April 4, 2010
This painting of Venice has been lurking for four years.
Our town, Lodeve, is known as the town of the Artists. That’s not all that special as about ten other towns in this part of The Midi are known as the same but there are quite a few painters here; good, bad and abstract (so they don’t really count… I may get letters after that comment). Anyway, we met a painter shortly after we arrived in the area, his name is Shelley and he has been a painter for a long, long time. He paints the most beautiful landscapes in pastel on brown wrapping paper and uses acrylic to produce some rather unpleasant nudes. Shelley is the only person, apart from my brother, who I’ve ever allowed to paint on my pictures; they are both exceptionally good teachers.
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January 19, 2010
When we were in Lincolnshire I worked on about 600 commissioned paintings between 1992 and 1997. In the main they were watercolour portraits of horses and dogs but there were a few oil portraits too. To make sure that I had enough work I had to market! I hate doing that because some times prospective clients check out the work on show and just walk away with “that” look on their faces. I suppose actors must feel the same during auditions.
So screwing up all available courage we would go off to County Shows, Show Jumping Competitions, Point to Point Meetings and anything else we could think of with a five person tent as a mobile gallery and smile, smile, talk and every-now-and-again sell paintings or gain a commission.
When we moved to France we had to work an 18-hour day building up the painting holiday business, B&B, teaching, cooking, cleaning, and all the other 1001 things that cropped up on a weekly, sometimes daily basis so paintings took a back seat. Until recently!
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January 19, 2010
So, as we sit and wait to see what happened to the art we sent to the U.S. for sale…
I’m working on a series of watercolours, pastels and oils of The Garde Républicaine for an exhibition in Paris at Easter. We’re going to see the Colonel of the Regiment in Avignon on Friday with some works in progress, which I hate doing, I don’t like anyone but Sally seeing things half done, but he’s the boss.
I hope to have about eighteen ready in the end. The series is teaching me a lot but it’s boring to go from painting of Gendarme to yet another painting of yet another bloody gendarme. I do hope you understand that the life of a painter is not all drink and wild bohemian parties, it’s HARD work.
November 22, 2009
Hi everybody, at last I’m starting to overcome my total incompetence with the 21st Century and its technology. Kate, who built this site, has bullied me into writing this blog. This first entry is about what Sal and I are doing right now and how it fits in with L’Atellier du Soulondre.
Right Click on image and choose save target as, to download the brochure. (88 MB)
As you may tell by my work, I’m a modern realist with a classical background so it is difficult, these days, to find an agent or gallery who likes my work enough to take a chance, and give me either an exhibition or represent me to the world. Of course I could be happy to have paintings on the walls of the local bank or restaurant, BUT, I’ve already done that and sold a few… a few… not many though… so think Shakespeare, “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune…” (O.K. so it’s said by Brutus in Julius Caesar – he lost — but still it’s the thought that counts.)
So, Sal and Kate got together and produced a three-fold brochure with eight or so paintings and contact details, and on and we flew to Florida. Why?
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April 20, 2009
Sally and David McEwen run painting workshops from L'Atelier du Soulondre, their bed and breakfast in Lodeve, France.
David McEwen is a professional artist living in the South of France with his wife, Sally. His work is traditional, rich with detail, and popular worldwide. With over a thousand completed commissions in the past 35 years, David has learned his craft well.
His mastery of drawing, charcoal, pastel, watercolour, acrylic and oil have earned him many honors including , “Master Painter of the World” by Artist International Magazine, and “Runner-up” in The Society of All Artists “Painter of the Year.”.
With his talent for painting and several education degrees, it seemed natural that he share his gift with others, so he and Sally, began PaintFrance workshops in 1997 as an addition to their bed & breakfast business, L’Atelier du Soulondre in Lodève, France.
Its success (evident by the amount of repeat bookings) is mostly due to the relaxed, entertaining atmosphere created by the McEwens.
