It was Monday morning and we needed bread. In the small village of Pachins, with a population of 30, in the Midi-Pyrenees of France, where we were staying, there are no shops of any kind. So, we drove the winding road through the gorgeous, French countryside, passing creamy coloured cows, round, golden hay bails, corn and sunflower fields to arrive in Drulhe.
I immediately connected with this village of eclectic houses exhibiting charming individualism and exuding character. We parked the car and decided to walk to the Boulangerie (bakery).
The streets were empty and the village was silent, except for conversations wafting out of open windows. Most businesses are closed on Mondays in France and the Boulangerie in Drulhe was no exception.
The closed Boulangerie. I love all the flower pots.
I would have liked to have walked around the village for longer, but bread was the priority for the others, so the walk was very short indeed. Here is some of what I saw.
We wandered through a back road behind the parking lot. This was one of the towers at the back of the church.
As we walked passed, the aged occupant of the house shared a short morning conversation with us through her opened front door, unlike the locals in Pachins that went in their houses and closed the door behind them when they saw us coming. I love the character and moodiness of this house. I think I will try to paint a romanticised version of it when I’m back in my Hobart well-lit painting room.
This is another house scene in Drulhe that I would like to try to paint.
A street scene that is a definite for a French inspired future painting.
Another interesting home. I like the decorations on the ledge that nobody takes. There is respect for people’s adornments. The smattering of unique outdoor decorations, flower boxes and pots, and objects in windows, adds so much interest and charm.
Another house that caught my eye that I think has great potential to be a romanticised house painting.
There were more houses down the street that caught my eye, but bread-keenness ended this visit to this lovely, little French village.
While driving home, we made a spur of the moment decision to make a detour and visit this castle. We missed the guided tour, so we stayed outside, enjoyed the garden and did a couple of sketches.
The Chateau de Caumont is the largest castle in the French region of Gers, about a half an hour from Toulouse, nestled in a 50-hectare wooded property. It is listed as a historic Renaissance monument that has been restored by generations of passionate owners.
The Chateau from the location I did my drawing.
My sketch with firstly some loose lines with a light blue watercolour pencil, followed by an Artline pen.
Behind the hedge, there are three large magnolia trees, which obscured my view somewhat. Magnolia trees seem to be the tree of choice for royalty, as I noticed them adorning several court yards of grand, opulent buildings.
Two buildings make the castle. The older part, reflecting typical medieval architecture from the 15th century and belonged to Gaston Phebus. The other building, the current Renaissance castle, which was constructed from 1525 to 1535 was built by Pierre de Nogaret de La Valete after his return from the Italian wars. The construction was inspired by the Italian Renaissance and the castles of the Loire valley, France.
one of the castle’s turret
a window in the former stable building
My sketch of the building that used to be the stable. I drew it on site and added paint later.
former stables
Jean-Louis de Nogaret de La Valete was born in Caumont, 1554. He became the Duke of Epernon. Henri IV visited him several times and the room in which he slept has been preserved. Caumont has also received a visit from the Queen of England, Queen Mum in 1988. In addition to private events like weddings, seminars and film shoots, many public events are organised at Caumont throughout the year, concerts conferences, historical events, and the like.
side view of the castle
I bought a card on my way out, which is now travelling to Australia. I forgot to take a photo of it. I liked the painting of the medieval dance scene at the Chateau de Caumont and the artist’s first name was the same as my brother’s, Didier.
It would have been nice to be able to have done the tour of the inside of Chateau de Caumont. Who knows… I may be back to do it.
Wishing you a great weekend, Patricia (PJ) Hopwood-Wade
We leave the tiny village of Pachins, in the Aveyron area in France, tomorrow morning, so I squeezed in another sketch, this time the back of the few stone houses that make the main street in this village. There are no shops or petrol station here.
Unlike the other day, when the locals went indoors when they saw you coming, a man came out of the house and said that I should just take a photo. In my not so good French, I explained that you don’t remember photos, but when you draw it, it stays in your memory. He answered, “oui, ca va dans ton coeur”.
back of stone cottages in Pachins, France
His house is the darker stone house on the right. He used to run a hotel of 20-25 rooms in Villefranche. He was proud of his tomatoes and wanted them included in the drawing, but I ran out of room on my page.
The initial sketch done only with an Artline pen and drawn while standing.
I’ve had a lovely time in Pachins and will be sad to depart tomorrow, but thanks to doing three drawings here, it will stay “dans mon coeur”.
After some confusion finding the quaint, tiny village of Pachins, located in the region of Midi-Pyrenees in France, we settled into our country house, named Le Café. It is part of what used to be a castle and we are staying in the section that used to be a café. After church, the villagers would fill the café to have a coffee and socialise.
We had a stroll around the village, which did not take long at all because it is very small. It’s funny to watch the locals that were outside, as they saw us non-locals approaching they went inside and then reappeared when we had passed.
Then, when we arrived back, out came my sketch book to draw our accommodation for the next 4 days.
initial drawing with only an Artline pen used
Minimum paint is added before debating time commences … should I paint plants or not? The plant by lower door has bright red geraniums, but would that draw the eye too much to the plant instead of the entrance, which I want to be the focus of the drawing???
I decided to give the plants a light coat of green and not to include the geranium flowers. I also didn’t include the third storey.
The nearby church, with its tall bell tower, is clearly visible from anywhere. It rings out the time every hour and then one minute later, just in case you have missed it, it does it again. It rings just one ‘bing’ on the half hour. Even though it is somewhat annoying hearing that is is 3 am, twice, then 4 am, twice, and so on, the sound of a church bell is a comforting sound.
Church across the street from old castle
In the morning, armed with my pen and sketch book, I quickly sketched this street scene. I forgot to include the chicken that was in the middle of the street.
My quick pen sketch. The car is parked partially under a large grape vine.
After circling around two parking lots, we spotted somebody getting into their car and gratefully drove into the vacated space, and then took the underground to the heart of beautiful Toulouse. Each lane in Toulouse provides a feast for the eyes and warmth for the heart.
One of many lanes in the centre of Toulouse. Unfortunately a photograph doesn’t capture the charm and the historic ambiance all around you.
The peeling of plaster exposes clay, straw/hay, timber supports and brick work.
One of many, many stunning buildings in Toulouse
opulence in sight
The Hotel de Pierre, built in 1538 by Nicolas Bachelier for parliamentarian Nicolas de Bagis. In the early 17th century, Francois de Clari had the stone front façade added. The detail is mind blowing.
side doors of Hotel de Pierre
Close to the Hotel de Pierre is the stunning church of Notre-Dame de la Dalbade.
one of the huge stain glass windows inside
interior front of the cathedral
The massive historic pipe organ at the back of the church. The pipe organ was constructed in 1844. It has 3144 pipes! There was an organ player and singer rehearsing and her voice was just exquisite. It was such a privilege to hear.
When somebody had to make a phone call, with the speed of light, I whipped out my sketch book and immediately started drawing the street scene in front of me with an Artline pen. No pencil guide lines, no vanishing points marked out, no trying to figure out perspectives or observation of angles, just purely intuitive sketching, diving into the deep end. I will call it “being loose in Touloose”. lol
The perspective is wonky but I think it has caught some of the ambience of Toulouse. The criss-crosses on the left building are timber beams.
I liked the ends of the drain pipes of this building.
I love this decorative approach to an everyday object
Montaubon is a medium sized town of approximately 62,000 in population located in southern France. We drove through the countryside by fields of corn, sunflowers, pear and apple trees to reach it. The streets are lined with quaint row houses with their shuttered windows and pretty pots of flowers. The city centre has magnificent buildings, churches and an elegant bridge which demands time to take in all of its span and view.
Cathedrale Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, consecrated in 1739, partially built in white stone to help restore the power and royalty of the Catholic Religion and as a push-back against the Protestant religion. It was a blue-sky, hot, sun-hat day on our visit to Montaubon.
Eglise de St. Jacques
Many of the footpaths have patterns made with stones
Montaubon Town Hall
Another stunning building. I like the Italian-like sculptures adorning the top of it.
Built in the 17th century, L’eau sur la place
A view from the park
My very quick sketch of this view from the park. I drew it on location in pencil and then applied paint at home.
It was great spending the day exploring Montauban. It was also nice to have a reprieve from the heat when we arrived home again.
We drove through villages, corn and sunflower fields to arrive to the quaint and pretty town of Lombez, France. All the sunflowers face one direction, no individuality here. Although, I did spot one who has a bit of an attitude and was facing another direction.
one of many, many sunflower fields
I sketched the side of this apartment building. I loved the colour of the shutters and the whole ambience of it. It was drawn on location (it was hot!) and I added paint to it in the evening.
the side of an apartment building in Lombez, France
I hope your day is going well wherever you are today.
I’m calling this interior drawing finished. There’s always the question of when to stop running through my mind when I’m working on a piece. There’s more that I could do, but I think it is wiser to stop.
interior drawing
initial drawing
the French living room drawn and painted on location
I hope your weekend is going as charmingly as this charming living room.
It’s still dark when I arrive and start setting up at the market. This morning, as I was opening my gazebo, it suddenly became lighter. An intoxicated young man appeared from nowhere and was lifting it up, so I dropped the legs and thanked him. He then asked if he could use my phone to make a phone call to get a friend to pick him up. I reluctantly agreed but took it back from him when I saw he wasn’t making a phone call, rather he was scrolling Facebook. Thankfully he wandered off to another stall and eventually his ride arrived. I don’t think I’ve been called darling so often in a five minute period of time!
A Melbourne couple bought an original painting of a confidently strutting emu. They both loved it and he said that it makes him think of her, but more of a “swagger” than strutting. I thought swagger is a great word and wrote it down for a future title.
Hooting Along
A visitor from Melbourne chose the feeling-good “Silent Disco” print. He’s here for work and was enjoying the different experience of visiting the market without children. He’s originally from Tasmania and his parents live here, so they visit often. The same print is going to Singapore. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds/products/dancing-penguins
Fairy Penguins enjoying a Silent Disco
Two friends travelling together from Adelaide bought “Family Bunk Beds” and “Tickle My Toes” prints.
Two sisters came to the stall. They were also travelling with another sister and their mother. They said that they couldn’t keep up with their mother, she was somewhere ahead. Their mother is 98 years old!!! Amazing. They bought a bunch of prints: Spiky Bunk Beds, Hammock Life, Hanging Out, The Three Amigos II, Sitting on the Fence, Maggie, Poppy Fields and a large Salamanca Saturdays tote bag. Later in the day, they came back and bought another bag. https://pjpaintings.com/collections/birds?page=2
The Penguin (and one emu) Parade print is travelling to Sydney, NSW. “Blossoming Friendship”, “Scarlet Robins”, and “Sitting on the Fence” will be travelling to Florida, USA. She is in Tasmania studying Eucalyptus. A lot of eucalyptus trees have been planted in the USA and are considered a pest. Whatever is not endemic to the area and is introduced, should not be introduced because it ends up being destructive to the environment.
Scarlet Robins
My final customer of the day is visiting from Hong Kong. He came back from spending two nights at Cradle Mountain. We’ve been feeling that it was rather cool today, but he said it was much warmer in Hobart. He bought a “What the Devil!?!” tote bag.
What the Devil!?! tote bag
Because it was packing up time, the rain arrived. Everything, including me, got wet, but the heater is on we’re all drying out now.
I’m taking a short winter break from Salamanca Market.
The Unfurling Artist: journalising creative journeying 