Comic reading

Comic reading - Watercolour and ink by Benoit philippe

I did this sketch in my Moleskine watercolour notebook (landscape format) using:

• Faber Castel PITT artist pen - Sangine
• Sennelier watercolour travel box.

Fondation Louis Vuitton

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is located in the Bois de Boulogne, in Paris (France), on the edge of the Jardin d’Acclimatation. It houses Vuitton’s permanent modern art collection, as well as temporary exhibitions.

The architect Frank Gehry designed the building for the Fondation Louis Vuitton. For this design, Gehry won the French National Grand Prix of Engineering in 2012 and the American Institute of Architects' award of excellence in 2013.

The concrete building is wrapped with 12 expansive glass “sails” that convey an organic feel and a sense of movement.

A water garden that gently slides step by step towards the underground level of the building, surrounded by a grotto.

Related resources

Fondation Louis Vuitton,

8 avenue du Mahatma Gandhi,

Bois de Boulogne, Paris 16th.
France

Métro: Les Sablons.

Fondation Louis Vuitton official website 

The sculptor François Pompon

François Pompon (Bronze) by Henri Martinet (1893 – 1965) - Musée La Piscine

The sculptor François Pompon (9 May 1855 – 6 May 1933) was a French sculptor and animalier. His style is based on very fluid and pure forms.

The White Bear (Marble) by François Pompon – Orsay Museum, Paris [Source: Wikimedia]

"The White Bear" (also known as "Polar Bear in Stride ") is Pompon’s most famous sculpture. The original is located at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and several reproductions exist, like the one below in the Valencienne museum.

The White Bear (Cast in polished plaster dated 1939) by François Pompon (Fine Arts Museum Valenciennes, France)

The Museum La Piscine in Roubaix holds several sculptures by Pompon, including a small version in plaster of The White Bear and a life-size bronze of a deer.

The White Bear (plaster) – On loan from the Saint-Omer museum

The Big Deer – 1929 (bronze) – Musée La Piscine, on loan from the Orsay Museum

Related resources

Wikipedia entry for François Pompon 

Musée La Piscine

23 Rue de l'Espérance, 59100 Roubaix, France

Musée La Piscine website 

It would have been Niki de Saint Phalle’s 84th birthday

Today, Google Doodle celebrates the French Sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle.

The French sculptor was born on 29 October 1930 and died on 21 May 2002. She is better known for her curvaceous women figures (les “Nanas”).

Purely by coincidence, I saw yesterday a beautiful vase by Niki de Saint Phalle at the Musée la Piscine in Roubaix (France).

Poisson – Vase (Fish – Vase) by Niki de Saint-Phalle – Painted Polyester and metal

Related resources

• Niki de SaintPhalle official site 
• Niki de SaintPhalle fundation 
• Musée de la Piscine 

Eaton Footbridge - oil painting

Here is a painting of Eaton Footbridge along the River Thames.

Eaton Footbridge - Oil painting (14" x 18") by Benoit Philippe

You can see the reference photo I shot in August in my earlier post Painting spots along the Thames.

Visit to Pat Elmore's studio - Swindon Open Studios 2014

I really enjoyed my visit to Pat Elmore’s studio and landscaped sculpture garden. The weather was good and Pat took the time to talk around the gallery, the garden and the workshop. It was a real privilege.

Pat started sculpting in 1980, is a member of the Royal Society of British Artists and has exhibited around the world. She kindly allowed me to take photographs, so that you can enjoy a virtual visit, if you cannot make the trip to Oxfordshire.

Pat takes part is different Open Studios events and Art Weeks and this is a good way to discover her studio and see the sculptures in the garden. If you miss these, Pat receives visitors by Appointment throughout the year (contact her through her website http://www.patelmore.co.uk/).

Pat also runs sculpture courses at Nutford Lodge on Tuesdays from 10am until 2pm.

Sculpture in progress

Practical details

Nutford Lodge

Longcot

Faringdon

Oxon SN7 7TW

England

Nutford Lodge is next to King & Queen pub. http://longcotkingandqueen.com/

Pat Elmore’s website 

Related resources

Pat Elmore’s biography on the site of the Royal Society of British Artists 

A video of Pat Elmore at Swindon ViewPoint 

An interview of Pat Elmore for the Swindon Open Studios 2009 

Swindon Open Studios 2014

Swindon Open Studios will continue next week-end, 13th/14th of September 2014.

If you live in Swindon or the South West of England, you have a chance to see great artists and discuss their art with them. See the list of venues and opening times on the website of the Swindon Open Studios.

Swindon Open Studios 2014 starting this week-end

The Swindon Open Studios 2014 are starting this week-end 6th/7th of September and next week-end,13th/14th of September.

This year, I am not taking part, but I will enjoy visiting some of the studios.

Below is a short promotional video for the event:



If you cannot see the embedded video, you can watch it on YouTube.

For more information on venues in and around Swindon, visit the Swindon Open Studios website: http://swindonopenstudios.yolasite.com/

Impressionist paintings in the Ashmolean Museum

Landscape at Pontoise (oil on canvas - 46 x 55 cm) by Camille Pissarro (dated 1872)

This painting was owned originally by Edgar Degas. Pissarro moved to Pontoise in 1866 and created many paintings there. The style is reminiscent of some of Monet’s paintings, who influenced him.

Brick Kiln at Éragny - oil on canvas (38 x 46 cm) by Camille Pissarro (dated: 1885)

Pissarro moved to Éragny-sur-Epte in 1884. The brick kiln was close to the Pissarro's home.

The Village of Éragny - oil on canvas; 55 x 35 cm Camille Pissarro (1885)

Bath Road, London - oil on canvas (54 x 65 cm) by Camille Pissarro 

Lucien Pissarro, one of Camille Pissarro’s children, settled in London in 1893. They lived 62 Bath Road in Bedford Park. Camille and his wife visited their son after he had a stroke and stayed in London between 7 May and 20 July 1897.

Sunset at Éragny-sur-Epte, Autumn - oil on canvas (73 x 92 cm) by Camille Pissarro (1902) 

This painting is a view from Pissarro’s studio window at Éragny.

A Mill near Zaandam - oil on canvas (42 x 73.5 cm) by Claude Monet 

Monet painted this view near Zaandam during a visit to Holland in 1871.

La toilette (Celle qui se peigne) oil on board (58 x 46 cm) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (dated 1891) 

The theme of this painting reminds of Degas’ pastel. Toulouse-Lautrec painted in oil, with turpentine diluted colours and no texture. This gives the appearance of a work executed in pastel (but with more defined outlines).

Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus - Oil on canvas (111 x 70 cm) by Édouard Manet

 This oil painting sketch was painted by Manet in the autumn of 1868. Fanny Claus, the model, was a concert violinist and friend of Manet’s wife. A similar setting, with the same green shutters, was used for The Balcony (Le Balcon), a larger work that Edouard Manet painted after this sketch and is in the collections of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. In The Balcony, the artist Berthe Morisot is seated in the foreground and Fanny Claus is standing on the right.

Restaurant de la Sirène, Asnières - oil on canvas (52 x 64.4 cm) by Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh painted this restaurant in 1887 (he had moved to Paris one year earlier). Asnières is in the outskirt of Paris. 

Ashmolean Museum

Ashmolean Museum

Beaumont St

Oxford

OX1 2PH

England

Ashmolean Museum website

FREE admission to permanent collections

Related resources and articles

• Pissarro in harbours – Dieppe 
• Pissarro in harbours exhibition at MuMa – Le Havre

If you are in the US (Amazon affiliate link)

Ashmolean Museum: Complete Illustrated Catalogue of Paintings

If you are in the United Kingdom (Amazon affiliate link)

Ashmolean Museum: Complete Illustrated Catalogue of Paintings