Provence Daydreams
Oh, my…this time of year has me yearning to go back to the French countryside and the charming cottage in Provence that I’ve come to love.
And, the good news is that I have only a few hours left to daydream! By the time you are reading this, my husband and I will be well on our way back to Provence.
I know that the lavender is reaching its purple peak and summer’s delights are in abundance. In the outskirts of the small hillside town of Saignon, I will again revel in the cherry and apricot orchards, yellow fields billowing with wheat, green vineyards of ripening grapes, hollyhocks blooming from every nook and cranny, sunflowers which are only beginning to open to the sun’s warmth, and, of course, the countless rows of lavender, studded with occasional poppies and abuzz with the hum of bees!
Since my first trip to Provence in 2012, I have missed only one or two summers for my annual mecca. Our trip last year was postponed due to covid, and this year’s plan was a nail-biter until France opened its borders on June 9th to US citizens. In fact, our worries will not be over until we land in Marseilles. Our flights have been cancelled twice in the past month or two and the costs have doubled. Nonetheless, we remain excited to spend two weeks in such a beautiful and unspoiled part of the world!
This year is extra special since my son Ben and daughter-in-law Leah will be joining us for our second week when we move to a larger accommodation in the quaint town of Lourmarin. We can’t wait to do some exploring with them of the hilltop villages, roman ruins and favorite hiking trails.
I will be packing just a few art supplies, but a sufficient assortment to capture some impressions in watercolor. When I return home, I hope to do some larger abstracts and landscapes inspired by our visit.
The acrylic painting above, entitled “Provence Daydream” was in fact done from memory one day while in class at the Wayne Art Center, far from the Provence I love. My intention was to express the way the French countryside makes me feel, even when I daydream…which is pretty darn wonderful!
If you’d like to follow along, I will be posting some photos on my IG page @iamkathydavis. Would love to have you join me!