#57 - The Beauty of Normandy

                                                        "Douvres Chapel I"

                                                          "Tierceville Field"

Fellow Art Lovers:

There’s no doubt that the countryside in Normandy is beautiful. As you know, I’ve been coming here for a long time, but this year, even though I’m seeing many of the same of the fields, trees, skies, chapels – all of it – the sites I’ve enjoyed and painted in the past look even more beautiful.  

I’m not going to be long-winded about this. I’m feeling great, and I just want to show you a few examples of what I’m seeing and painting. The top painting,  “Chapel in Douvres I,” seems simple – just a church steeple behind a stone wall and a field, but as soon as I saw it, it appealed to me. Actually, I know this spot: It’s just north of the town of Douvres-la-Delivrande, and just off a country road, so you could drive right by it without noticing it. A long time ago I painted a very small version of this scene. But seeing the scene this year, I decided to take it on again; the scene, in my view, is perfect. What you see here is a pretty big painting. And painting came very naturally.

The second painting is of the fields near the village of Tierceville, an area with one farm after another. I found a spot just off the road, and I set up my easel in one part of a wheat field that had just been harvested, and I could see the fields roll out from my vantage point to trees, a few roadways and a chapel. I love to paint this kind of scene: big, broad expanses, fields outlined by rows of trees, all under big skies.  I hope the painting transmits to you the feeling of beauty and calm I felt. Honestly, my hand and arm did it all on their own. I was just the robot who held the palette knife.

I’m going to keep plugging along for as long as I can, and I plan to send you a few more blog postings of my work.

As always, I’d love to hear your reactions, and, as always, thanks for your time and your support.

Best,

Bill