Saturday 14 November 2009

Jealous?


I have really enjoyed my break - we decided to whizz off for 3 days in Paris! It's over 15 years since John and I were last there, when we were first together.


It was a bit chilly for hanging around outside, so we pounded the halls of as many galleries and museums as we could fit in, before our feet withdrew their services in protest.


John was keen to visit the Louvre for the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.

My favourite was probably the Musee d'Orsay, where they keep the bulk of the post-impressionist work. I can never get enough of it: the colour combinations make my blood zing! Totally inspiring.

It's astonishing too, standing in a room surrounded by paintings, every one of which is so famous that it's worth millions. Weird.

And we had to visit Monet's waterlilies of course. Fabulous.

The Orangerie is such a great space too: emanating calm in the centre of the city, like a secular cathedral to colour and light...

I took my sketchbook as you can see, but with such a short time and so much to pack in, I hardly opened it in Paris itself. At the top is a breakfast stop in a cafe, waiting for the Arts et Metiers to open. I highly recommend the museum: a massive collection of technological inventions through the ages, including the first flying machines, like this one:

Plus the earliest computers, all sorts of working models, and even Foucault's Pendulum, hanging all the way down from the apex of a chapel.

All the rest of the sketches were drawn on the Paris train, on our way back to the airport, or on the flight home, like these last two. Bit boring, so sorry about that.

I rather liked this pony-tailed man on the plane though, who was sitting next to John. Trouble was, John was in the way in-between us, and got rather tetchy about me keep asking him to 'sit back'! I managed in the end, though was annoyed that I ran out of page for the ponytail.

10 comments:

Jess said...

Did the ponytailed man notice you were drawing him? It loooks like you had a fantastic time and over too soon! I visited Paris last year and absolutely loved it. It really is so visually inspiring in every way.x

Lynne the Pencil said...

Yes, over far too soon...

If Pony-tail did spot me, he pretended not to notice.

I think some people are naturally fidgety and curious (me!) and constantly looking all round, whereas others just mind thier own business and look straight ahead.

Nikira said...

Wonderful description of the trip and masterful sketches!

Jan said...

I love the orangerie. It's an experience for the senses isn't it. 'I WILL' get back to Paris sometime soon.
Well done for taking a break- we can see how hard you work!

P.S. My son has chosen Class two at the zoo today from the library and we have read it twice already! Apparently popular at school to they have a wall dedicated to the story!

Emily said...

A little envious perhaps... sigh! :)
I must remember the arts et metier museum next time I get to Paris... I get giddy just thinking about it!

Sounds like you had a really wonderful getaway!
cheers!

Veronica said...

I'm incredibly jealous! Sounds like you had a fabulous time!

Charlene Brown said...

Yes, I'm jealous -- of your incredible drawing ability! You must get every mark right the first time to be able to capture every detail of so much of your surroundings so quickly and perfectly (a bit boring? Not likely!)

Thomas Taylor said...

I live close to Paris, but I've never been to the Arts et Metier museum. I certainly will now.

Lynne the Pencil said...

Yes, the Arts et Metier was one that we only went to because it came so highly recommended.

Thank you all for your lovely comments about the sketches. I'm really glad I did manage something, even if mostly not very Parisien.

Jan - how lovely that the school has a Class Two at the Zoo wall! Glad your son is enjoying it - say hello from me.

Ira R said...

Wonderful sketches especially love 'airport cafe.' Ain't Paris grand? Glad you enjoyed. Your writing makes me look forward to my next visit!