After a week in Paris we flew to Marseilles to meet up with the people on our workshop. It was great to catch up with friends from previous workshops and meet up with the new students. A coach took us to our luxury hotel, Le Piggonet, on the outside of the old town of Aix en Provence.
The hotel was a beautiful old building set in magnificent gardens. We could have happily spent a week painting in the gardens, but the town of Aix had a lot to offer so we split our painting time between the hotel and the town.
Le Piggonet
Hotel Gardens
Painting in the Hotel gardens
Dining at Le Piggonet
Flower markets Aix en Provence
Street Markets
We were introduced to some fantastic restaurants in the town. One of our students lived in the country side not far from Aix and had a great knowledge of all the best restaurants. This was one of our favorites – Le Patio, a small family run restaurant with a great atmosphere, good service and fantastic food.
The little town of St. Remy is not far from Aix en Provence. We spent a day there, painting and visiting the Asylum Van Gogh spent time in. We were privileged to paint in the garden of the asylum, where Van Gogh would have often sat and sketched.
Although the asylum surroundings were idealic, life inside must have been horrific. These bath tubs were filled with cold water into which troublesome inmates were immersed and trapped under these wooden boards.
In the town of St. Remy, the main square provided a quiet, spacious area surrounded by ancient stone walls and wooden shutters. We spent an enjoyable afternoon painting there before heading back to our hotel for drinks under the plane trees.
Blue Shutters – St. Remy
Cassis is a small fishing town on the Mediterranean coast not far from Aix. The busy harbour and backdrop of old buildings made a great painting subject. We shared the park across the harbour with the local boules players, cigarette smokers and baguette eaters. Under the shade of a grove of casuarina trees, we painted the changing vista of the harbour.
Cassis Waterfront
Paul Cezanne lived and painted in Aix en Provence. His house and studio have been made into a museum, crammed with his old coats, umbrellas, paint boxes, skulls, bones and still life props that feature in his paintings.
Cezanne had the house built to his design – living area downstairs, large studio upstairs.
The studio ceiling is about 5 metres high and the Northern wall, almost completely glass. The walls are painted a mid tone, neutral gray and there is a 4 meter x .5 meter corner hatch to remove large works from the studio. It’s a fantastic studio, unfortunately no photographs are allowed inside. Below is the front door to the house.
Tags: Aix en Provence, Cassis, Cezanne Studio, France, painting, painting demonstration, Painting Workshop, Watercolor, watercolor demonstration, watercolor painting, watercolor workshop
October 20, 2011 at 4:09 pm |
Hi John
You are in my town and I am in australia at the moment. (what a shame!!) When will you leave France because I come back france on 2th november. Your student are french or australian ? I would like such to paint with you……christine from LYON
October 20, 2011 at 5:05 pm |
I wish I knew you were in Aix. I live just a couple miles from Aix and I would have enjoyed so much meeting you. Next time, let me know.
October 22, 2011 at 10:25 am |
Hi lilotte,
Sorry we couldn’t catch up – Maybe next time, You live in a beautiful area.
Cheers
John
October 20, 2011 at 6:12 pm |
I love this place, i wish i could go in short.
Thank you for show us this beautiful village.
See you soon!
October 20, 2011 at 8:08 pm |
Wonderful idyllic decors! I love your paintings, so beautiful and cheerful!
October 21, 2011 at 12:32 am |
very inspiring. thanks. if you are ever in or near Vermont, USA for a workshop I would love to know about it.
had an epiphany the other day about “splashing paint” when my husband commented one evening when we were driving home in the rain that the yellow orange road signs were “splashing” their reflection down onto the wet pavement. all of a sudden I knew that I wasn’t using enough paint and water and an image from the teaching video I have came up with the swirling bubbly saturated pool of paint with brush ready to splash a large amount of paint onto the paper. my struggle with the flat, insipid, unsaturated nature of my watercolors was eased as I realized what I needed to do to make them more textured and fun. i love the playful, loose, many layered nature of your work.
so thanks again for sharing the journey.
laura
October 22, 2011 at 10:10 am |
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the post.
We are looking into doing a New York workshop in a couple of years time. Information will be on my website as soon as details are finalized.
Cheers
John
October 21, 2011 at 7:15 am |
maravilhoso seu trabalho, que soltura e cores divina, parabens vai ser miuto util para os meus exercicio, muito obrigado.
October 31, 2011 at 3:04 am |
Wow, what a beautiful setting for plein air painting. I’m jealous. Good results!
November 3, 2011 at 2:59 am |
I don’t think I’d ever leave the gardens of that hotel — spectacular!
Beautiful work…
Mikalee
November 3, 2011 at 3:10 am |
Beautiful. Must have been a great experience. Thanks for taking us along.
November 3, 2011 at 3:16 am |
Beautiful place. And nice paintings.
November 3, 2011 at 3:37 am |
Your paintings are captivating. I really enjoyed the post and photos. Such a beautiful part of the world with such a rich painting history. I must get there someday.
November 3, 2011 at 3:43 am |
Fantastic photographs!
November 3, 2011 at 4:12 am |
I’m not sure what’s better, the pictures or the paintings of the pictures. Thanks for sharing!
November 3, 2011 at 4:13 am |
Your paintings are beautiful! What a wonderful opportunity to explore the beauty of Provence. I lived for a year in France, and seeing your photographs and paintings gave me a taste of all the culture and scenery that I miss so dearly. Thank you!
November 3, 2011 at 4:38 am |
Lovely – I feel like I got away for the afternoon just by visiting your blog. It made me happy and serene to look at it.
November 3, 2011 at 4:47 am |
I really like this style of painting
November 3, 2011 at 5:13 am |
Gorg! Makes me want to visit!
November 3, 2011 at 5:40 am |
I “dabble” a bit in watercolors. I reallly enjoyed your post and the examples of your art. I also enjoyed the photographs you took on location. Beautiful…
November 3, 2011 at 6:38 am |
What an experience!
November 3, 2011 at 6:51 am |
Both the photos and the paintings are just beautiful…seriously. Just lovely!
November 3, 2011 at 7:18 am |
Incredible all around! Thank you for sharing your paintings AND your pictures! Beautiful….and I think I’ll be booking my trip there tonight!
http://thediaryofsugarandspice.wordpress.com/
November 3, 2011 at 7:36 am |
So beautiful! I love love love the paintings. I paint too
November 3, 2011 at 8:08 am |
Loved the photos, loved the paintings, am dreaming of being there
November 3, 2011 at 8:08 am |
Enjoyed viewing the photos and paintings of some very beautiful areas I visited some years back. Seeing the photo as the subject of the painting, then the painting is a very nice touch.
Aix en Provence is one of my favorite memories from traveling in France. The visit to Atelier Cézanne was one of the highlights and one of the reasons for going to Aix.
November 3, 2011 at 8:22 am |
I like your paintings a lot. Watercolor is a very difficult medium. Every flaw shows. However, you have executed these very well and your work has a spontaneous look. I took painting lessons for years in my twenties. I focused on oils because flaws could eventually be covered. Happy painting and best wishes.
November 3, 2011 at 8:58 am |
I agree with the comments that both the photos and paintings are gorgeous. I admire the ability of watercolourists to leave an impirssion with just a few stroke. I love the translucent quality of the work
November 3, 2011 at 9:21 am |
Having visited Cassis with my watercolors in 1976, I’m pleased to see that it hasn’t changed all thatmuch and still inpires. Thanks.
November 3, 2011 at 9:52 am |
What a magnificent setting for inspiration – it’s no wonder the paintings are so beautiful!
November 3, 2011 at 10:13 am |
Wonderful photographs!
November 3, 2011 at 10:14 am |
yes, yes, yes,YES!
November 3, 2011 at 10:27 am |
Really like the shot & reproduction of the Cassis Waterfront. Congrats on being ‘pressed’!
November 3, 2011 at 11:00 am |
I wish WordPress offered a “love” button. Your photos are wonderful. Your paintings? Extraordinary. Thanks for taking us along.
November 3, 2011 at 11:22 am |
I like the fading off look that some of them have. Gives a sense of depth to everything. I like it.
November 3, 2011 at 12:07 pm |
I’m reading a book now about an Franco-American couple that bought a villa in Provence. Your blog post provides me with visuals for my reading material. Love these photographs and paintings.
November 3, 2011 at 12:27 pm |
Oh, your pictures and paintings are simply breathtaking! I especially love your paintings. I oilpaint, but your watercolors are beautiful! Great job!
November 3, 2011 at 1:17 pm |
beautiful pictures.. This is such a breath taking place..wooww!!
thanks for sharing with us..
November 3, 2011 at 1:25 pm |
The Power of Creation always has me in Awe. Great talent
November 3, 2011 at 1:29 pm |
not every time to see other world pic awesome image thanks.
November 3, 2011 at 2:00 pm |
beautiful is life
November 3, 2011 at 2:12 pm |
You have nice paintings. I love it.
November 3, 2011 at 2:44 pm |
the paintings are beautiful elegant peaceful vivid. i love them, thanks!
November 3, 2011 at 4:24 pm |
The paintings are gorgeous! Beautiful works of art!
November 3, 2011 at 5:09 pm |
very nice
November 3, 2011 at 6:13 pm |
amazing images. beautiful works of art! keep it up, for you inspire us!!
http://travellersdiningdepot.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/eating-the-gustavian-way/
November 3, 2011 at 6:40 pm |
I’ve always wanted to paint but life brought me to another passion which is teaching. But from time to time I go back to this old hobby and if I don’t paint with “paints” I paint with words. God bless you, you are so blessed to be so creative!
November 3, 2011 at 7:01 pm |
Beautiful place, and I love your paintings.
November 3, 2011 at 8:10 pm |
Замечательные картины. Много солнца. Это замечательно выражать себя через живопись. http://novakmar.wordpress.com Марина. Россия
November 3, 2011 at 8:16 pm |
Great pictures .
November 3, 2011 at 9:12 pm |
Your work is exquisite! I love that I can see the pencil sketch underneath – and your drawing style is lovely and loose. You’re an amazing colorist as well. So glad I stopped over. I don’t paint buildings myself, which is one of the reasons that when I find another watercolorist who does them so well, it’s a delight.
November 4, 2011 at 11:10 am |
Hi Jean,
Thanks for your comments.
I’ve just spent 1/2 an hour looking through your paintings on your website – Fantastic – I love all the little stories they tell.
Cheers
John
November 4, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Thank you for taking the time to check out my website, John! I look forward to seeing more of your work.
November 3, 2011 at 10:54 pm |
what beautiful paintings. you are so talented!
November 3, 2011 at 11:03 pm |
Beatiful painting, I like it….Thanks.
November 3, 2011 at 11:06 pm |
Love your work…really nice mixture of loose and tight lines. Hard not to be inspired by almost everything you see in so beautiful a place.
November 3, 2011 at 11:27 pm |
How I wish I could actually paint something that is actually in front of me, and not just basing it on a photograph from the internet. Marseille must be very inspiring!
November 3, 2011 at 11:29 pm |
Magical photos and paintings! . . . Makes me want to run off to France!!
http://arabianmusings.wordpress.com/
November 4, 2011 at 12:25 am |
When you look at paintings from France, they all seem to look very warm and cozy. It is not until you see France in real life that you understand that it is really like that.
Great pictures, reminds me of my trip to France with my wife.
Cheers,
-Ron
http://www.learntobeatmatch.ca
November 4, 2011 at 12:32 am |
lovely – in more than one way. Thank you
November 4, 2011 at 1:18 am |
I love the paintings and the photography! I just LOVE Paintings at the extent of passion!
November 4, 2011 at 1:56 am |
I am new to your blog and am really enjoying your photos and your paintings! Your interpretations are really beautiful! I have always wanted to visit this part of France – now, I am even more inspired. Could you share the name of the hotel you stayed at? It looks wonderful
I look forward to seeing more your work.
~Barbara
November 4, 2011 at 8:46 am |
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for your comments and glad you liked the post.
The Hotel is called Le Piggonet.
Cheers
John
November 4, 2011 at 2:06 am |
Oh – I love Aix! Have been twice. We stayed at the Le Piggonet too! Love your painting! Well done on capturing the essence of the places you painted!
November 4, 2011 at 2:08 am |
Hi! Thank you for a lovely post! What a beautiful place – surely inspirates to paint! I love your paintings because you use such a wonderful colours!
‘Painter’s grand daughter’
November 4, 2011 at 3:10 am |
Such a different pace of life there. You can see why many of the great painters went to France.
November 4, 2011 at 3:36 am |
You are very talented. I love the pictures and your paintings.
November 4, 2011 at 4:36 am |
What a clever idea: pictures or the town, followed by some information about it, followed by your version of the scenes in your lovely paintings. I loved it!
Ronnie
November 4, 2011 at 6:22 am |
Wonderful …
I really enjoyed looking at the pics
I wish i could join such lovely worships
November 5, 2011 at 2:03 am |
Beautiful photos and wonderful art work!
What an inspirational travel! I am putting some of these locations on my list of places to see.
November 5, 2011 at 7:52 pm |
hey very interesting photos all of them are superb
November 8, 2011 at 11:14 pm |
new photos are beautiful
November 9, 2011 at 11:59 pm |
[...] I found this artist who I have been following for a number of years in Australian Artist Magazine. John Lovett is a highly respected Australian watercolour artist and you can see what he has been doing in France with his latest workshop on his blog. [...]
November 10, 2011 at 6:21 am |
how nice to be able to paint in such beautiful places!
November 10, 2011 at 3:11 pm |
what a talent you have! and moreso inspired in the beauty of France! I loved this blog post.
November 13, 2011 at 7:10 pm |
Beautiful work