes, we climbed all 669 steps to get to the top - to 'experience' the architecture!

I love the sheer number of museums in Paris. So. Many. To. See. For me, the Musee D'Orsay is a highlight. We'd have to take a really BIG detour to show you all the great art in just that one spectacular museum... which we may do in the future, but... for now, just put this museum 'on your list'.


This painting at the Musee D'Orsay has both a strong composition and strong value pattern. A trick - squint a little if you need to, to see the strong light and dark patterns. What a beautiful design underlying the painting!


(My current students - With value as one of our topics this week, this painting is a good illustration of what we discussed. Notice what a strong composition it has along with the strong value pattern. See how the value pattern lends mostly to the darker side and those few lights are reserved to add drama and capture your attention?)

My daughter loves science and art, so a photo with her and this painting seemed appropriate.

For you fellow 'art geeks' out there, I have included the information displayed beside the painting at the Museum. You can get the basics even if you don't read French ;)



Kids just 'gotta have fun' with Art...


Gray in Auguste Rodin's garden posing with the sculpture - Rodin's home is in the background.

Appreciating 'street sculpture'...
and posing with the 'live sculpture'.

Evenings in Paris take on a whole different magical feeling,

when the architecture comes alive in a new way...


Views from the river ferry with the Eiffel Tower lit up in the distance. Night time in Paris...

Inside Notre Dame waiting for an evening Christmas concert.

Outside Notre Dame - gargoyle rain spouts.

After an intimate musical performance in Sainte-Chapelle.

The vast amount of gorgeous paintings in Paris is truly astounding! Here are a couple that have 'stuck with me over the years', a sign of a good painting... AND they have very strong compositions and value patterns for my current students to study ;)

Love the composition of this painting by Leon Lhermitte.



Look for that strong value pattern here in this painting by Jan van Beers.



The architecture throughout the entire city is a 'feast' for the eyes - day and night. We walked many many miles (my teenagers will attest to that) and found outstanding art and architecture all along the way.


Views of the Louvre in the distance from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.


More views over Paris from the Arc de Triomphe.

Oh, how easy it is for me to linger in Paris and enjoy the art and architecture. Eye candy everywhere for an artist! But we must move on - in this pandemic as well as this blog...


Next up, Loire Valley and beyond!






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