This week we begin our four weeks in Provence and the pressure mounts for the time to be well spent.

Yesterday we journeyed by bike to Fontaine de Vaucluse where there is still a paper mill, producing paper in the old mill from the late Middle Ages. Whilst this would be the last thing that might be of interest to many, I was enthralled and watched the cotton being pounded to a paste. I then bought some of the hand made paper to try my watercolours out on.

When I got back to the house, I did some practice works, looking out the window at he olive tree growing in the neighbour’s yard. Unhappy with my three studies, I gave up and proceeded to hit the Cinzano Rosso with blood orange juice, just the thing for the jaded artist.

This afternoon we ventured a bit further afield to the hospital at San Remy where Van Gogh took himself to when he was unwell, and which houses the famous room that he painted. Feeling once again inspired, I took up my paints again, but with proper water-colour paper, not the ecofriendly bamboo paper I had bought before I left and voila! a painting to my liking. Paper that absorbs the colour without pushing all the pigment off to the side. I shall now stock up on more decent paper and once I get the feel for this bleak early Spring light I will open up my hand made paper and amaze myself.