Lest We Forget
It is now 104years since the end of the First World War.
Today we remember those whose sacrifices both in that War and since have enabled us to enjoy the freedoms we have today.
We will never forget them.
I am reminded of this in the personal sacrifices of members of my Wife’s family in 1917.
We have visited Ypres twice in recent years following the final days of my Wife’s great Uncles who were killed at Passchendaele in 1917. Visiting there was a remarkable and very moving experience.
We will always remember the great sacrifices made by so many over 100 years ago and since, in too many conflicts.Their sacrifice gives us all the freedoms we enjoy today.
Brian
A Place, a Painting, a Drink and a Platter. No 4 –Northern Italy!
Hi Everybody,
For this post in this series on food and drink and scenery we are heading off to Northern Italy, well a few parts of it anyway. In Part two we will visit the Veneto area and Sicily.
Lago di Como
“Just another villa” One of many wonderful vistas by Lake Como! Watercolour 14 inches by 10
Our first stop is the beautiful Lake Como, a truly magnificent area of Northern Italy.
The sparkling waters of the Lake , which is surrounded by impressive mountains and then by the shore there are many delightful towns and villages.
We most recently stayed in Cernobbio where the town nestles against the southern end if the lake.
One evening we ate in a really very good and ever so friendly restaurant in the town called “Osteria del Beuc”. Amongst a delightful selection of food we enjoyed some great lake perch,lightly pan fried and really great.
We washed it down with some excellent Gavi di Gavi chilled white Italian wine.
It was a memorable evening enjoyed with great friends and we ended it with a stroll by the lake.
The next day we went in a motor launch along the lake, taking in the sights and lunching at Bellagio, a really lovely town, only rivalled in the area by Varenna.
There are so many great sights along the Lake with many famous gardens and Villas.
Here are some watercolours of Lake Como, a place we look forward to returning to.
Varenna on Lake Como. Watercolour 16 inches by 12
Bellagio, Lake Como
Lake Como, watercolour sketch.
The tiny village of Nesso on Lake Come, split in two by a gorge! Watercolour sketch
A coffee stop In Cernobbio by Lake Como
Tuscany
Just the word Tuscany brings back wonderful memories of holidays spent in the lovely part of Italy.
Evening in Tuscany. Watercolour 18 inches by 9
Everywhere you turn in Tuscany there are great scens to savour, let alone the food and the stunning wine.
It is a region we love from the treasures of Firenza to the towers of San Gimignano it is all very stunning. Not to mention Pas and Sienna to!
One town I have loved to paint in is Lucca with such an iconic oval Piazza surrounded by cafes and restaurants. I am pleased to say that quite a few people around the world have original watercolours, each one different naturally, of this scene.
Just to sit and enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by is enough there to give you a great sense on calm and pleasure.
Coffe in Lucca, watercolour 14 by 10 inches
The towers of San Gimignano are really quite amazing. Although many have disappeared the are still a lot to admire.
Over 500 years old in many cases they dominate this delightful town with its many restaurants, and even more tourists!
One real food highlight there was a gelato enjoyed in the main Piazza with the towers all around us.
The towers of San Gimignano.watercolour 18 inches by 8
Here are a few more watercolours of Tuscany which i hope you will enjoy.
In the streets of Lucca
Shadows in Lucca
In Part Two of this post we will visit Venice, and the adriatic coast before travelling down south to beautiful Sicily
i hope you are enjoying this very selective visit to Italy and much as I am
Happy Travelling
Brian
A Place, a Painting, a Drink and a Platter. No 3 The USA
A Place, a Painting, a Drink and a Platter. No 3 The USA
Yosemite National Park- Maybe the most awe inspiring scenery in the USA. Watercolour
For such a huge Country there is often some similarity in Restaurant menus from California to New Hampshire, or Washington State to Florida.
But thank goodness there are many local specialities and difference too, and in this short post we can look at a few of my favourites plates of food. If I mentioned all my favorite US meals we would be here a long time!
After our last post visit to the Cote d’Azur these are somehow heartier fare, which can mean large and delicious portions!
So let us start in Seattle
1. SEATTLE IN WASHINGTON STATE
Mount Rainier in Washington State Watercolour 16 inches by 12.
Seattle, is a big City and is to me somehow dominated by three things, Mount Rainier, which seems massive even though it is 60 miles away. The Boeing Company, a place I have visited at lot, and Microsoft, maybe its their hardware and software you are using to read this.
Of course Seattle is much much more that these three things and for me my post item is Clam chowder. Whilst more often associated with New England it is also great on the West Coast. Sometimes served in a huge crusty loaf this hearty dish, together with the wonderful local Salmon and Mussels bring back mouthwatering memories of the area.
An amazing 89 miles south is Mount Rainier. A sketch from near Whidbey Island
One favourite place where i enjoyed all these food items was Arnie’s at Mukiteo. A few miles north of Boeing’s huge factory, where I did spend a lot of time some years ago.
After the great Clam Chowder, you can take the short ferry ride across to Whidbey Island and enjoy the Mussels from Penn Cove and explore this unspoilt and delightful place.
Travel north on the island and you can return to the mainland via the bridge at Deception Pass. It is a lovely trip. Oh, and if possible have the the locally brewed beers with your meal, very good!
2. SAVANNAH IN GEORGIA
The quaint streets of Savannah and the strange Oak trees dripping with Spanish moss give Savannah a timeless quality.
We stayed in one of the “Historic Inns ” called “The Gastonian”and enjoyed it a lot and we were made very welcome.
However our food highlight was dinner at a great restaurant called “Elizabeth’s on 37th Street” where all the courses were very good but the first course was outstanding. It was a meat stuffed local Vidalia onion covered in a delicious sauce. It was terrific and an everlasting memory of a great City.
Watercolour sketch of “Elizabeths on 37th Street”
3. New England
The whole area of New England is a wonderful part of the USA to visit.
We have been there quite a few times and enjoyed it every time.
New England seems to abound in great food and wonderful hospitality.
On of our favourite places to stay is Captain Lord Mansion in Kennebunkport which is just great, but maybe my most memorable platter was in the small town of Belfast where I enjoyed the most fantastic Lobster Roll.
Of course this is a common item on menus all over New England but that one does stick in my memory! And naturally washed down with locally brewed beers, of which there are many.
it is an area where I have enjoyed painting and sketching so here are few watercolours to end this post
From Boston to Halifax there is so much to see and do!
Bass Island Lighthouse on Mount Desert Island near Bar Harbor
Sunset at Bass Island
New England in the Fall
Next time lets head to Italy,the home of great food, wine and scenery!
Happy Travelling
Brian
A Few days in Delightful Bosham
“En Plein Air” Watercolour of Bosham Quay and Town. The Causeway, which is covered at each high tide crosses over to my painting location. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
Bosham in West Sussex is really a small and delightful Town. It has a really lovely Harbour and is a great place to spend a few days Walking and also visiting the surrounding area, especially Chichester, which is a lovely Cathedral City and well worth a visit.
This was also a great opportunity to paint some watercolours and to enjoy good food and accommodation at “The Millstream Hotel” in the Town, a few minutes walk from the Quay.
In this flatfish landscape the sea rises quickly to engulf the shore road and the cars parked there! Don’t leave your car for long!
Sunset at Bosham Watercolour 22 by 11inches.
It is painters paradise and we luckily had good weather so the opportunity to paint “en plain air” was very welcome
We also visited the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, where many historic buildings have been gathered together as a village with demonstrations and lovely Sussex Weald Countryside to enjoy.
Here are the watercolours that I managed to paint whilst there, which I hope you will enjoy.
Quick watercolour pen and was sketch of Bosham Quay as the tide rises to flood the roadway. Sketch 11 inches by 8.
Bosham Church and a visiting barge, a bit of artistic licence! Watercolour Pen and Wash 11 inches by 8
Another “en plain air” watercolour from the opposite bank showing Bosham. Watercolour 14 inches by 11.
A quick preparatory Pen and Wash watercolour of Bosham. Sketch 11 by 8 inches.
On our visit to Chichester we visited the Cathedral but also the lovely Deanery Gardens and this row of old houses caught my eye in Canon Lane.
Chichester cathedral from Canon lane. Watercolour pen and wash 11 inches by 8.
We really enjoyed our few days in Bosham and I am sure we will want to return to the area again.
Happy Travelling
Brian
A place,a Painting, a Drink and a Platter. Number 2 The Côte d’Azur
In the first one of this occasional series of posts I remembered visits to Australia.
In this the second of the series it is the turn of The Côte d’Azur and Provence in Southern France.
This spectacular part of the world has always been one of our most favourite destinations with the mountains, sea and a wonderful coast. That is before we even start to think of the food and wine.
For an artist it is also a place of wonderful light and clear air, dazzling azure blue seas and marvellous towns , villages and mountains.
I have painted hundreds of watercolours of the region so it is tricky to pick a few but here goes.
- St Tropez
St Tropez has it all, a bustling harbour filled with huge yachts, tiny streets and many boutiques, markets and crowds in the summer. The best way to get there is on the Ferry from Saint Maxime, the journey alone is great!
This first watercolour shows St Tropez with yachts racing off shore
View over St Tropez . Watercolour 14 inches by 7
Away from the busy harbour with the vast yachts is the tiny port of La Ponche.
With a group of restaurants at the entrance the harbour and beach has not changed in many years, but alas the fishing fleet is no longer there. We love to have a simple lunch there at a restaurant called La Pasquier et Mazagran of a freshly made omelette and frites, some crusty French baguette and a carafe of lovely local Rosé wine. Inside the Restaurant it is like stepping back in time, or outside on the terrace the shade of the awnings is very welcome.
La Ponche old fishing port at St Tropez. Watercolour 14 inches by 10
2. The Perched Villages and Towns
From Eze via Vence, St Paul de Vence, Bar sur Loup, Toutettes sur Loup, Gourdon, Montaroux, Callian, Tourettes, Fayence,S eillans and on toward Bargemon the Perched villages and townsof this area of Provence are wonderful.
House perched on Cliffs, Narrow winding streets, bars and Restaurants in abundance. Small and large Churches and fine views across to Cannes ,Nice, and The Esterel peninsula.
There just isn’t time to explore them all now so here are just three for this Post.
1 Gourdon
Gourdon and the view towards the sea. Watercolour sketch 19 inches by 8
Gourdon perches on a cliff edge with its Chateau and intesting shops ,perfume distillery and restaurants.
The road up is steep but wide and the views across to the Esterel and Nice quite amazing..There is good restaurant , La Taverne Provencal, looking over the view where we have enjoyed nice lunches too, and the panini in a little cafe on the main street are delicious too.
2. Fayence
Our favourite restaurant for many years was La Table D’Yves in Fayence but sadly it is now closed.
However Fayence and the area have many nice restaurants and our favourite these days is very good Le Moulin De La Camandoule which is is really terrific and has a lovely oustside Terrace to enjoy . Great menus especially their vast, and slightly wobbly, Cheese trolley and Dessert Souffles are all excellent. The view of Fayence from the terrace is lovely. A great place to stop and enjoy Lunch or Dinner. Or stay as they have rooms too.
Fayence from the Moulin de la Camandoule terrace. Watercolour 12 inches by 10
3 Sellians
The next village to Fayence is Sellians
Very old, with narrow winding streets. We ate some while ago at a Restaurant called Chez Hugo (chezhugo.fr) where I enjoyed a terrific Squid Bourride. With its flavours of Cumin and Spices, it was a special plate of food.
So much did I enjoy it that I have developed my own recipe for it!
Rather different but I like it!
Here is the method.
Part boil a handful of new potatoes.
In an oven proof casserole fry, in olive oil with a pat of butter, sliced Shallots, about 6, with two sticks of chopped celery, 3 cloves of chopped garlic and a tablespoon of cumin, some chilli flakes, a good pinch of salt and coarse black pepper, about 12 turns of the grinder.
When softened but not too brown add a large glass of white or rose wine and the same about of good stock,chicken or vegetable.
In another pan fry the medium sized squid, or five small ones, which has been chopped in bite sized pieces and dusted with flour until just going slightly brown. Add this and the halved potatoes to the casserole and pop in the oven at around 160C. If is seems too dry add a splash of water. Cook for 25 minutes and serve immediately with crunchy bread and very chilled Rosé Wine. Voila!, Bon Appetit!
With so many great places on the Côte d’Azur to visit I think we may need a return visit later on in this series!
Next time this series will take us to the USA and a few destinations there.
Happy Travelling
Brian
A Place, a Painting, a Drink and a Platter.
Hi Readers
This new occasional series of posts picks out some wonderful places that we have visited in our travels, drinks we have enjoyed there and some memorable meals.
As you know I love to record our travels in watercolour and so this series will feature watercolours painted during those many years of travel.
It will cover a good number of Countries, but we have to start somewhere and so here is the first post in this series , featuring a a few parts of Australia.
Golden Skies at Sydney Harbour Bridge. Watercolour 18 inches by 8
- Sydney and Watson’s Bay
Sydney is one of the World’s great destinations. Its location , Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House are only a part of the great cultural attractions of this City.
Savour the great wines, enjoy the scene and the food all around the harbour and the City.
However my choice for this first entry is just in the outskirts of Sydney at Watson’s Bay, approached from the Bay on one of the Ferry boats this headland town boasts one of the finest Fish Eateries, Doyles!
Get a balcony table and enjoy the great fish and chips,( we ate Kingfish) enjoy a lovely glass or two of crisp unoaked Australian Chadonnay. The views are great and then reboard the ferry and tour the whole of the Bay.
Watson’s Bay near Sydney. Watercolour 18 inches by 8
2. The Barossa Valley
Many years ago on a visit to Adelaide I had the chance to spend some time in the Wine region of The Barossa Valley. A recent article in the newspaper had me looking back at my notes and photos and this led me to produce this watercolour painting , a Pen and Wash sketch.
The wines in the Barossa Valley are great, some legendary, and on that visit I enjoyed some Old Vines Shiraz and a great Australian “Barbie” .
Australian bred beef is terrific and we naturally had some wonderful steak and some Kangaroo too. The visits to the Wineries were very good. The scenery all around the region was lovely. I hope my watercolour captures a small part of this great part of South Australia.
The Barossa Valley. Watercolour Pen and wash Sketch 10 inches by 8
3. The Blue Mountains
Not many hours from Sydney are the beautiful Blue Mountains. A great place to stay and visit with sweeping vistas in all directions. The steepest train ride anywhere too I seem to remember.
We stayed at Katoomba and enjoyed great hospitality and food. One really memorable dinner was in Leura , at a restaurant called Silk’s Brasserie where ate great beef tenderloin and had some of the best food and service possible.
I see it has moved now from Central Leura to Silvermere in Wentworth Falls, it is great to see they are still doing well. And of course our meal was accompanied by a lovely Australian Cabernet Sauvignon!
The Three Sisters Rocks at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Watercolour 18 inches by 9.
Next time we will reminisce about the Cote d’Azur in France.
I hope you have enjoyed this first post of this new series.
Happy travelling
Brian
A Collection of Ink Pen and Wash Watercolours
Here a couple of new Pen and Wash watercolours that I have added to this post
West Malling Farmers Market.pen and wash 10 inches by 8
And Bosham on the South Coast of England
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Having received some nice comments about my smaller Pen and Wash watercolours I have here collected together a number for the past few year
They are in no particular order but may remind you and I of a number of places that together we have visited!
I hope you will enjoy this reprise
Brian
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The 150th Open Golf at St Andrews!
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews
This coming week sees The 150th Open Championship being held at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews and so I thought a short post with just a few paintings of that Course and a couple of other Open Golf Venues would be in order.
The Old Course at St Andrews was first established in 1552, 470 years ago!
First of all the view from the Swilcan Bridge up to the Clubhouse on the Left and the 18th Green
The Clubhouse and 18th hole and the Swilcan Bridge
Many think that The Old Course at St Andrews represents the ultimate golf challenge with its narrow bumpy fairways, small or in some case double greens, and fearsome rough in the summer.
And add to all that the changeable and often strong wind that blows on the East Coast of Scotland and this is a truly formidable challenge to any golfer.
With the World’s finest Golfers taking on the Challenge this coming week ,and trying to win the coveted Claret Jug it will be four days of massive excitement around the world.
Across on the West Coast of Scotland lies the fine Golf Course at Turnberry. With it’s great views of Ailsa Craig off the shore and long, fast fairways, deep rough and again very tricky winds this is also a very difficult previous Open Golf venue. Turnberry was last a Venue for the Open in 2009 but is not listed at present for future Opens.
Ailsa Craig seen from Turnberry Golf Course
In 2019 and previously in 1951 The Open was held at Royal Portrush Golf Course in Northern Ireland. It will host the 2025 Open as well.
Founded in 1888 The Club achieved Royal patronage in 1895 from the then Duke of York.
This watercolour shows the 5th Green and Whiterocks Bay beyond.
Portrush is on the spectacular Antrim Coast Road in Northern Ireland, featured on this blog many times.
The 5th Green at Royal Portrush Golf Course on the dramatic Antrim Coast
Scotland is a Country of magnificent scenery and over 580 Golf Courses. There are countless wonderful beaches too and to give you some examples here are just two watercolour of places at the far North of Scotland, painted for commissions some years ago.
The Sea Stack at Sandwood Bay in the North west of Scotland, sometimes described as the most beautiful and unspoilt bay in the UK
Balnakeil Beach and Bay near Durness in the North West of Scotland
If like me you will be watching and enjoying The Open Golf I hope it turns out to be exciting and fun for all involved. If you don’t play golf just enjoy the Scottish scenery.
Happy travelling
Brian
There are quite afew new watercolours for sale on my Www.Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours Site
Please do check them out
Thanks
Brian
Return to the Cote d’Azur! Great!
Mandelieu La Napoule on the Cote d’Azur
Hi Everybody
After what seems far to long, due to you know what, we have just returned from a lovely holiday in France with much of our time spent back on the fabulous Cote d’Azur.
Driving through France in June in very hot weather was very beautiful with the Flowers, Lavender fields, Countryside and Mountains all sparkling in the Summer Sun.
Watercolour sketch of the Pyramid in Vienne.
Overnight in Vienne , about 10 miles south of Lyon, was an opportunity to eat in a local Restaurant ,Le Bar a Vins des Saveurs which was very enjoyable and worth seeking out. It is near the Roman Pyramid , quite spectacular ,a Roman column in a town of many Roman ruins.
Market day at a town in Isere. Watercolour sketch
From Vienne we set off for The Cote d’Azur and on the way passed many fields of lavender and the hills and farms of the Rhone Valley
Here are two larger watercolours of that route
Lavender Farm near Orange. Watercolour 15 inches by 10
Lavender Farm in Provence. Watercolour 15 inches by 10.
Our destination was Miramar, just outside Theoule on the Esterel coast and about 12 miles from Cannes.
This is the view from our terrace of the bay at Miramar, tranquil sea, and the red rocks so prominent on this part of the coast. And hot too, every day over 30 C!
We love to travel on this spectacular coast road and this next painting is of the beach at Agay, quite near to San Raphael. Hot again!
Enjoying the Beach at Agay
It would really not be a visit to the Cote d”Azur for us without wandering around Antibes. This lovely old, yet busy, coastal town is a great place to wander.
The view of Antibes from the nearby bay is a very famous one painted by me and many others over the years. This is a new version.
Antibes with the mountains to the North. Watercololour 15 inches by 10.
This little Antibes street caught my eye as we walked around.
A side street in old Antibes, sketch 7 inches by 9.
We moved for a few days to new accommodation near Mougins, another pretty hill village north of Cannes. From there the view of the mountains is great, here is quick sketch of the scene from the walls of Mougins.
toward the mountains from Mougins. sketch, 10 inches by 8
The centre of Mougins with it’s many restaurants, cafes and houses is a delight to wander around. Here is sketch from a welcome seat in the shade
The main square in Mougins. Watercolour sketch.
One of our favourite places in the area north of Mougins is the spectacular hill village of Gourdon. Small but always worth a visit. This is a watercolour from a few years ago which gives an impression of the position of this amazing perched village.
Gourdon, a watercolour sketch from 2018. 20 by 9 inches.
Up in the mountains this cottage farm gave me an idea for quick sketch of the typical Provence scene
Whilst at Mougins we played some golf , even though it was very hot!. From the Course the view of the houses and hills nearby, gives, I hope and idea of the local scenery.
The countryside and houses around Mouans – Sartoux.
Our return journey to the UK was via the lovely lake side town of Aix les Bains and there the beautiful Lac de Bourget. From a boat trip on the lake this watercolour seemed appropriate for the final watercolour for this post.
Lac de Bourget at Aix Les Bains. Watercolour 18 inches by 9. Abbaye de Hautcombe in the foreground.
Of course I have come home with many photos and ideas for more watercolours of France and our great holiday. I will post those when I have managed to do a few more.
We will never tire of the Cote d’Azur, one the world’s most wonderful holiday destinations. If you know it well I hope these will be a reminder of it, if you haven’t been there, then GO!
Happy travelling
Brian
Watercolours of Scotney Castle in Kent, UK
Azaleas in late May. Watercolour 14 inches by 12. 2022.
i really enjoy painting watercolours of Scotney Castle in Kent throughout the year, it is one of my favourite subjects as every time I visit there is something else to see.
The header watercolour is the most recent of a series of watercolours and it tries to capture the intense colours of the Azaleas and Rhododendrons that are so prolific there.
So I have gathered together some of the many watercolours that I have painted over quite long time and I hope that you will enjoying seeing them.
If you have never been to Scotney do try to get there one day, it is delightful and there is so much to see there.
Firstly two tall watercolours.
Rellections at Scotney Castle 2 Wtaercolour 18 inches by 9. 2021
Refections at Scotney Castle Watercolour 18 inches by 8.2020
Winter at Scotney Castle Watercolour 12 by 10 inches 2019
Scotney Castle Reflections 3. Watercolour 14 inches by 9. 2022
Colour at the pond. Scotney Castle 14 by 10 inches. 2020
My first large watercolour of Scotney Castle !6 inches by 12. 2016
I hope you have enjoyed seeing these and that you will return to my Blog soon!
Happy Travelling
Brian
PS. Why not visit my shop at http://www.Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours.
Watercolour Paintings there can be shipped immediately and there is no extra charge for shipping.
Or email me a brian@brianswatercolours.com
