Some were taking advantage of the tourist souvenir trade to do a portrait. (This subject looks as though she was forced to sit there by her mother!)
Others had their own interpretations of Parisian views.
You could buy...
...you could look.
Competition to be an artist in this small square just a few metres from Sacre Coeur is stiff. Only a few types of art are allowed -- painting, portraites, caricature and silhouette. Artists alternate days in their stalls, sharing a small space of about three square feet.
It is said that the waiting list to be artist on Place du Tertre is ten years long!
I don't think I'll ever be ready for Place du Tertre, but I will certainly admit that Paris makes a delightful subject for any artist -- including me. Below, a bit of a gallery. This was the view from my friend Jerry's bedroom window where we stayed on our first two visits.
A night at the cafe? Oh, that was a good evening!
One of my favorite attractions? The bouquinistes!
Or, take a break in the park. You'll certainly find a vendor in the Tuileries or Jardin du Luxembourg from whom to rent a boat.
Walking by the Seine is always a treat. (This needs to be reworked.)
And the night -- so beautiful and romantic.
The hills of Montmartre and the striking view of Sacre Coeur always make the heart beat a bit faster!
And while in Montmartre, a building that seems to be in every photographer's collection, including mine.
One can't forget the inspiration of the Eiffel Tower.
I've painted it many times, from many angles.
I'm quite sure I will do it again.
And again.
And finally, Notre Dame. I can't seem to get this right.
The sketch was better than the painting. (Although I do like my trees.)
But I try, a different angle. (I won't even show you the painting from that one!)
Ah well. Even if I was good enough, I probably wouldn't outlive the waiting list and the work visa.
But it's fun to imagine!
This post is part of Paris in July, a blog event hosted by Tamara at Thyme for Tea in which bloggers share Paris-related travel, art, books, films, photography and more. Check out current posts HERE.
Sharing with: Paris in July / Life with Linda Share Your Creativity / Let's Keep in Touch / Pink Saturday
54 comments:
Happy memories of several visits to Paris, my favourite is probably walking along the banks of the Seine in January, holding street vendor, hot roasted chestnuts in my mittened hands. I remember, fondly, strolling among the street artists too. Succumbed and bought a graphic design poster of the highlights of the City, in red and black. I love your paintings, two or three in particular stand out, of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.
Deb in Wales
I like your paintings, Jeanie!
I am not surprised artists wait years to be able to paint there. It seems an ideal place for the modern artist.
Thanks for taking me to Paris today. 😊
Nothing wrong with being a tourist on your first visit some place as fascinating as Paris. Looks like you're enjoying your walk down Memory Lane. Artwork, as always, so energetic and colorful, so like your personality.
Your paintings are charming. Thank you for reminding me how wonderful Paris is!
I am probably the only person in the world NOT in love with Paris! But I am in love with your paintings of her! Exquisite paintings, dear Jeanie. I love your "hand".
Hello, Jeanie
Your art work and views of Paris are beautiful. You are very talented.
I have never been to Paris, only through your eyes and beautiful post.
It is a beautiful city. Have a happy weekend!
Tour Eiffel - how majestic, both in reality and in paintings!!
Don't you sign your sketches and paintings , Jeanie?!
C’est belle.
The only bad day I ever had in Paris was when I was 8. My parents had dragged us there over a Thanksgiving break, and it was cold and rainy, and I'm pretty sure we walked to practically every single landmark listed in Fodor's. At least I remember counting every step between monuments. Not an indoor swimming pool or an English-language bookstore to be found anywhere.
Since then, my experiences have much improved, and your pictures here bring back so many happy memories. Once again, I'm really enjoying your use of line/perspective, especially in the pictures of the Eiffel tower and the neighborhood around Montmartre. Also, it's a small detail, but those orange windows in the picture of the Eiffel tower make me very very happy.
Lovely!
It may be touristy but I loved every moment there. Seeing this just makes me want to go back all the more.
Beautiful pictures and paintings ~ Lovely theme. I've never been but we were able to afford to send both my daughters through school programs so I'm thankful. I would love the cafe's and the bookstores and the artist booths like you :) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Fun paintings of Paris, nice memories for you. Have a great weekend, Valerie
Your post makes me nostalgic for Paris. Beautiful captures of the city.
These are all so lovely. It is hard to pick a favorite ;-)
It would be difficult to walk away from all those artists and not buy some pieces.
Oh Paris, how I love thee! Your paintings are certainly worthy of a spot by the Seine, Jeanie. The Tour Eiffel is wonderful. I so hope to return one day!
Your pictures have a very Parisian flair, Jeanie. I think that an artistic, uniquely French DNA has merged with your own and the results are there for all to see. Now you need to take a selfie wearing a beret at a jaunty angle, smoking a Gitane. And of course you need to learn to curse and spit! I was about to suggest the Can-Can, but I can't imagine you doing the splits, I may have already mentioned this but I have a terrific book, "Moulin Rouge" covering the life and times of Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. If only you were able to read French I would donate it to you.
You are very talented, these pictures are gorgeous! I especially like the one of the Eiffel Tower in purple. My middle daughter took her 9 year old daughter there a couple years ago and they brought sketch pads and watercolors and they sat on the grass and painted the Eiffel Tower! Amazing adventures!
I'm loving how you took us to Paris via art and artists this week. I love it all, especially the beauties you created yourself. Simply amazing. What beauties you have shared with us this week. I'm loving this view of Paris every July, and I can tell you do, too.
Poor girl, that! ;-)
Boy, ten years! You must be not only very good, but very patient then (and rich?).
If you´d had applied I would buy... the sailing-boats for sure! And... ohhh... ohhh. I´d even fall for the tower - again! In pink, please, or... purple, rather.
Oh, you should have, you´re so talented!!!
This took me back to my last visit to Paris and you suggested I visited the amazing Leonardo Da Vinci ateliers exhibition! Do you remember? Fabulous collection of Paris paintings, are some of these lockdown paintings? Jerry has a lovely place!
Wren x
Jeanie, I love this post and love, love your paintings. I am sure one would have to visit this amazing city many times to truly take it all in.
Thank you for sharing your memories and your work. Have a wonderful day.
You are REALLLY good Jeanie! I suck at city architecture..I hope that word conveys what I am trying to say.Place du Tertre was a fave spot for me..when we went Paris was on high security and camouflaged machine gun armed soldiers were everywhere there ..it was not the year to go lol..
Never knew it took 10 yrs..I loved watching the artists..
Love your paintings and I love thinking of you there . . .
And your joy . . ,
When we least expect . . . I would put your name on the ten year list.
I have my favorites . . .
The view from your friends apartment . . .
Nighttime . . .
Eiffel Tower
More than one view
cottage
painting
bliss
and I imagine no mask
I miss seeing your pretty face
with eyes that smile
I disagree Jeanie. You have created some wonderful Paris pieces. Especially the Tour D'Eiffel. That one is amazing. And for being touristy, it's ok to do that if it's not the only thing you do. At least that's what I tell myself. Hugs-Erika
art and Paris - the 2 always seem to go together - lovely art you're making - have a beautiful week!
Thanks Jeanie for coming to my blog. I haven’t visited blogs in months, and yours is the first one, so my comment maybe long.
Your paintings are better than some I saw on Place du Tertre, you should be proud. I had forgotten about the theme Paris in July. A while back I did try to link to it because in July I always write either about our Tour de France or our Fête Nationale plus since I am from Paris I often refer to it during the year, but apart from you and maybe another, no one came to read my posts from the link, so I gave up. I think the interest is on the American’s view of Paris, of the well-known monuments and glamourous sights rather than reading from some French person whose home town is Paris and talks about it in a non-touristy fashion – it’s just home.
As a child my mother and I used to walk up to the Sacré-Coeur et la Place du Tertre and there were few tourists. But times changed. However, la Place du Tertre is currently like back in the days - because of the novel coronavirus there are few tourists there (just 5% and most are French from the Provinces or other Europeans.) Since the EU has banned Americans to enter Europe unless the cases here go down (and they are going up) they won’t be allowed to enter for a while. The Parisians are pleased to have no tourist for a change, but businesses are not happy and are losing a lot of revenue. I was reading on France Inter today that usually up to 300 artists are working on the place but because many are over 65, few artists are showing up now. Those who are there say they are lucky if they sell one portrait per day. The surprise – Parisians themselves are going there to have a cartoon or portrait done – they marvel that it has been years since they could approach the place. Another headline said that the “Parisiens sont contents et les commerçants inquiets.” (Parisians are happy and business worried.)
I was supposed to travel to France in September to visit my family but I live in the US so I can’t go back either (unless for an emergency.) I would have liked to go back to our neighbourhood empty of mass tourism,. Now that Notre Dame cannot be visited le Sacré-CÅ“ur was the biggest draw with 10 million visitors. Nowadays one can hardly hear a foreign language there. Still I am pleased that so many people like my hometown.
What beautiful memories from your trips. I love you are painting those memories and creating art. I do love Montmartre, I remember that street and our walks there. What a fabulous view from your window, how special that must have been. I do love window views with rooftops and balconies. Great post Jeanie!
GREAT art work. I love art, I love seeing others art....art is amazing.
You did an amazing job on the lavender Eiffel Tower. All the paintings are good, but that one really stands out.
Wouldn't it be lovely to be an artist that worked in the Place du Tertre?
Thanks for sharing.
What fun and I am so glad you are able to ply your talents even if you aren't always completely happy with the outcome. Others love it-and only you see your flaws.
Happy painting! xo Diana
Thanks Jeanie for this art tour, both of the artists in Paris and your own creations. And my favorite was that lavender Eiffel Tower, although the others were lovely as well, that one was my favorite!
Also, I hope that you are feeling better after sharing your frustrations in the previous post, Jeanie, You are not alone and I didn't realize that you and Rick were also social distancing when together which must also be hard but at least you are together and that is better than being alone separately.
Gosh I wish I could paint!
Your paintings are wonderful Jeanie, a joy to see :)
Wishing you a good week ahead.
All the best Jan
So many of the places you mentioned I have such fond memories. Jeanie, I love your paintings of Paris, oh how I wish I could paint! Thank you for sharing your many talents with us!
Lovely painting Jeanie. Definitely brings back precious memories of our travels. I want to return one day and visit Provence. I remember seeing the artists along the Seine. Stay safe. Xo
My Parents lived in France when we were Young, I remember some of it, but I was very Young and probably didn't appreciate it as much as I would now. I do remember the Algerian Peddlers going door to door and they always thought my Bohemian Mom was quite stunning and wanted to take her to the Casbah! *LOL* I remember the French Gypsies, who Mom interacted with since she is part Didi Kai herself... and there is a camaraderie in the things not always understood by everyone not of the Culture, or even Feared and maligned. Mom Loved France the Country more than any other Country we ever traveled to, tho' sometimes the French themselves were not always hospitable to visitors/foreigners. Some Countries have more of a Gift of Hospitality than others, traveling extensively you find out which ones are more Welcoming to Guests and are best Hosts. *LOL*
What wonderful art, and I agree that girl did not want to be sitting there. Janice
Thank you for the brief artistic trip to Paris, Jeanie! What a treat! I wouldn't doubt your ability to make it into one of those stalls - your paintings are amazing!
I was in Paris exactly once, unexpectedly, when I was just 17 and on a sort of detour for three days, part of a bunch of unchaperoned exchange students on our way back from the countries we'd been living in for the summer.
We were housed in a school and wandered around the city not knowing quite what to do. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre were closed temporarily, but we did visit Montmarte, and other than the bread and café au lait that was our fabulous breakfast, it is my main memory. Thank you for the prompt!
Touristy or not, I think these areas do give a hint of what is typical of a country. Lovely pictures and paintings. They all look very French.
What beautiful artwork!! I haven't been to Paris in years and year and your art work brought me right back there.
Jeanie! These paintings are gorgeous! If you had a stall I would definitely stop and chat and peruse. I would love to wander through her, touristy or not. I mean, real Parisians are painting so.. (I am shrugging here)
Thank you for sharing!
This brings back such happy memories of my trips to Paris as I have seen all of these vistas! I went to Sacre Couer on my first trip to Paris didn’t explore the Mont Martre area until my last visit to Paris in 2013. I did a walking tour and it was so interesting. Walking tours are my favorite way to visit different parts of the city. I learn way more than I could on my own! I think all of these paintings are fantastic but of course I have a soft spot for the Eiffel Tower ones!!
Oh, Jeanie, I have never been to Paris and most likely never will but your paintings show the quaintness and the beauty of it. To be able to sit and sketch a favorite sight, as you can, would be my ultimate goal. I especially love the views of the Eiffel Tower through the trees. You may not think they are all perfect, but to me they seem to be and I love how they let me know Paris..Stay well..xxoJudy
Your pictures are so lively and colourful, they do give a real impression of a place. I'm sure you could find a place among the other artists!
On our first visit to Paris we also had our portraits sketched in Montmartre. The artists must have been beginners as they looked nothing like us, lol, but we still have them.
Your paintings are so beautiful Jeanie, what great memories.
Beautiful paintings, Jeanie! Your photos and Paris posts are sorely nostalgic. I wonder when we would be able to travel to Paris again, without worries and safety concerns, just like the good old days.
This post makes me heart sick to return to Paris. Love your paintings too. My favorites will always be the Eiffel Tower, but also those little boats. The view from the bedroom window almost reminds me of the view from our hotel window. And the evening street cafe reminds me of near where we stay. So wonderful!
Jeanie, I love your Paris Gallery! Thanks so much for sharing your work.
Ah, your paintings are so fresh and just made me smile. The most important thing about painting is it's the artist's impression. Loved the pink Eiffel tower. I enjoyed all the photos and your paintings very much...! Sandi
I would love to being hanging around in Montmartre looking at all the artists at work. I agree that the young girl posing doesn't seem to be doing it willingly!
I have no artistic talent whatsover so I am super impressed by anyone like you that has plenty of talent!
I love your paintings, Jeanie!! I know not all of them work; I have that when I finally do sit down to draw. I haven't drawn in so long (usually) that I have to retrain my hand all over again. Lol! I was sitting here studying the blues in the water and the reflections... I don't think I'll ever get that without having a real class.
Happy painting and its fun reading your Paris in July series again,
Hugs,
Barb :)
I enjoyed your sketches, Jeanie! LOve Paris, as you know!
Do you think we will ever be able to go back?
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