French Village Stones

As I paint, I think..........................

The swoosh of the hairs on the paintbrush touching the wood, depositing color, give me time. Time is so precious and we usually don't seem to have enough of it. When you are giving your all to a project which needs many hours for completion, you can let go of all the other things for a while and, if alone in a room just brushing and smoothing, you really have time to think.


Yesterday I thought about October in France. While painting in soft French grey I relived the pleasant daily walks around the village. I recalled the ancient stones of the village walls.

How do stones support an arch? During the afternoons the small streets and lanes were silent as people rested following lunch.


The elementary school stood across the lane from my family's house ~ the stones were cut from huge blocks.

Soft blue, a shade of green almost aqua, misty washed grey................the colors of the shutters

The grey cobblestones worn smooth by footsteps since the 9th century.

The inclines, almost hills, climbing up toward the ancient village walls.


I wonder what I'll think about as I brush on more paint today?

All images taken in Caunes-Minervois ~ October 2008.