Travel: because money returns but time does not.
Time is one slippery beast. It cannot be caged, nor tamed. It passes quickly when we least want it to, and slowly when we want it to speed up.
I wish our time in Switzerland and France had been longer. When it takes so long to get there, 2 weeks becomes very short. It was my first time in Switzerland and it was a magical visit. We had great weather, saw incredible mountains, lakes and hillside villages. Hillsides full of happy cows with clanging bells, changing clouds kissing the mountains and blanketing the valleys, beautiful light….
A highlight of the trip for me was a visit to the Pierre Gianadda Foundation for a show of work by Gustave Caillabotte. Born in 1848, this talented artist was not recognized during his lifetime. The exhibit was extensive, including paintings from many private collections. My favorite part of the show was seeing 3 of the studies he completed for the large work “Le pont de l’Europe” 1876”
Seeing how the work evolved from its earlier studies was inspiring and educational. The museum even included an interactive exhibit showing how the artist altered the actual views for expressive intent. How many contemporary artists devote this type of time and energy to complete a painting? It’s especially remarkable when we consider that this artist didn’t sell any of his work during his lifetime.
On to France & Domaine du Haut Baran
After our time in Switzerland it was on to Domaine du Haut Baran with a small group of painters. We made short excursions to beautiful local attractions each day – sometimes two different locations each day. My goal was to use painting as a way to appreciate and really focus on what I saw. The scenery and villages were so picturesque, it often felt like living a fairy-tale.
What set the experience apart was the time spent visiting with local passersby and observing modern life being carried out in an historic setting. We were able to watch a grape harvester in action near Albas, swimmers and picnics in Limeuil, and locals stopping to comment and compliment our sketches everywhere we went.
October also blessed us with gorgeous weather: crisp mornings, warm afternoons and clear starry skies. We re-visited one place from our last trip in 2019 (La Roque-Gageac) but otherwise our painting locations were all different and we enjoyed food in new (to us) restaurants, too.
Last time I visited this region I felt like I’d just experienced a teaser… and I had the same feeling this time too! I want to return, maybe in a different season with truffles, wine and antiques as a focus? Let me know if you’d be interested!
My Next Adventure
Of course, if you’re interested in a painting trip, I’ve got you covered! My next adventure takes me to the Umbria region of Italy in October 2022! Click the image below for all the juicy details!
Umbria, Italy!
