Above Town Limited Edition Prints

Artist's Diary

Here is a little diary of recollections of great moments spent between paintings!

February

High on the hills of the Corbieres on a Sunday in late February with a nightingale singing through the wood smoke and the silvery light. Perfect stillness carries the sound of distant cow-bells and the village church tolling for Mass.

March

Peach and cherry blossom decorate every valley in the Vaucluse. Vineyards receive their final manicure. The incredible singing of the frogs in the roman ruins of Vaison is the soundtrack to our evenings.

April

Yellow-green buds break on the vines in April. Wild rocket covers the ground and every pale ochre wall is hung with purple wisteria.

May

A stony path to walk on with a view of the Pyrenees – still snow-covered. Then we dive into a wood where we are embalmed by the resins of pine, box and juniper. Out again onto the garrigue to the scent of broom, lavender and thyme and nearly home.

June

We walk through a wood near Siena in the dry june heat. There is a welcome stream to bathe in and plums to eat from the trees.

July

Almost midnight after a candlelit picnic in an olive grove high above Nice. We watch the flightpath of the fireflies as they glide between the trees and over the terraces.

September

The shade of giant plane trees welcomes us to the wondrous Canal-du-Midi. A plat du jour, a bottle of Faugeres and afterwards grapes, warm from the vine.

October

Standing by a renaissance chapel on a hillside in Liguria overlooking the sea. On one side a large village crowds a rocky spur with its roman rooftops and tall campanile. To the other stretch olive groves and sweet chestnut forests down to the jade-green water.

November

Harlequin colours of autumn in the vineyards on our way to the Mediterranean sea. Everybody painting their boats and houses under day-long blue skies.