David's week 15th-22nd September

David's week was blessed with beautiful weather, a perfect temperature (28C) for painting en plein air. The group settled into a routine of working in both the morning and afternoon sessions, something that in the heat of the summer is rarely possible. 

Saturday brought a change in the weather that was marked in Les Bassacs by this beautiful but apocalyptic sky.

Journee du Patrimoine 2012

Once a year historic monuments and gardens in France are open free to the public.  We took  David's group to the Jardin de la Louvre - "garden of the she-wolf" in Bonnieux.  The garden was accorded the status of 'jardin remarquable' in 2007. It was designed and built by Nicole de Vésian, a designer with Hermès, who took on a series of fallow terraces and transformed them into this beautiful and tranquil oasis of contrasting aromatics and hedging.

New world painters appreciate old world charm

Our first ever Australian group proved a great success, with a lively and sun-filled two weeks.  For many of the painters from Brisbane this was their first experience of plein air painting. They all took to it with great enthusiasm and with a seriously high level of concentration!

Picnic at St Remy

Though they did find time for a bit of relaxation as well . . .

Boules tournament

Autumn at Les Bassacs

The beginning of September was ushered in with a thunderstorm to signal the end of summer.

Now we are well into the season of early morning mists and mellow fruitfulness . . .

view across the Luberon from the route de Murs

deep autumnal shadows raking across Gordes

Mark pioneers new painting spots

David used Mark's two week stint at Les Bassacs to try out some new painting venues . . .

Ochre caves at Gargas

From the edge of the enormous wheat field at Murs

Font Jouval Gorge

Rebecca's week 11th-18th August

Rebecca in search of her students

We have had beautiful weather this week, hot and sunny but with fresh evenings and mornings.  The fields are all cut giving light patches in the landscape which contrast with the deep green of the vineyards. 

Rebecca took her students to paint in the countryside above Lioux where the farmer had just completed what must be the world's longest stack of lavender stooks.  Apparently the smell was intoxicating.  David's photos give you a good sense of the scale of the farmer's harvest.

Jeremy le Grice died at home, 9th August 2012 at dawn.

We had very sad news from Lyn le Grice, that Jeremy died on Thursday.  He was being nursed at home and died peacefully with his family around him.

Jeremy has been a big part of Les Bassacs since we started in 1990.  This year was the first year that he wasn't teaching his popular oil painting course. This was due to his ill health.  His inimitable style, his zest for life, his enthusiasm and energy and his good-humoured optimism will be sorely missed by us and those who knew him.  We send our condolences to Lyn, his children, Tom, Anna, Harriet and Jude as well as to his grandchildren.

The funeral Service is at St Buryan Parish Church on Thursday, 23rd August at 2.00pm. Family flowers only but donations, in his memory, for The Cornwall Historic Churches Trust may be sent to Marcus Wilkinson, Alfred Smith & Son, Funeral Directors, 31 Clarence Street, Penzance TR18 2NX.

 

Jeremy's website is a great source of information about his painting and his views on life. It is a fitting tribute to him. Go to  jeremylegrice.com

summer break

Liz and David are on their two week break!

Kieran's week 21st-28th July

The beautiful hot, still summer nights of Kieran's week captured by David, not a breath of wind, Les Bassacs glowing in the dark . . .

The Oil painter's essential equipment

Tom Benjamin's week was blessed with hot sunny weather which was a relief for everyone coming from the grey British summer.  Tom completed 12 small paintings of his own whilst teaching here.  Most of his work is carried out en plein air even in the UK where he is used to dodging rain showers.  The hot weather meant that he could paint early morning and in the evening.  He has an ingenious pochade box which stores all his paints and brushes and has space for small panels in the lid.  Tom's website shows evidence of his time spent painting in the Luberon.