It has been said if you want to find yourself you must first get lost. This past September, Judy and I again took that advice to heart, purchased roundtrip tickets to France, and began our journey to get lost. We always plan the beginnings and endings of our trips, but the real adventures lie in between, where we take each day as it comes and follow where the road leads us. Most often it is the unknown that is most rewarding.
According to plan, beginning in Paris, we rented an apartment in Le Marais District located just two blocks from the Seine. For six days we walked the neighborhoods, trying to blend in, enjoying wine and food in the cafes and getting to know the locals. Apparently we were successful because on the fourth day, after three consecutive days of breakfast at a nearby bakery, the owner's wife met us at the front door and gestured to have a seat and she would bring us our "usual order." We felt as if we had become as Parisian as we ever would.
Ken and Judy at a cafe
Over the years we have been to Paris several times, but we have always been hurried, trying to absorb as much as we could in a short amount of time. But this trip was different, a much more relaxed, slower pace. Our almost non-existent itinerary was flexible and changed from day today. Time was spent sipping lattés in little cafes, buying fresh strawberries from the outdoor market, sketching, journaling, and strolling along the Seine; and creativity was nurtured by visits to local art galleries. Toward the end of our Paris stay, we toured the Museum De Orsay, as we have many times before, to enjoy the work of our favorite impressionists in preparation for the next part of our trip: Provence.
From Paris we took the bullet train to the city of Arles, in the Provence region of southern France. Arles’ history dates back to the Roman empire, and it was also a popular hang out for such artists as Van Gogh and Gauguin, and later, Picasso. I spent the next six days in this ancient city setting up my easel along the cobblestoned streets to try to capture the scenes that Van Gogh must have experienced. Sunlight, clear and brilliant as it was, cast shadows that caressed the cafes and ochre-colored buildings. Couples walking, people sipping wine, and children and dogs running through the streets added to the scenes.
On one occasion, after staking out a place to paint, I was informed by a local shop owner that the spot was an actual location where Van Gogh had set up his easel and painted one of his famous paintings. He pointed to a panel near one of the buildings marking the spot. After that, I noticed several places around Arles that were marked with the panels. Van Gogh has always been a great source of inspiration for me, and to paint in the exact spot where he had painted, made me feel as if his spirit was in me.
Wallin painting of street
Most of the buildings of Arles are protected as a World Heritage Site, and they still are as Van Gogh must have seen them. Our apartment was situated on the third floor of an old stone building. The windows overlooked an ancient Roman theater, and just a few steps beyond was a Roman amphitheater; both were built in the first century AD and are still in use today.
As I paint on location, some of my best critics are children. Children never hesitate to come right up and express their curiosity. In Arles, it was no different; children coming home from school in the afternoon would surround my easel, watch me paint, and ask questions. Language is seldom an obstacle since art transcends the spoken word. After a few days, they began to look for me along their route home.
From Arles we moved on to Avignon by train. We rented a 300-year-old house in the center of the city, complete with a gorgeous courtyard where I could set up my easel. The house, with its aqua shutters and ivy-covered walls, was the perfect backdrop for a garden painting.
Ken painting at the house
Like Arles, Avignon is located on the Rhone River and is best known for the Papal Palace, the residence of the Pope and the seat of Christianity for most of the 14th Century. Avignon is a college town and has an energetic vibe in the restaurants and cafés that is a little different from other tourist destinations. The indoor market, Les Halles, was spectacular. Fresh vegetables, seafood, piles of spices and nuts, cheeses, wines, and breads provided endless subject matter for photographs and future paintings.
We rented a car for the remainder of our trip and headed to Aix-En-Provence. The first few hours of driving are always a challenge in a foreign country, but eventually we get comfortable with it. Throughout our journeys we take advantage of online travel guides to help us get the experience we are seeking. When we travel, Judy is in charge of navigation and has a knack for finding perfect subject matter. I tag along armed with my journal, sketch book and digital camera. As an artist, I am always looking for markets, cafés, gardens, harbors, and panoramic scenes.
Aix is known for its wonderful outdoor flower market so we timed our arrival according to the market schedule. The day of the Aix flower market was sunny and bright; everywhere I looked umbrellas, people and containers of flowers were touched by the sun’s rays in an interesting way that would eventually end up on my canvas. As we explored, we sampled cheese, salami, bread and French pastries, and watched as artists set up their easels around the market area.
Flower market - Ken Wallin
We had been in Provence for a couple of weeks and realized we kind of followed a general routine. Mornings began with coffee and a croissant followed by a long walk, stopping frequently for photos and cappuccinos. For lunch we would sample local fare, or maybe we would visit a cheese shop later in afternoon, or enjoy an aperitif at a neighborhood bar. Painting sessions often occurred later in the afternoon as the sun cast shadows in a crisscross pattern on streets and buildings.
We seldom dined before 9:00 p.m., corresponding to the life style of the French. When we travel, we try to leave home back in the states, and not bring it with us. So we adopt our schedules to match those of the people of the country we are visiting. Our café experiences were so memorable they inspired me to create, back in my St. Simons studio, a sequence of scenes of chefs and food as part of my Provence series of paintings.
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Chefs at work - Ken Wallin
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Café service - Ken Wallin
Following our stay in Aix, we drove to some amazing hill towns. Along our journey we passed the vineyards, olive groves, valleys and gentle flowing creeks and rivers that make the Louberoun Valley such a special place. One road took us to the delightful hill town of Lourmarin. Many travelers stop for a day, but we liked it so much we made a four day excursion (an advantage of not having a set schedule). In searching the internet for a place to stay, Judy read about an apartment above a restaurant that sounded interesting. Upon finding the restaurant, the proprietor led us up the stairs where we settled in to a newly remodeled two bedroom residence, a perfect base for exploration of the area.
Lourmarin is small, and it only took about 30 minutes to circle the entire village to scout for possible painting sites. The first day I set up my easel in an olive grove at the foot of a 15th century castle adjacent to the town. Guidebooks describe Lourmarin as one of the most beautiful villages of France, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The tiny streets were lined with picturesque cafes, boutiques, and gelato shops, yet the pace was slow and quiet, and the residents warm and friendly. It wasn't long before the village became one of our all-time-favorite destinations.
A few hours drive to the east of the Louberoun region, near the Mediterranean coast, is the small commune of Saint Paul de Vence. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Rivera, it is known best for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries. We checked into a nearby hotel and spent the next two days exploring the more than sixty extraordinary art galleries within this ancient walled city. To our delight, we found two of our favorite Paris galleries, Bartoux, and Matignon, had locations here as well.
One of the highlights of our visit to St Paul de Vence was dining at La Colombe d'Or. In 1940, the south of France was “free zone” bringing a variety of thinkers and artists to stay at The Colombe d’Or. Artists like Picasso, Miro, Matisse, and later Chagall, often traded art for food and lodging at the hotel. Today, the expansive art collection is considered one of the best in the world and a visitor to the premises has the opportunity to enjoy these extraordinary pieces as part of the décor as you dine.
To end our journey, we knew we wanted to spend a few days on the Mediterranean. We looked for a place that was beautiful, not too crowded, with access to water and great seafood. We chose a small community located on a forested peninsula just east of Nice called Cap Ferrat. Unlike much of the southern coast of France, the craggy coastline around Cap Ferrat is remarkably unspoiled and has miles of accessible footpaths with glimpses of grand villas and gardens. The cafés lining the harbor in the center of the village was where we began each morning, sipping coffee and watching the fishermen prepare their small boats for their morning outing. Life on Cap Ferrat was slow paced and quiet, and the scenery was perfect for sketching and painting. Dining on fresh calamari and roasted fish and enjoying great wines ended each perfect day.
Boats - Ken Wallin
Our French adventure was complete. As in times past, Judy and I found ourselves by getting lost. Change and new experiences energize creativity. Author John Shed said it best, "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
In March, Ken will present a solo exhibition inspired by this trip; date, time, and location to be announced. You can see more of Ken’s work at wallinfineart.com, on instagram @ken_wallin, and at Parker Gallery on Saint Simons Island.
