Category Archives: Paris

Une Belle Journée

Posted on by
5

When I was looking for an apartment in Paris I corresponded with a lady who lives in Paris. We made arrangements to meet and today was the day.  We met by the Académie de la grande Chaumiére at 11:00 and we spent the day together.  Anne-Francoise showed me her neighbourhood, and some of her favourite secret places.  We had a wonderful time together, and walked from eleven till six o’clock, with only three stops: for tea at the Jardin de Luxembourg, lunch at a sidewalk  restaurant beside a little square,

imageand then sorbet at the famous Berthillon Ice Cream Store.  We sat in their gorgeous little tea room and had the most delicious sorbet, I chose raspberry and peach and they were both delicious.

image

We saw so many beautiful buildings and places and it was very interesting as Anne-Francoise was able to tell me all about them.  She is very knowledgeable about the history of Paris so I had my very own tour guide!  I tried to speak French as much as I could and she spoke English as much as she could and it was just fine.  We got along so well and we like many of the same things, so we had lots to talk about.

image

This is the back of a fountain by the Palais du Luxembourg, and the next picture is the front.  I remember seeing this fountain when Bob and I were in Paris, but had no idea there was a back side to it as well. This is one of the many ‘secret places’ I was able to visit today.

image

We strolled through an interesting flower market with lots of beautiful plants, flowers and garden accessories, and saw store that only sold orchids, big beautiful orchids of every colour and shape.

image

We crossed the Seine several times and I took pictures of some of the many interesting bridges in Paris.

image imageThis view is looking towards the newer business area to the East.

We dashed across the middle of the street on one of the bridges so I could take this photo of Notre Dame.  I really think it is most interesting from this angle, as the flying buttresses that support the walls are visible.

imageWe walked mostly in the 4th, 5th and 6 th arrondissements, and we walked a lot, so I am very tired tonight, but a good tired.  I think maybe speaking and trying to understand so much French was a bit tiring too, but we managed to communicate quite well.

This is the St. Etiénne du Mont Church, du Mont means on a hill.   It is not vey big but is very ornate inside.  I never tire of these beautiful places of worship.  They are all so amazing.  This church took about 150 years to build!  Just imagine…..

imageimageimage

I thought this picture might give some idea of how popular motorcycles are here in Paris.  These were parked near the Pantheon, alongside yet another big beautiful building.

image

I should have been taking notes so that I could remember the names of the buildings, I am afraid they all seem to have disappeared from my head tonight.   I thought this apartment was particularly pretty with all its matching window boxes.

image

All too soon it was time to say good bye to my new friend.  It was a bit hard to do.  We had such a good time, and I don’t know when we will have another chance to spend time together.  Strange how it is possible to just meet someone yet it felt like we were friends right from our first greeting.

There is so much more I could write but I really need to get to bed.  Tomorrow will likely be my last time drawing at the Académie and I do not want to be too tired.  My days in Paris are fast coming to an end.  I fly home on Monday.

Scary Metro Ride Home

Posted on by
4

Tonight coming home on the metro about 8:00 I had an rather unsettling experience.  I could hear someone speaking very loudly and than a series of loud bangs. Soon I see what it is all about, a very large, very upset man is walking through the metro cars yelling and slamming shut all the vents at the top of the windows.  He is either drunk or deranged, perhaps a bit of both, to judge from his appearance.  He is strangely dressed with all sorts of things tied into his hair and his pants appeared to have not much of a bottom in them, his bottom was quite visible.  To make matters worse he stepped into the area between me and the passengers facing me and almost fell on the lady beside me!

I was worried he was going to stay here, but he moved on, slamming more window vents. Everyone looked a bit upset, people were looking at each other with raised eyebrows or other facial expressions that clearly showed they did not like the situation.  A few minutes later he is walking back the way he came from, still slamming windows, as some people had opened them after he passed by.  This time no one reopened the windows!

He disappeared towards the back of the train and then a whole lot more people got on, so I figured he would not be able to make his way back to where I was sitting.   This is honestly the first time in Paris that I have felt uncomfortable, or worried about a situation.  In hindsight, I think the best thing to do would have been to get off the train and wait for the next one, but I was rather shocked by the situation and didn’t think of this until after it was all over.

image

I did do some drawing on the metro today, but wasn’t able to do any after this incident.  I actually got a terrible headache, just the stress of it all I guess.

Then when I arrive at the metro station at the end of my street there are a whole lot of metro security and they are in a semi-circle around a man who is wearing an old jacket that says ‘Security’ on the back.  He has a very big muscular doberman and it appears that he wants to take the dog on the metro?  Not exactly sure, but the dog is wearing a muzzle and he is getting agitated, as is the man, who appears to be trying to explain something to the metro police.  The man ties the dog to the exit booth, so the metro people have to open a special gate so people don’t have to go through the booth.

I decide that I need to get home and shut the door on all this!  I even checked the internet to see if it is a full moon, but it isn’t, so can’t blame it on that.

There is a soccer match on tonight that Paris is playing in and they appear to be winning as there is a lot of cheering and noise periodically.  I couldn’t figure out what all the noise was about but when I went out to get a few groceries I saw a bunch of men standing outside and inside the cafe on the corner.  I go see what they are watching on TV,  turns put to be soccer, and I ask who is playing.  A man tells me, and says Paris was up by two points.  That was almost an hour ago and there is still lots of noise every now and then so I assume they are still in the lead.

Anyways… I attended two life drawing sessions today and then went for drinks with my two new friends and met a friend of theirs as well.  This gentleman is an American who came to visit Paris with his wife for three months and is still here, more than a decade later.  That seems to happen to people when they visit this city!

image

Here are a few of my drawings from today.  The first model was older, probably at least my age, and very thin, so interesting to draw.

image

I could see bones and musculature very clearly, so I concentrated on trying to sort those things out, especially in the neck and collarbone area, trying to sort out the shapes and shadows in this area.  They are over emphasized a bit in these drawings but I was concentrating on a study of bones and muscles.  This model was wonderful for that.

 

Our second model was rather voluptuous, so quite a contrast from the first session.

image

image

Sorry for the long rant about the trip home, I think I just needed to talk about it.  Thanks for listening.

 

Parc Des Buttes Chaumont, Organ Recital and the Marais

Posted on by
7

This morning was slow and relaxed as I was a bit tired after yesterday’s drawing class and the evening at the ballet. I finally got myself out the door after noon and set out to walk to the Parc Des Buttes Chaumont which is a 25 hectare park in the 19th arrondissement. imageIt is a beautiful place, and although it has many man made features this park does not feel as though it is in the city. Most of Paris’ parks are carefully manicured, laid out geometrically and have paved or gravel surfaces with benches or chairs. There are not many parks that actually allow people to walk or sit on the grass, which I found strange at first, but when I once I thought about the density of population in this city and realized how many people use the parks I realized that this is a necessity, or the grass would be trampled and dead.

image

The Parc des Buttes Chaumont, however, is a  park that welcomes people onto its many grassy hills. There were lots of people out enjoying the warm day. I saw everyone from individuals relaxing, sleeping, reading, or playing the guitar, couples having a romantic picnic complete with a bottle of favourite wine, families enjoying the sun with their children to large gatherings of family and friends, sharing a meal and visiting in the sunshine.

image

 

Because it was once a quarry there were lots of hills to climb, including one up to a ancient looking little structure on an island which is also the highest point in the park where it’s main attraction can be found, the Temple de la Sibylle, a miniature version of the famous ancient Roman Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, Italy.

image

Sacré Coeuer is visible in the distance from here and there is quite a good view.  If you are interested, Wikipedia has a very interesting write up about the history and construction of the park.

image

There are also a couple waterfalls, and a swinging bridge that crosses the man made lake to the island, and lots of flower beds which have signs describing what is planted in each bed. I spent a couple very pleasant hours wandering about and then decided that I should go to St Sulpice for an organ concert at 4:00.  The organist was from Thomas Dahl, from Hambourg and the music was incredible.

imageI sat with two Susan’s, one from California and one from Newfoundland who were two friends spending a week together in Paris. They had both been to Edmonton and St. Albert, which was rather surprising.

imageThey were sitting in a special area with comfy red cushions and they made room for me to sit beside them. It was much more comfortable than the chairs that are used for the congregation and guests visiting the church. I was sitting in the raised box at the back of this picture, right in front of where the white statue is located.

image

The concert was about an hour long and I tried to draw part of the cathedral while I listened to the music, but was not very successful. I think buildings are more difficult to draw than people. At one time you were allowed up the stairs to watch the organist playing but this is no longer allowed due to security measures. A pity…

image

Next stop was the Marais. This was the area where I had first reserved an apartment, it was behind the red door in this picture, but the reservation was canceled because one of the neighbours was having some ‘mental’ problems and the owner was not comfortable renting her place until things got settled. I actually think that I like the area I am in better. It is further out, but it is a real Parisian neighbourhood.

image

The Marais has become a tourist attraction, lots of shops and bars and tourists everywhere. I went into one store and the clerk didn’t even look up when I entered. In ‘my neighbourhood’, I am greeted with Bonjour madam, and a smile.

imageThe Marais has also become a centre for gay tourists and residents, which made for some interesting sights.
imageI made a friend though.  This little girl ran away for her mother, whose arms were full of groceries.  I stopped her and told her to go back to her mother, and actually did this in french without thinking too much about it at all!  She ran back to her mom but turned around to look at me, so I waved to her.  We then played peek a boo and waved to each other for several minutes.

I headed home for supper and a FaceTime chat with my son at eight. I must say that I love how easy it is to stay connected with family and friends while travelling.

Update on Drawing in the Dark

Posted on by
Reply

Hi, this morning I added the drawings I did at the ballet and a couple other pictures as well. Go back for a second look at the extras if you viewed the original post before the drawings in the  dark at the ballet were added.  Thanks.

Drawing In The Dark

Posted on by
7

Today was a very full day.  First I went to a four hour life drawing class at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière.

image imageMy drawings at the Académie were kind of hard work today. As is often the case when I have a day like this, the quick five minute poses turn out the best. I horribly overworked everything else.

I hurried home after class, and had a half hour to put my feet up, grqb a bite to eat, and get ready for the ballet.

image

The sun was starting to set when I arrived and the light was catching the golden statues on top of the Opera Building. There are always a lot of people milling about, taking pictures, or just sitting on the steps soaking up the atmosphere. It was pretty neat getting to walk up to the big front doors, gain admittance, and walk up that grand staircase.

imageIt wasn’t all that easy to find my seat.  Turns out it is behind a locked door with no door knob, that needs to be opened by an attendant.  I am sitting in a beautiful red plush box seat!

image

That was a surprise.  I knew I had a railing in front of me, but I assumed it was just a wooden railing because there would be a walkway in front of it, or something similar. I feel rather regal, I must admit. I wonder who else has sat in that very same seat over the years?

imageimage

The painted curtain rises to reveal a red velvet looking curtain.

image

imageThe Opera Garnier,  also known as the Palais Garnier,  was completed 139 years ago in 1875, and is now the home of the Paris Ballet.  It holds about 2,000 people and is pretty much sold out most for every performance.  I was very lucky to get such a good seat the day before the show, there were only a few seats left.  There are benefits to travelling solo!

image

The Chagall Mural and crystal chandelier are stunning!  Actually the entire place is stunning.  The pictures don’t do it justice at all.

I took my pen and sketchbook with me and drew in the dark.  I couldn’t see a thing so I had no idea what I was doing until I could take a look when the lights came on at intermission.image

The first half of the performance was very traditional so there were often dancers posed in the background for a few seconds, which made it a bit easier.  Although I was fairly close to the stage, about a third of the way from the stage, the dancers still looked  still fairly small.  I am so glad I didn’t get a  seat further back.  Sometimes during this performance all the dancers were on stage at  the same time, quite the spectacle!

image The second half of the performance was very contemporary, and the dancers didn’t stop moving for a second! I was pretty sure these drawings were just going to end up as scribbles, but I think they actually still give the feeling of dancers.

 

imageIt was a great evening, watching the ballet and trying to interpret what I was seeing on paper, in the dark!

image

The Opera Garnier  was very beautiful by night.  I think I am going to have to take a bus ride at night just to see the lights of the city.

I also managed to do some more metro drawing today too, but people kept getting up and leaving.

image

I was a bit nervous about taking the metro home so late and thought for a while about the best route to take, but it was quite all right. I didn’t get home until 10:45, definitely the latest I have been out so far.  I may even try going to see the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night, now that I know I can get myself home after dark!

Guess Who is Going to the Ballet?

Posted on by
2

Nothing really went according to plan today.  I went to the Opera Garnier first, as I wanted to do a self guided tour of the building.  It is supposed to be amazing.

image

When I got there, I noticed a message board saying that the auditorium was not available for viewing, so I decided I would have to try to come back another day.  Then I started thinking, decided there must be a performance and went to the ticket booth to see if there were any seats left.  I got a seat for tomorrow night to see the Ballet! It is a Harold Lander, Wlliam Forsythe production. (If there are any ballet aficionados out there).  Here is the blurb if you are interested. 

“Etudes transposes a dance class to the stage. Conceived by Harald Lander who was a choreographer, ballet master and director of the Opera’s Ballet School, this ballet can be seen as a manifesto of classical technique, of its purity, rigour and exactingness. In contrast, two works by William Forsythe, created especially for the Company, shed new light on this academic heritage, deconstructing and reconstructing its vocabulary. In Pas./parts and Woundwork, the choreographer shakes up the codes and boundaries, pushes back the limits and accelerates the pace. Three fundamental works from the repertoire that interact with each other, contributing to the study of the history of a technique which continues to evolve both as an intellectual discipline and as a living art form.”

I purchased  a mid-priced ticket, 77€ and my seat has a railing in front of it, so hopefully I will have a good view.  That accomplished I decided to head over to L’Orangerie  to have a look at Monet’s paintings but on checking the time I realized I would only have an hour or so inside before it closed and I didn’t want to feel rushed, so decided to take the metro to Notre Dame and maybe climb the tower.

image

I stop to listen to this fellow and do a quick sketch.  When I showed it to him he was very pleased, he thanked me several times and asked if he could take a photo of the drawing.

Soon I arrive at. Notre Dame. The square in front of it is jam packed with tourists, including me!

image

Notre Dame in the setting sun.  Well, the line up for the climb up to the towers was very long and it had been cut off for the day.  Maybe not a bad thing as I am fighting a cold that started yesterday and it is over 400 steps to the top!

image

I love gargoyles!  Part of the reason why I want to do the tower climb, is so I can get a closer view of these curious sculptures.  I wander through the gardens behind the Cathedral, take a couple of pictures and decide to go inside.

image

There was a bit of a line but it moved quite quickly, and soon I was gazing at the magnificent pillars, arches and stained glass windows.  A mass was just starting so I decided to stay for that.  A lot of it was sung by a young woman with the most amazing voice.  At first I thought it was a young boy singing, but when ‘he’ walked by I realized that it was a young woman.  I only understood a little bit of the service, but it really didn’t matter.  Sitting quietly in this place of worship during a service was a very special and beautiful way to experience Notre Dame.  I did a couple quick sketches in Notre Dame but I was quite far away, so…

image image

By the time the service was over I decided I needed to go home, which turned out to be a bit of an adventure.  I found the entrance to the Metro without too much problem but after only a couple of stations, there was an announcement and everyone got up and off the train, which then reversed and left the station!  I had no idea why this happened but managed to catch the words Barbes Rochechouart in the announcement, which is the name of the station I transfer at to get home.  Turns out there was a suspicious package so the line was shut down.  I figure out an alternative route and after two very packed trains I am home.  I am hoping for a bit better rest tonight, as I have a four hour drawing class tomorrow and then have just enough time to come home, eat, change and go to the Ballet!

Three Models Today!

Posted on by
3

This afternoon was challenging.  I had a tough time drawing the first model, she was doing a great job, I wasn’t.  It took up till the last couple poses to figure out how to draw her. The same thing happened the other day with the muscular male model, some days drawing comes easier than others.  You can see what I mean, the one drawing below didn’t work well at all.

image

I tried colour washing a page and using some pastel on it but ran out of time. I’ll try it again,  and it made me realize how much I miss working with pastels. That will definitely be on my list for when I get home.

image

The second session was with two models.  I like life drawing with two models, their interactions help figure out proportion and limb placement.  I don’t know if these two had worked together before or not, but they really didn’t take advantage of that aspect of working together.

image

There were a couple good poses but many of them were a bit static.  I ended up just drawing the male model for a couple of poses, the light was good for seeing muscles in his back, so that was my focus. Backs are hard to draw, they tend to be big rather flat expanses without a lot of detail, the lines and shapes meed to be just right to capture the ‘feel’ of a back.  Not always easy to do but I was finally happier with a couple of my drawings.

imageimage

I drew on the metro again today.  It is getting easier to do, some times the person sitting beside me watches, but they don’t say anything and they aren’t really obvious about watching me.  I am usually concentrating so hard that I don’t really even notice.  I have to be careful though, I almost missed my stop twice when I was drawing!

image

These lovely tomatoes were at my fruit and veggie store.  Hard to decide which ones to buy.

image

I have had a couple bad nights, I wasn’t able to get to sleep until after 3:00 last night, but at least I didn’t dream about dead people or bones or cemeteries or….

Hope to do better tonight, it isn’t much fun being so tired.

Académie and LaRotonde

Posted on by
8

Two drawing sessions today, six hours. I decided to use some Derwent Drawing Pencils I brought with me.  The are softer than coloured pencils, look like conté a bit,  but they don’t smudge like conté.

image

5 Minutes poses

image

15 minute poses

image

20 minute poses.  The model had a tummy that made her look like she was pregnant but I’m pretty sure she wasn’t.  Nice to draw in any case.

The male model this afternoon had a very muscular build but he was also very tall so he had extremely long legs and arms, broad shoulders and the tiniest waist.

image

Very beautiful to look at but very difficult to draw.  By the end of the three hours I was just beginning to get familiar enough with his body to figure out how to get him on paper.

image

I met two very nice ladies today, and we went for drinks after class to LaRotunda which had many copies of Modigliani paintings on display, one of my favourite artists.  Turns out this is quite a famous cafe, founded in 1911 and frequented by Modigliani, Utrillo, and Picasso, along with Hemmingway, and many other painters and writers.  Often when the poor artists couldn’t pay their bills  they would  pay with a piece of artwork.  My pot of mint tea was 5€, about $7.00 Canadian, but worth every cent.  It arrived on a tray in a silver looking tea pot, with an additional pot of hot water.  Very elegant and we sat and visited for almost two hours.  A lovely time.

image

It was almost dark by the time I headed for home, so had to take photos under artificial light again…sorry,  not the best, but better than waiting until tomorrow to get it done.

Balzac and Beautiful Buildings

Posted on by
6

I went to the noon drawing session at the Académie and then decided I needed to come home afterwards for a bit of rest.  The weekend was busy and I have had a couple of restless nights so I didn’t have much energy today.  Here’s a 15 minute pose,  3 x5 minutes poses, and then a twenty minute one.

imageYet another great model.

image

.

image

I am still feeling my way with the watercolour gestures, some work better than others, I think I’ll keep at it for a  bit longer.  I am working in a A4 sketchbook which is about 8 1/2″ x 11 1/2″, so the drawings I am posting are done on that size paper.imageWhat a treat, a new model every day. Tomorrow I plan on staying for both sessions as there is supposed to be a male model at 3:00.  So I will take it easy tonight, get organized for tomorrow, and hopefully get a better night’s sleep.

Here are photos of few buildings along the way to the Eiffel Tower. I love the tops of these buildings, they look so intriguing.  I wish I was able to see what the insides of the apartments up there look like.

imageimage image

There was an outdoor exhibit of children’s art alongside a park, near the studio where I was drawing.

image

This is a view of the Seine River from the Pont Alexander III beside the Eiffel Tower.  I do want to take a boat ride on the river before I go home.  I think I better start making a list, as I know I am going to run out of time.

image

And then there is this very famous statue of Balzac by Rodin.  It is on the median beside the Vavin Metro station, which is the metro station I use to get to the Académie de la Grande Chaumière.  I passed it several times and didn’t even see it until a couple of days ago.

image

One last photo.

image

Did you spot the artist?  I always notice them but wonder how many other people do?

 

Crazy Bicyclist, Break Dancing and Eiffel Tower

Posted on by
12

On the street outside my window is what I have come to think of as the drinking bench.  Everyday there is a group of men who sit and visit and drink wine.  Although drinking on the street and in parks is not allowed everyone seems to do it. Yesterday in front of Sacre Coeur there were even people selling bottles of beer to the tourists!

image

I went to a life drawing session at an artist’s atelier near the Eiffel Tower todayAnd the male model was excellent.  He held some very difficult poses.  I have been playing with watercolour gestures, not always successfully, but I think it has promise so I will persevere.  It is always difficult to try new things, it feels awkward and clumsy at first.  Even if it isn’t something I decide to continue doing, it still adds to my knowledge and understanding.  It is very easy to keep doing what I know works, instead of stepping into new territory, but I know I need to push myself in order to keep learning and improving.

image

imageThese are five minute poses, not many models would even attempt the one above.

image

Here is a photo of the studio. Nothing too fancy, but Claire provided tea which was much appreciated. She was instructing a class, and I was allowed to come and do my own thing. The students were quite interested in what I was doing and gave me some nice compliments.imageI decided to walk over to the Eiffel Tower, about a six block walk, and soon I could see it towering above the near by buildings.

image

It is difficult to comprehend just how big this structure is.  Soon I am right underneath, looking up.

image

It is a special weekend, les Journées du Patrimoine, with lots of buildings open to the public and events taking place all over the city.  It is very busy here today, the line ups for the elevators stretch right across the plaza beneath the Eiffel Tower.  There is an electronic sign flashing that says that the platforms are at maximum capacity and there is up to a 45 minute wait, and that is after waiting in that big line to get tickets!   Good thing I had no intention of going up today.

imageWhen we were here several years ago we were surprised to see military guards, somehow not so surprising today.  I have actually seen armed guards in several places, including the Gare de l’Est.

imageInterestingly, neither the police nor the military seem to do much to deter street vendors, who can be quite insistent, I discovered that a quick shake of the head and not making eye contact seems to do the trick.  This bunch is waiting for the elevator to come down from the Eiffel Tower, they then follow the people who get off, trying to convince them to buy an Eiffel tower of their very own.

image

I watched this guy operate for a few minutes, and saw a man lose a hundred Euro bill!  He was so sure he knew where the little ball was, and was quite shocked that he didn’t double his money, like the woman before him, who managed to pick the right cup several times.  I am pretty sure she was working with the fellow manning the cups.  I am surprised that people still fall for this.

imageI head across the river towards the Metro, and stop to watch some pretty amazing break dancers.

image

DSC01272

One of them invites a pretty young girl up on to the stage and is quite surprised when she pretty much matches him move for move!  Turns out she is with the Astana Ballet, which is a ballet company from Kasakhstan.  What a treat that was.  I ended up sitting there for more than an hour, it was all so entertaining.  One of the break dancers spoke to the audience in at least a dozen languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, German, Russian and more that I can’t remember.  He seemed to know at least several sentences in each language and even answered in the different languages when the audience members responded!

DSC01264

I also saw the craziest bicyclist ever.  He came flying, down a pedestrian street standing up on his bike, which was scary enough, but he then continued onto the main road which was part of an intersection of six roads !

image

And he did this repeatedly!  I stood in utter amazement and watched him perform this insane stunt at least a half dozen times.  No idea what he is thinking.  I am thinking he is lucky to still be alive!

image

imageimage

Time to get home.  One last look back at the Eiffel tower in the setting sun and I head off to the Trocadéro Metro stop .

image

The metro trains were very busy tonight, but a young lady and later a man get up to give me their seat. I guess having grey hair has some perks!  It was almost 9:00 by the time I got home, the latest yet.  I am getting braver.