Tuesday, November 22, 2016

17e Rendez-Vous du Carnet de Voyage, Clermont-Ferrand

Saturday-Sunday I went to the annual Rendez-Vous du Carnet Voyage in Clermont-Ferrand.
Its a gathering of travel sketchbook artists on 3 floors at the Polydome. I became obsessed with all the tiny watercolor paintboxes everyone was using. Why do I need such a big paintbox?
Mind you the artwork on display was stupendous - here giancarlo de Petris .
Lapin is a big name in the sketchbook world. Part of his display showed stacks and stacks of his sketchbooks. He lives in Spain but travels constantly sketching.
Emdé is another star. They are called 'carnettistes'. Carnet means small note book. Carnet du voyage = travel note book.
French Sophie Binder lives in St.Louis. At a certain point she gave up her job, packed her paints, sketchbook, bike and set out for 14 months traveling and sketching the world.
The end result. Her gorgeous book, 'The world, Two Wheels and a Sketchbook.
One of Sophie's watercolors.
Marielle Durand recently went to. New York to draw.
I love these. Check out her instagram @idrawamerica
There were classes given as well. Stephan Faravelli is a drawing wizard.
His exquisite work...
Most of the artists had tons of sketchbooks you could browse through. These people don't sleep at night. They are drawing.
A chain of French spas, Route des villes d'Eaux commissioned 12 sketchbook artists to come stay for a week and draw their immpressions. C'est la vie!
You could browse the artist's sketchbooks.
You could also buy a gazillion sketchbooks of the artists onhand. Were there 60-70 artists onsite? I did not come home empty-handed.
I managed to get into Clermont-Ferrand in the evening to see the famous black cathedral made of volcanic rock. Then paint a little in my room at 4:00 am in the morning.
I left Rendez-Vous du carnet de voyage exhausted, bug-eyed and totally inspired. After sleeping in yesterday, today I tackled painting those mini paintboxes. They're up on etsy with more to come. Thanks for reading Parisbreakfast! If you like this post and want to support it, buy Paris letters and watercolors or forward to someone who might enjoy it. 

45 comments:

  1. Wow...looks absolutely fabulous!!
    Thanks for a terrific post!!

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  2. Carol...are there dates set for next year?
    Do you know if it's held in the same location annually?
    Many thanks...

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    1. Thanks Carol...I subscribed to their newsletter/etc. Your photos really sold me on going next year!

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    2. The dates are more or less the same every year. Always in November. And always in clermont-Ferrand. Check their website and sign on for their newsletter. They send out info readily. I have wanted to go for YEARS and YEARS, but always stalled or didnt plan ahead. This time i had cold feet the nite before and was thinking of staying home!! Thanks goodness I didn't :))

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  3. I would have loved this..the small WN bottom left..was my first kit♥
    I still have it..
    Love your wc of the boxes..

    is that Lapin? Much younger than I imagined..

    Reading Sketching People..which is so hard for me..like architecture..

    I ordered her F Herring's Crescent pallete for me for Xmas;)
    Your WN Field set♥

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    1. know! Lapin is a dynamo. I have his Barcelona book.
      Some more links I couldn't add to the post:
      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/repertoire/lapin/

      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/repertoire/emde/

      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/2016/08/les-carnettistes-2016/# Favarelli

      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/repertoire/vivi-navarro/

      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/repertoire/marielle-durand/

      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/repertoire/sophie-binder/

      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/2016/08/les-carnettistes-2016/

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    2. Sketchbook Artists drawing at the spas:
      Des carnettistes en voyage sur la Route des Villes d'Eaux du Massif CentraL
      http://www.villesdeaux.com/fr/carnettistes-en-voyage.php#.WDY5T6-kqrU
      http://www.villesdeaux.com/download/dossier-presse-carnettistes-en-voyage-sur-la-route-des%20villes-d-eaux-du-massif-central-2.pdf

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    3. Also Giancarlo De Petris
      http://www.rendezvous-carnetdevoyage.com/repertoire/giancarlo-de-petris

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  4. The sketchbook artists are quite wonderful!!Special people, I think, with a unique mission. Kind of photo journalists whose perceptions are realized kinesthetically with pen, paper, and paint instead of technology. I really admire the work.

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    1. I know Allie. Daunting to say the least. These people do nothing but draw 24/7!!
      Very inspiring!!!

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  5. Suzanne Y.12:50 AM

    Delicious! Thank you!

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  6. What a great event! I'm surprised many of them seem to manage with small half-pan set. I prefer full pan, but it made me feel like taking up the bijou box or field box again.

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    1. I know!! I couldn't believe my eyes. Why I took so many pictures of their paintboxes.
      Not a full pan among them though I still prefer the bigger full pans. Not ready to give them up yet.

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  7. Now you've inspired me. Time to dig out my sketchbooks and photos of past trips and start adding more to my own carnet du voyages.

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  8. Now you've inspired me. Time to dig out my sketchbooks and photos of past trips and start adding more to my own carnet du voyages.

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  9. Carol, this was such a terrific post! Everything that you have shown and told is very welcome to my eyes. Thank you for all the links. A big thank you for all the pictures of the paint boxes, too.

    I am so glad that you attended! It looks overwhelming in a most wonderful way. xo

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    Replies
    1. Yes I'm still overwhelmed.
      TMI! But so fun.

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  10. Anonymous11:23 AM

    This looks like so much fun! Would love to have visited! I am learning to watercolor and am fascinated with watching videos and such.

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  11. I am so in love with this post I can hardly see straight! Now I have to run and draw and paint or do something because I am so inspired!

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    Replies
    1. I know, I know.
      It makes you want to draw Forever nonstop!!!

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  12. How totally awesome is this! WOW! I want to be there.
    Thanks for your share and fabulous illustrations/watercolors.
    Chapeau!

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  13. Aurelie11:56 AM

    Great! My cousin valerie Aboulker was there as well.

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  14. Jane G1:48 PM

    OMG this looks like so much FUN!
    and inspiring!
    nothing this cool happens in North Carolina.
    sigh.
    France has art.

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  15. It must have been so inspirational to see all of those sketchbooks! I think I would have been in heaven and feeling guilty at the same time! I always have such good intentions but do nothing!! You should have displayed your wonderful work!!

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  16. Diane P1:59 PM

    Love love love this post!!!

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  17. Carol have you thought about exhibiting your work next year??!

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  18. I am so inspired and full of joy to see this celebration of artist work who like you paint in a carnet. Only the French would have such an exhibition. In my busy city working life it so good to know and see that art is alive and well in so many lives. Vanessa

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    1. Actually there are other sketchbook events in Italy and Carcasonne. The attendees were international as well. Or should I say 'carnettistes'!

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  19. Bet you really had fun here! Don't paint, but I love watercolors and would love to have seen all those sketchbooks. I'm sure I also would have come home with at least one or two.

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  20. Lynne S8:02 PM

    What a terrific visit to share with us. That must've been so so exciting. Glad you got to be there.

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  21. Fabulous - love this post and all those sketchbooks. Makes me want to try & sketch myself. I personally think your work fits right in with all of theirs, you are my favorite.

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    1. Get Robert Koepelis' book, Learning to draw. Or a gazillion others out ther.
      Get cracking Suki!
      Me too :))

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  22. Carol, I always love your blog, but today's was the best ever. I have loved paint boxes AND watercolor travel journals forever, so you really hit home with this one. Beautiful. Your own are just wonderful.
    (Do you have any idea why here in the US the metal boxes with paint pans gave way to the tubes of paint? I like the pans so much better but they are hard to find here, and all the instructors push the wet tube paints, in which i invested. The British way is sure easier, for transporting especially. Sure is too late to reinvest in pans $$$.)

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    1. My theory is its easier to sell/display tubes than pans (which can get shoplifted). All abt what the stores want.
      Here and in the uk its easy to buy pans.
      Buy a simple box with 12 pans.
      You cant go wrong.

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  23. Lois Bender11:06 PM

    Fabulous post on the carnettistes,,,,
    it's really hard to go and see all that
    outstanding work!!!! inspiring/
    depressing to see so many great
    artists!!! btw where is clermont-ferrand ???

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    1. C-F is in the Auvergne about 3-4 hours from Paris.
      Plenty of time to draw on the train!
      Inspiring more than depressing...so much good energy!!

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  24. Suzanne Y8:26 PM

    Never heard of the place but that's what I love about your blog ~ we get to go so many neat places!!

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  25. Thank you for the compliments on my book and the shoot-out in your (great) blog!
    I'll make a point to get in touch next time I am in France.

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  26. Thank you very much Carol!
    I must follow your blog!

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  27. Thank you for coming and for your post which will be added to our press book.
    I'm glad you enjoyed our event !
    See you next year hopefully.

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  28. Thanks Carol, this inspires me to sign up for a Carnet de Voyages workshop! Do you have any recommendations for a teacher who offers that in France? -- Kate

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  29. Amazingly beautiful artwork by very talented people.

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