All Roads Lead to Rome

Pont Julien (photo (c) Lesley Powell)

I wrote in my last post about how the Romans left a lasting mark on the landscape of Provence. It seems that I can't get away from the Roman theme--this time I am writing about the stone bridge called "Pont Julien", which was built by the Romans. It is between modern day Bonnieux and Roussillon. Maggie Siner took our workshop group there to paint last month, and I was astonished by the variety and beauty of the paintings that resulted.

"Pont Julien"
Oil on Canvas, 11 x 18
(c) Lesley Powell, 2015

Pont Julien is an exquisite bridge that dates from 3 BC. It was built by order of Julius Caesar, after whom it is named. The bridge has a series of perfectly proportioned arches, and is made of limestone taken from the surrounding hills. Thanks to the marvels of Roman engineering, the stones were set so perfectly that no mortar was required. The bridge carried automobiles until just a few years ago--which makes for two thousand years of continuous use. About this time we are all thinking the same thing:

Patchwork Fields

I have just returned from several weeks of painting in France, so the next few posts will be inspired by that experience. My first week was spent in a workshop led by the gifted instructor Maggie Siner. Maggie lived in this area for years, and knows great spots to paint. One of my favorites was the village of Joucas, from which you could see the sweeping vista pictured above.

The patchwork pattern of the fields in this region is fascinating to me. Though the valley is vast, the scale of the individual fields, and the idiosyncratic way in which they are arranged, give the landscape a very human, approachable feeling. I have learned that

Where the Hearth Is

"Fireplace at Hopper's New York Apartment"
Pen and ink on paper, 1925-30
Edward Hopper

Lately I have been studying drawings by some of the great painters of the past. I have been struck by a recurrent motif--the artist's depiction of his own room, or his own home. In particular, I have been drawn to simple drawings that feature the fireplace hearth, and perhaps a favorite chair nearby. These drawings have such a sense of

Common Ground with Fairfield Porter

"Self Portrait in the Studio"
Oil on Panel, 22 x 16
Fairfield Porter, 1968

Meet Fairfield Porter, a 20th century American painter. I don't know why I had not been very familiar with Porter's work until recently. It's a funny thing--often when I am drawn to a painter, and delve deeper into his work, I discover that he or she was influenced by some of my other favorite artists. It goes to show that

Up Close and Personal

Painting by Ken Auster
9 x 12, oil on panel

It is said that a good painting should reward the viewer in many different ways. One way a painting does that is to give you a totally different experience when viewed from a distance than it does when viewed up close. I own a painting by Ken Auster (a California Impressionist painter) that is a great example of this phenomenon. The top photo shows Ken's painting from a reasonable distance. It is clearly recognizable as a scene of the light rail line leading to Uptown Charlotte. Quite realistic and representational. The next few photos show the painting from a close-up vantage point. What a change--it is