Thursday, November 19, 2009

Parisian Courtyard



I'm really enjoying traveling with this little coterie throughout Paris. It is such a JOY to wake up in the morning and take to the streets to see what we find. I get so excited thinking about what will catch our interest and to see what we each capture in our journals. This is a trip to remember! 


We've walked down so many interesting streets - I feel like a kid in a candy store when I try to decide what to sketch and paint. On this little back alleyway, the staircase caught my eye with all of the potted plants. The steps and walls looked quite old with all of the chips, different stains, and signs of moss or plant life. I  wondered who lived beyond the open door. I wanted to remember the image so I gave it a try.... but it was a challenge!





co·te·rie : an intimate and often exclusive group of persons with a unifying common interest or purpose  <Date: 1738>
Etymology: French, from Middle French, tenants, from Old French cotier cotter, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English cot hut


<<< from my continuing adventures in Laure Ferlita's An Imaginary Trip to Paris class >>>

8 comments:

Gabrielle said...

Hi Claire! I just wanted to say again how much I like this painting. Thanks for being a great "traveling" companion on our imaginary trip!

Lin said...

SOOOO very beautiful!!! Very inviting and warm!!! I'd love to be there too!

lori vliegen said...

oh claire....i absolutely LOVE this!!! wouldn't you just love to live there?!! how fun would that be to go shopping, and then come home to all of those little plants on each stair step?!! oh, it's really fabulous!! :))

Claire M said...

Thanks everyone - it has been a super fun adventure!! ... more than I ever would have expected. I just finished the last two pages last night. I want to post them in order so it will be a few more days before they are all posted. The cover will be last.

Lori I can't wait for you to see the cover because I got an idea from you for it.... I'll keep you guessing...

Claire M said...

P.S. We just recently learned of the word coterie here because a very, very small winery used the word for their name. So I thought I'd share the info on the word since it is French and perfectly fit my travel venture.

Pat said...

This one is a treasure. I would love to see all your sketches in an ISSUU flip book.

Anonymous said...

Claire, I am just catching up on your journey. This is a charming sketch and captures the mood so well. Sounds like you will be "home" for the holidays!

Margaret said...

Lovely. All of your Paris trip is so creative.