Blog Archives
10 Days on Paradise Island!
Mount Bambous from The East Coast of Mauritius
Hi All
We have just returned from 10 days in Mauritius, we think of it as a paradise island, especially in January when the UK is cold and the weather is so fabulous in Mauritius.
We returned again to the Shangri-La Le Touessrok Resort , on the East coast at Trou D’Eau Douce, which we really like, and where as well as great facilities and beaches there is the very challenging Ile au Cerfs Golf Course to play.
I have never played golf anywhere except there that requires a lovely 15 minute boat trip to get to the course, it is really a great experience.
There is something very special about painting watercolours whilst sitting on a sun bed on the beach, but some of these watercolours were done like that from photos or memory as well as painting the scene right there on the beach.
They are all quick works, about 9 inches by 8, (they have to be with such hot sun!) and are in my Khadi Papers travel sketch book. They will provide the basis for larger watercolours to be painted here in the studio now that we are home.
Wherever you look in Mauritius there are little boats moored or sailing out fishing. They provide endless opportunities for sketches even if they were just a fleeting scene viewed as you drive by.
Anyway they were all fun to do and I hope you like them.
Mauritius is such a lovely island with delightful people who are all very friendly and helpful. They have a great multicultural population and although the locals all speak Creole to each other almost everybody speaks both French and English as they are the languages taught in the schools there.
With it’s large rainfall but beautiful sunny weather too it is a very green and lush island where the main crop is sugar cane, which you see everywhere you go and as well as exporting sugar the rum made from it is very good too!
So here are the watercolours from this trip.
Grand Baie on the North Coast
Boats at the beach
Big Mauritian Skies!
A farm by the road
The Ilot Mangenie at Le Touessrok. Secluded and only a boat ride away!
Two boats on the beach
Fisherman on the jetty
Now we are back in the cold of the UK, but with great memories of yet another wonderful trip to Mauritius.
Happy travelling!
Brian
Places where I would like to go! Lake Bled in Slovenia
Hi Everybody
Some years ago some good friends visited Lake Bled in Slovenia. I have never been there but I really do hope to get there in the next year or two.
They sent me a nice photo taken from the south side of the lake showing the fabulous scenery of the area.
The Island of Bled is in the Lake and it has a Pilgrimage Church, The Assumption of Mary with a 171 foot tower, on it together with a baroque stairway of 99 steps leading up to the Church.
I decided that it would be good to try to paint a watercolour of the scene, so after some research and looking at the area on Google Earth and other sites I started the watercolour.
Then during the process some other friends saw the artwork and said how much they too had enjoyed visiting Lake Bled and could I paint another watercolour of the scene. Yes of course! It is such an enjoyable view that a second painting seemed a very good idea. They are never the same of course , which is just as well, as I never reproduce my watercolours as prints.
These are the two paintings.
Lake Bled in Slovenia . The first watercolour.
Lake Bled, the second watercolour painting
A year of two passed and then I had enquiry from the USA for the painting which of course were not available, but again I offered to paint the scene once more.
This I did and the recipient was pleased with the result.
The third version of the Lake Bled Watercolour
Amazingly not more than a few months later the same thing happened again but this time from a different State in the USA. And so a fourth watercolour of the scene was the result (this one was requested to have darker tones to the lake) and another happy recipient too!
And the fourth version of the scene at Lake Bled
So you see I do think it is about time I actually went there, and painted the scene “en plein air” just for myself.
Just need to get on with the planning!
Happy travelling and painting, and a Happy New Year too!
Brian
PS, If you too would like a watercolour of Lake Bled, then just email me at brian@brianswatercolours.com
September sun on the Cote d’Azur
It was a fairly quick trip this time but the weather was fantastic
Mid 30s so in between sorting out a few things we were able to relax and enjoy the sun,the wine and some great meals out with friends and ourselves
I can’t recommend The Camandoule and Table D’Yves highly enough if you are in the Fayence area, they are both great restaurants and always worth the visit.
As always when we are away there was some time for quick sketches in my sketch book, now at volume 3!
Here they are and I do hope you like them
This really quick painting of watercolours appeals to me a lot as I can travel light and paint quickly even in the hot sun.
Plenty of time in the studio for larger artworks for the web sites too, when we are back home.
Near Cannes is the little town of Mandelieu La Napoule with it’s Castle reconstructed by Henry Clews a US philanthropist.. This 10 by 7 inch watercolour shows the lovely little beach next to the quay.
If you have flooded this blog for any time you will know we like St Tropez,not for it Glitz but the back streets and it history. This Port de apache only A short stroll from the busy Quay and still quite like it must have been many years ago.
Off the St Tropez Coast yachts are alway whizzing about with the backdrop of the town behind. This is my interpretation of that scene.
When we are in StTropez I am alway transported to the town as it was in the early part of the 20th Century. Here I have tried to recreate that scene,so different from today, but it must have been an amazing sight to early 20th Century painters when they went there for the first time.
St Tropez as it may have been in 1910.
Lastly a scene in;the heart of St Paul de Vence, the little but very famous hill village on the Cote d’Azur. Full of art studios and galleries there is a lovely view at every corner,and this is just one of them.
Another one of those”At the heart of St Paul de Vence” watercolours
So a busy week but a few watercolours too.
Do go to the Cote d’Azur, it is one of the really special places in the world and always rewarding to visit.
Happy Travelling
Brian
if you have enjoyed seeing these sketches do go to my site on Artfinder
http://www.artfinder.com/brianswatercolours
We didn’t just go there to eat! – A week on the Cote d’Azur
You know that you have chosen the right restaurant when the food is delicious and the view terrific.
So it was last Sunday at the Restaurant of Le Moulin de la Camandoule , L’Escourtin.
The weather was lovely and our table on their beautiful patio had a stunning view of the old town of Fayence high above us.
A great meal in a restaurant that I would highly recommend if you are in that area of Provence. So naturally I took some photos and here is the watercolour painted later that afternoon of the view of Fayence.
Fayence from Le Moulin de la Canandoule. Watercolour 12 inches by 9.
Our week, based in Mandelieu, gave us other opportunities for some good meals in restaurants, especially also La Table D’Yves, also near Fayence, and some time to meet friends and enjoy the beautiful coast to Agay along the Esterel coastal road. It is a really spectacular drive and in Agay lunch at La Belle Vie is always good. The now disused lighthouse at Agay can be seen for the beach there and this watercolour is from a close up taken with the camera of the little harbour near the lighthouse.
The little harbour near the old Agay lighthouse. Watercolour sketch 9.5 inches by 7.5
We didn’t visit St Paul de Vence on this holiday but the scene from the approach to the town is one I love to paint. So here is a new version painted this week.
St paul de pence as you approach it from Cagnes. A watercolour 12 inches by 9.
Some years ago we bought some lovely watercolour prints by an artist called Padia. Here is my interpretation of one of those watercolours. With another painter called Cybele they had a shop called Les Deux Ateliers in St Paul. Cybele still sells mainly beautiful oil paintings from her Gallery there today and it is well with a visit.
Here is my interpretation, painting this small watercolour has also helped me learn some new techniques too.
My version of a “Padia” watercolour of Provence
The hills of Provence and the back streets of St Tropez are always favourite themes for me and so here two more watercolours painted during this visit.
Lastly we nearly always visit Antibes. With a lovely Old Town and a big busting port there is always lots to see.
Here is a watercolour of the view from the walls of the old Town across the bay toward the mountains.
“The Clouds roll in”. – . A watercolour of the view from the Walls of Old Antibes. 12 inches by 9.
I hope you will enjoy these new paintings.
Another lovely week in this really beautiful part of France.
Happy travelling
Brian
To contact me send an email to
brian@brianswatercolours.com
NB Some other watercolours can be seen on my shop sites at
http://www.artfinder.com/brianswatercolours
and at
https://www.artgallery.co.uk/artist/brian_tucker_2
The Warmth of South Africa
Table Mountain – Watercolour 14 inches by 10
It is a long journey to Capetown from the UK, but well worth it to enjoy the warmer weather of March and to experience great food, stunning wines and wonderful hospitality.
We have been before and each time we have a lovely holiday there with very good friends.
Our primary aim is to find some sun to play golf in but the overall experience is always great.
Eating in restaurants is a delight with very, very good wines at affordable prices and super food and service too.
I would especially mention three restaurants from this recent visit which were very enjoyable.
In Constantia “95 at Parks” was very good and most accomadating.
In George the Restaurant called “Fat Fish” where the quality off the food and the service is great.
In Wilderness there is a real “Star” of a restaurant called “Serendipity”. It has to be one of the most enjoyable places to eat that I have ever experienced in South Africa. Lizette and Rudolf take delight in describing their food and they and their staff produce food of the highest possible quality in their lovely Guest House and Restaurant. I think you get the picture – Go There !
We started our holiday in the Western Cape staying at Steenberg Vineyard near Constantia. A great location for visiting Capetown and the area.
A sketch book watercolour of Table Mountain from Steenberg 9 inches by 7. Whilst there we visited Boulders beach and Camps Bay
The Penguins at Boulders Bay near Simonstown – Watercolour 14 inches by 10
Just stopped for chat! Sketch book watercolour 9 inches by 7
Early light at The Twelve Apostle Mountains at Camps Bay – Watercolour 14 inches by 10. A little bit of licence with the weather in this watercolour! One day we drove out to the beautiful Vineyard areas around Franschhoek which we love to see.
A quick watercolour sketch of Franschhoek. 9 inches by 7.
From there to Fancourt in George for golf and the lovely scenery of the Outeniqua mountains. The golf courses at Fancourt are really great and in beautiful condition.
So along with all this eating and drinking and golf I also managed to fit in time for a few watercolours. We that is what this Blog is all about after all!
Here ore my efforts, some just quick sketches in the notebooks and other larger paintings.
The Outeniqua Mountains from the Golf course at Fancourt. Sketchbok painting 11 inches by 4
Another view from the Outeniqua Golf course at Fancourt. 11 inches by 4
Yachts sailing in the Bay at Knysna on the Garden Route. Watercolour 14 inches by 10
Waves and yachts at Herolds Bay on the Garden route. Sketch book watercolour 9 inches by 7
I hope you will enjoy them all
Happy travelling
Brian
NB Some of these watercolours can be seen on my shop sites at
http://www.artfinder.com/brianswatercolours
and at
https://www.artgallery.co.uk/artist/brian_tucker_2
Chasing the Sun – The Warmth of Tenerife
CONTACT ME AT brian@brianswatercolours.com for commissions and to purchase any of my paintings
Escaping the British winter if only for a short time is always part of our plan!
We had never visited Tenerife before so the lure of sun and good golf brought us to the Abama Resort in Tenerife
In fact the weather was perfect for golf and warm enough to enjoy time lazing by the pools.
We even managed some touring about on Tenerife to get a feel for some of the island and it’s scenery.
The “moon ” like terrain around the Mount Teide
Tenerife is dominated by the Volcano, Mount Teide although there hasn’t been a significant eruption for over a hundred years.
Tenerife is very mountainous and to get to the North of the island we had to go over a 3800 foot pass with its very, very windy roads. The cliffs at Los Gigantes are spectacular and big as their name suggests and they sweep down to the sea from the mountain range that we travelled over to go to Garachico and the North.
The view of a part of coast in the North Western part of Tenerife
The bay at Garachico. There are natural sea swimming pools there created by eruptions of the Volcanoes.
In amongst the golf and relaxation there was time to paint a few watercolours in the sketch book which is now my favourite medium when travelling. A quick pen and ink sketch followed by some watercolour washes gives me a good record of a place or landscape. Of course the plan is to paint larger watercolours at home. However the sketches work pretty well for the blog.
The Abama golf course is also very hilly and challenging with unforgiving greensand very fast greens to make it even harder. Luckily eveybody uses a buggy as walking the course would tire a mountain goat!.
The Restaurant “Candelaria” in Garachico
Our trip to the north and especially the little town of Garachico yielded a very pleasant lunch experience in a little family restaurant called “Candelaria” in Garachico. Their home made bread and enjoyable menu and owners made the lunch great. If you are ever there do go and find it and try it, it was really nice. It is at the back of the town about 100 metres from the main Square
Our time in Tenerife was brief but enjoyable and we did find the sun!
Happy travelling
Brian
In the south of the Island of Tenerife, and quite near the airport, is the pretty fishing village of Los Abrigos
New Year Celebrations on the Cote d’Azur
Hi Everybody, — “Happy New Year”
After a lovely Christmas time in the UK with the family it was nice to spend the New Year on the Cote d’Azur with some good friends enjoying welcome sunshine and the lovely scenery of the area.
Of course it gave me some time to paint a few sketchbook watercolours of the area and the opportunity for us to enjoy the fine food and wine of the area.
I would like to especially mention our lunch at the Camandoule Hotel in Fayence. Just a great meal and very good value in this lovely hotel which was once a Mill. I would strongly recommend it as every time we have been there it has been great.
Anyway in the days there I was able to paint a few watercolours, quite quick ones in the sketch book which may become larger studio paintings in the future.
Here they are and I hope you like them.
This vision of a small Provence village seems to me the way Provence is, mainly in my imagination maybe! Watercolour 9 inches by 7.
Sunset over the Farm
I get drawn to painting this scene of St Paul de Vence, the iconic perched Provence town
We spent a lovely couple of hours wandering around Vence and having a great Crepe in the Bretagne style Creperie there.
In the hills above Mandelieu is the tiny town of Tanneron. With its great views across the countryside it is also THE place to go to see the Mimosa blossom in February and March and maybe lunch in this nice looking restaurant there. “Cafe Restaurant des Voyageurs”
Our holiday in Mandelieu is never complete without a trip along the Esterel Peninsula coast road to Agay for a Hot Chocolate and a piece of “Tropezienne” cake in “La Mie Adoree”. This view is of the Esterel mountains across the bay near Antheor.
All this and the Sun thing too!
Happy Travelling
Brian
Remembering the Past – Washington DC.
The Capitol at Night. Watercolour 13 inches by 10.
For many years I travelled to Washington on business and enjoyed many happy times there.
I saw a photo the other day that reminded me so much of those exciting times and the friends that I made there over the years.
So today I thought maybe a quick watercolour would be a fun thing to do and true enough all those memories came flooding back.
I haven’t visited Washington for a few years now but the view across to the Capitol is one of my lasting memories.
If you were one on the many who shared those times with me I hope you too have fine memories of this great City.
Anyway I hope you all like this effort to capture that evening scene.
Happy Travelling – and – a Very Happy Christmas to you all and Best Wishes for the New Year.
Brian
Places I would like to be – San Francisco.
Hi All
I was watching the new Rick Stein programme on TV the other evening, it’s called Road to Mexico and starts in San Francisco. If you don’t know of him he is famous chef with restaurants in Cornwall, and produces really interesting TV programmes and Cookery Books.
It reminded me of great visits there and the waterfront scenes got me thinking about a watercolour of the of the skyline.
In fact today I painted two scenes, one large 20 inches by 14 and one small 10 inches by 4.
Both are almost monochrome but use a mixture of Teal Blue and Violet as the base colours.
They are little different from my normal watercolours so I hope you will like them. They were certainly fun to paint and very quick too!
So here they are
San Francisco Skyline. Watercolour 10 inches by 4. Painted on Khadi paper. Wet into wet technique.
Yachts sailing at San Francisco. Large watercolour 20 inches by 14. Painted on Arches hot pressed paper using a number of watercolour washes.
I hope you like them, and if you are like me you will remember San Francisco fondly.
Happy travelling
Brian
Places where I would like to be – Yosemite and the Canadian Rockies!
Some friends’ recent holiday to the Canadian Rockies and our trip a few years ago to Yosemite have inspired me to try to paint a few mountain scenes.
Using their, and my own photos, from these trips here are just 3 watercolours of those places.
Our trip to Yosemite was amazing, such scale and grandeur is hard to beat. and our friends photos of their Canadian trip reminds me that the West of Canada is still on our “bucket list”
I hope you enjoy this short post , I found producing these paintings a lot of fun, and maybe a visit one day? Lets hope so.
Happy travelling
Brian
El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Watercolour 14 inches by 10.
Sunset at Lake Moraine in the Canadian Rockies. Watercolour 16 by 12 inches.
Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. Watercolour 13 inches by 9.
