A walk to Parc La Grange

It was supposed to be a walk to the lake again with the watercolour artist Jean-Pierre Montmasson, but it was so cold this week we only made it to Park La Grange before the cold got the better of us. But no matter, it was every bit as enjoyable as last week as Jean-Pierre is such an engaging and entertaining speaker.

















This was the little sketch he completed last week. I was completely taken with his tiny sketchbooks so it was wonderful to get a chance to browse through them again.
















He mentioned that he went to the Biennale Carnet de Voyage at Claremont Ferrand last week. Jean-Pierre has travelled all over the world sketching and painting so I wouldn't have been surprised if he had been invited to show his work. He has illustrated the book Versailles and although we didn't see him painting at the lake, he did paint a little dedication for me in his book which was fun to watch!


















He says he chose the paper in the book to look and feel like the watercolour paper he uses. Of course I got a good look at his paints. I'm sure I'd paint mud if mine looked like that, but he knew exactly what shades he wanted and how to mix them!















And just how much pigment and water to get that lovely blending of colours.

In my last post about the walk, I put a footnote about Stefano Faravelli and again he is mentioned here as I asked Jean-Pierre if he saw his sketchbooks at Claremont Ferrand. I'm sure the other ladies on the walk must have wondered what on earth I must have said to get such a big reaction! It was just wonderful to talk to someone who understands and shares the same passions! A friend of his got a little painted dedication from Faravelli and said she could 'now die happy' and I'm sure she wasn't joking! I'll treasure my little dedication and hopefully Jean-Pierre will come back to Geneva next year to inspire us again with his infectious enthusiasm for painting!