paris breakfasts: Paris art shops

Showing posts with label Paris art shops. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

One Nite Stands

Mignardises Freehand, 9" x 11"

An artist and her paintbrushes are like past lovers.
Some come and go so fast.

You can't remember what you ever saw in them.

Why is it in every new town, you go looking for a new one for amusement.

And why is it, old Frenchies (Isabey Petit Gris #6234) you were once so crazy about, are now stashed away in mothballs?

Your current French loves (Isabey Martre #6225) you discovered by chance in Paris and no where else, have suddenly become awfully pricy to keep around - they used to be so affordable...sigh Just like naughty gigolos.

An old favorite standby (these German DaVinci 'Junior synthetic') have stuck with me through thick and thin and are so affordable.

I still love YOU Babe!

I recently ran into an old boyfriend (a live one) and he flipped for these watercolors drawn with a paintbrush.

Naturalement I dragged out some old favorites and started messing with them.

Paintbrushes waiting on the back burner like forever are hoping to get a second chance with moi. Qui sait?

Actually the newest, hottest love of my life is Winsor and Newton LARGE size watercolor pans - I am so in love with you BABE - I bought a bunch over the 4th holiday at Dick Blick. I can not wait till you arrive darlings!

Are YOU madly in love with something and do you think if will last or just be a One Nite Stand?

Do tell all PBers!

BONJOUR OLD LOVES!

Friday, February 05, 2010

To Paris With Love

YSL Paris, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

When Audrey goes to Paris she takes along her Leopard...

When John Travolta goes to Paris, in the new movie out today, he takes along "his precious energy drinks whose containers hide firearms. Corn syrup, caffeine and water it's not" the New York Times reports...

French Girl in Paris, likes me to bring her some Essie Alure nail polish. Like all the best nail polishes don't already exist and originate in Paris? Who knew?

Of course I take my watercolor paintbox. Not really that weird to bring along to Paris.

BUT with all the art stores in Paris (homeland to artistes from the get-go), would you not think you could find a decent pad of tracing paper?

You can NOT find any tracing pads in all of Paris. Well I have not, so I bring my own nice, cheesy thin tracing paper pads from Utrecht art supply. C'est comme ca.

Here's a weird thing I like to bring to Paris - Japanese travel books on Paris! They are the BEST in my opinion.

There is not one word of English in these books, though they throw the occasional French word or two around. I like them for the illustrations and maps - they give me ideas. Go figure...

Sue of Cottage Way of Life used to take "Bessie" with her to Paris(the size of a cat). "Why? So I could photograph her travels (I was thinking of writing a book). Bessie got lots of attention in Paris, I constantly heard, "La vache!" And everyone wanted to take a picture of her. I got to talk to a lot of people because of that cow...

So what do YOU bring to Paris? Do tell all s.v.p.

NPR liked From Paris With Love!!?

Whoops-this is not the trailer I watched at The NYTimes...ahem

The language is NSFW

Bonjour Week-end!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Sennelier - Paris

Sennelier-Paris,original art

It's de rigeur for me to go into any art shop in Paris...
Les Enfants Rouges

Les Enfants Rouges-Paris,original art

Plus M. Baker wrote me, I just love the painting I bought of Ch. Vaux le Vicomte, which brings me to ask,

Why you don’t do more paintings of architecture such as Shakespeare & Co., or my favorite “first stop” in Paris, the Nicolas wine shop on rue de Choiseul..?
So today I'm giving it a whirl.

But back to old favorite Parisien art shop, Magasin Sennelier on 3, Quai Voltaire 75007. By the way they've been around since 1887, which means the Impressionists probably got their gear there. But why is it when I show up, the place is always closed.

And the windows are full of goodies one can yearn for just as much as any box of macarons.

How many watercolor boxes do you have? I've lost count but it's more than 10.

You can usually find interesting paint brushes abroad. So many art companies have globalized, it can be hard to find something different, but in the brush arena you can.

This "artists" smock is a decidedly European necessity.

Rest assured that there are many more erasures on the other side of the pond. I know you really care about that :)

How many art shops you frequent are featured in a fabulous guide to Paris. It's well worth a look inside even if you don't paint on Sundays or any other time. Plus there's tons of galleries nearby and gorgeous views of the Seine.

Here's the jewel in the window - this mini (but British) Rowney travel paintbox. The prix..ahem, is not mini.
Quite a few of you have asked me, where can I find an art class in Paris? The best place is to check out the signs posted on any art shop's door or inside. You won't be disappointed.PSPlease let me know what you think of these new Parisien facade paintings..?