Thursday, September 05, 2013

Art Colony Giverny

Meet artist and teacher Caroline Homes Nuckolls.
 
Caroline found me through ParisBreakfast posts on Giverny. Yes, I forgot to mention I was off for a very special week of painting in Monet's gardens with Caroline and Art Colony Giverny.
 
Caroline has been painting there since 2001 with Gale Bennett, then as his assistant and now leading the group each September. We entered through the gardeners entrance. You won't see this view unless you go with Caroline.
 
Name the flower please...Zinnias?
 
And you won't get to paint after hours either and have the gardens mostly to yourself from 5 - 8 pm.
 
Try to imagine as well entering WITH the gardeners at 7 am.
 
The visitors come in at 9 am. Then they open the house shutters.
 
Name the flower please. Along with getting the cheese book I better get a flower guide.
 
Yesterday Caroline led us on an introductory tour of Monet's gardens. She knows it like the back of her hand.
 
"Part of this trellis is authentic...this part was remade to match". There isn't a pebble here Caroline doesn't have an histoire to tell.
 
So many secrets were revealed. Caroline PLEASE write a book telling all.
 
Meantime you can learn to mix colors using "Observation with imagination" the Gale Bennett way with Caroline. Photographers are welcome too in the groups, or you can just inhale the fresh perfumes of the flowers and still have the time of your life.
 
We stay at an old mill 5 minutes walk from the gardens.
 
Tomorrow I'll share my early morning walk in the gardens. Watching the light change is mind altering blowing.
Perhaps your pet wants to go to Giverny or somewhere else in France? Do let me know.

32 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:41 PM

    Tithonia, Mexican Sunflower

    You are in my favorite place on the planet.Enjoy!!!
    I can't wait to see everything you share from there. Merci~
    Fan from Rural Oregon

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  2. The hot pink flowers are Dahlia. What a lovely place to paint and I'm sure it smelled wonderful.

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  3. Oh, speechless here. Wondrous!
    I am pretty sure the red flower is a Dahlia, too.

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  4. I think the pink flower is a type of dahlia? What a fantastic opportunity to paint inside the garden xxx

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  5. Marilyn3:54 PM

    My envy now knows no bounds. I cannot think of any other place to be that could compare with your talent.
    Enjoy

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  6. The orange flowers in your post today are tithonias or Mexican Sunflowers. I think it's an annual but may reseed and come back on its
    own the following year. The purple flowers later on are dahlias. Wish
    I was there to point them out to you in person!

    Anita

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  7. Ai, que paraiso! Uma boa sexta-feira para você!

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  8. What a beautiful spot Carol!
    I love your photos - I especially like the shots of the water surrounded by the greenery & flowers.
    Cute dog :)

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  9. I thought Dahlia too:)

    What fun..enjoy every moment..Why did I say that?
    I KNOW you will~
    I had never heard of a Tithonia..so thanks!

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  10. Carol, this looks pretty darn fabulous, and i do hope that you will write and show us much more about this access to Giverny and the fun and beauty and inspiration to be found there.

    (Hoping that not too many crowds are found in the gardens? The Central Park crowds always put me off sketching there.)

    xo

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  11. As I am now my own pet, I certainly wish to send my pet to Giverny...will happily identify flowers in return! Than you for yet another experience to put on my "to do " list.

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    Replies
    1. Art Colony Giverny is 'bucket list' material.

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  12. As someone I know used to say, "Lucky Duck!" Are you staying out there for 7 days? Wouldn't the group from Owl's Head love to join you here! I liked her sites & all the links.

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  13. Gale Bennett was an artist here in Southwest Florida, too. Many artists here benefited from his unique way of explaining light and color and traveled to France to paint at Giverny. It was fun to see his name in your blog.What a wonderful experience for you to be in Monet's gardens without the crowds.

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  14. Your life is a Dream!!!

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    Replies
    1. Ain't it just!
      I keep pinching myself to make sure it's real.

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  15. Are you just lucky or do you make your fortunate circumstance? This is just wonderful. I googled the flower - Tithonia, Mexican Sunflower and then clicked on images and hundreds of your beautiful flower appeared.

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  16. Ive been in Giverny few years ago,3 I think ,it was an amazing end of july day,sunny and dry..I remember the hause ,the gardens ,the famous lake and the coq...We had a rest in a bistrot just outside the Museum,under a big tree drinking iced and sparkling local cider.It was a perfect summer day.
    the dark pink flower is a Dalia yes...I like them ,sometimes they are really big...

    as usual nice post,amazing pics! Thank You.

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  17. You have made my day - I have only been Giverny once and it was such a transformative experience. This is on my bucket list!

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  18. Beautiful! What a lovely spot. A little peace and tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of Paris! Yes, tithonia and dahlias are the flowers. Later this month, go see the dahlias in Jardin des Plantes. Enjoy your stay with the spirit of Monet.

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  19. Oh WOW! What a sensational opportunity- I can't believe the amazing things that have happened for you this year. After hours access to Monet's garden, astonishing!

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  20. Quelle joie d'avoir l'occasion de faire la peinture à Giverny! It is one of the special places. Your wonderful experiences never fail to brighten my mornings and to make me long for my next sojourn in France (March).

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  21. Glorious! Oh, how I would love to do that! I don't think the first is a zinnia but the second is a dahlia. One of my favorites.

    ALways loved Giverny -- can't imagine how it would be this "personally."

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  22. Anonymous10:43 AM

    Caroline sounds like a winner. I like her art and am happy you are enjoying this experience.
    Luvya,
    Allie

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  23. Anonymous10:48 AM

    I love your blog and have been following you since 2011. Anyway, the pink flower is a Dahlia. It looks to me that the orange one is a Zinnia. Hope this helps.
    Chris

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  24. I LOVE how you get to see the shutters closed, no tourists about and can reflect in the gardens and appreciate them like Monet. That 2nd last shot without a queue in sight is amazing. Even although we're only 40 minutes drive from us, the queues put us off going back so I'm really looking forward to seeing your private garden walks, Carol. Sounds like the perfect retreat!

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    Replies
    1. Just go when the crowds leave Jill, usually on the 2:20 shuttle back to Vernon train station.
      You have it almost to yourself. And if you order your tickets ONLINE no waiting in line eithher.

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  25. Carol, Carol, Carol...I want to be you when I grow up. Hahaaaaaa. ENJOY the heck out of this! Love it.

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  26. This is one of my dreams!

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  27. Oh, my! What an amazing experience. May I say that I'm just a teeny bit envious? Okay, I'm totally envious! I visited the garden once, with hordes of tourists around. To have the garden to yourself, wander around taking photographs, painting. Happy sigh!

    (I don't suppose you need an assistant, do you? I could maybe carry your paints? Or keep Bear company while you paint? Or is he painting, too?)

    Okay, must run - have to revise my Bucket List.

    Enjoy!!

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  28. OH WOW..What a lucky ducky you are..I would LOVE to belong to this group to go here and paint and or photograph too. Living Monets life.. wow.

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  29. Many of you have posted that you would like to experience the magic of painting in Giverny and Monet's Garden. Visit www.artcolonygiverny.com to find out more!

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