It is easy to see why Monet loved his water gardens. Spent part of this week discovering them (and his home in Giverny) virtually. Will be continuing through next week. What an outstanding place!
There are times you an almost imagine the artist painting away in those colorful flowers!
And, through Youtube...part of a 1915 piece of footage showing him doing exactly that.
https://youtu.be/BJE4QUNgaeg
and another taken Oct. 2007 of the entire tour of his grounds and home.
https://youtu.be/0MQE1-NhIKM
Prompting me to do some patio gardening and tidying of my own, in my little corner of the world, on the sunny days!
And thumbing through a book given to me by "Idgy" on Monet...my very favourite of all the Impressionists. He started and named the movement.
Which dove-tailed nicely with working on a painting on my own.
Just beginning to add lily pads, so I decided to build up texture on them with gels and finish the water lilies outside on my easel. Also to add some overspray to suggest light morning mist.
(detail)
And finished and displayed. Tah Dah!
So there you have it...and Monsieur Claude is probably rolling in his grave...lol!
After finishing, I must say though, I now understand the allure of water lilies and reflection on a pond's surface and lighting. I was immediately interested (and will) do a study with early evening sunset reflections and the closing flowers...and would like to try another one, as well, in a light rain on the surface of the pond and the broken reflections. Since digging and planting my own pond is expensive, time consuming, and obviously would violate my apartment lease I will be studying the reflections on a nearby pond for both approaches and then working off that, and adding the lilies later. Oh...and now I completely understand the carp just beneath the surface, for I have seen him!
Maybe next week!
Off to get canvas.
More anon...
