My new pal Liz

Today, as I ran out the door to lunch at the big house this little rascal was sunning himself on the rock and stucco staircase. I ran back in, left the door open, grabbed the cammera, left the door open and grabbed a few shots...

Once the 14 inch long lil' bugger, got his portrait taken, he jumped up and ran inside thru the open door Of course, I jumped up a little too, to try to keep him out of the house but to no avail. ...I tried to get around and past him to encourage his exit... but, then he ran back into the guest kitchen and under the mini-frig. So I just opened the back door and closed the door to the hall. (yeah like he's going to let himself out the back door).

Perhpas he is still inthere under the frig... I am not planning to check til Saturday.

and today is Thursday... why freak him out any more... or me!

The 'mill" has a name and it was used to ...

The place in the painting is just up the stream from " Moulin du Pont" and little stream is le Arc. It is just between Coudoux and Velaux. And yes, Gary the mill was used to mill grains for the making of bread.

You can even "Google Map it" at Moulin du Pont, Coudoux, France. If you zoom in you will see the river, the dam, the canal, and the mill.

Moulin (Mill) Dam on the little soon to be named river.

Tomorrow I must go back to get the name of the river (read creek) and the mill, and try to figure out exactly what they used to mill at the mill (moulin en Francais). The river is dammed-up about 100 meters up stream, and the water is still directed into a canal.

This would have driven the wheel at the mill. I just liked the way that the dam looked with a very small leak of a waterfall cascading over the edge of the dam.

Most of the water was flowing toward me and into the canal to my right (not shown in the photo or the painting).

After a bout with set up and tools and a broken chair the spot opened up and found its way into a composition. I was able to stop and take a little break and a snapshot after most of the underpainting was completed.




I really like the under-painting and the compostion and its contrast. That is likely where one should stop, however, trying to complete a fully finished work, one encounters many decisions. So I took out my artistic license and used it. The final painting is acceptable to me, but over worked.

After it dries I may get bold enough to do a bit of touch up...or maybe get smart and leave it.


Tom

Make due with little

Painted "plein-air" again on Saturday.

I have been driving over the bridge nearly every day, but could not see a place to get out and side to overlook the river below. Plus which too many cars. But, Saturday, I just stopped and walked all around the area. In fact there was no place to set up the easel etc., etc., gave up.

Returning to the highway, turning right to go elsewhere, I noticed that the next driveway to my right lead back to the river. Also it seems that he building ( a cave cooperative) was burned out and deserted.

So drove back to the rear of the property. (no signs posted and lots of trash dumped near the rear) So, just drove quite nearly into the little river. Parked the 1989 Renault "106" nearly tipping its nose in the river and got out all of the stuff.










Please note that all of the "professional equipment" is items found eith in or near the trash and in the old garage shed. Old corrugated boxes and 1 x 1" sticks held together with wire, a couple of screws and a bit of hot melt. The little plastic bucket holds rocks from the local scene and a bit of my drinking water. All of the toolss fit into the old backpack except the chair,the "easel" sticks and the flat box that I found that was used for shipping a toilet seat...could just as well be a medium large pizza box ... just the right size.

Please also note (look a photo carefully) that I did not notice the rear support brace on the folding chair was not attached until it was too late. Not to be thwarted, though, I knocked it back together with a good-sized rock, and kept painting.

Tom