“River Vienne at Chinon, Loire Valley”
“River Vienne at Chinon, Loire Valley”,
by Robert Leedy, 2003,
watercolor on Arches cold press paper, 13 3/8″ x 19 3/8″
Collection of Mr. Richard Park
Atlantic Beach, Florida
Artist friends Gary Ahrens and Monica Laird visited Vicky and me in Paris during the scorching summer of 2003. To escape the city heat, we took a road trip through the Loire Valley. With painting gear in tow, we visited many of the picturesque villages and chateaux of the area over a course of several days. One memorable stop was the magnificent chateau at Chenonceau where – after a painting session – we hid from the guards on the castle grounds as they were closing up one evening. We had a delicious picnic dinner on the river with wine and laughed at having the whole place to ourselves!
Another great stop was the village at Chinon. If you drink a glass of red house wine in a Parisian cafe or bistro, there’s a 97% chance it’s a tasty Chinon. We stopped by the river and painted under the shade of large trees lining the banks. Monica did a nice drawing of Vicky as she read a book nearby. I was intrigued with the small boats and the colorful reflections in the water. Several Chinonese (?) watched as we painted and I completed most of the painting on the spot.
This painting is a favorite of mine and hung in our bedroom until it was acquired by Elizabeth Copley as a surprise birthday gift for Richard Park.
Oh yeah….Elizabeth asked me to say, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DICKIEBIRD !”
Links:
Photo of Robert painting
About this entry
You’re currently reading ““River Vienne at Chinon, Loire Valley”,” an entry on Robert Leedy Watercolors
- Published:
- August 16, 2003 / 2:33 pm
- Category:
- Americans in Paris, Art, Artists, France, French Heat Wave, Leedy Artwork, Loire Valley, Painters, Painting, Plein Air Painting, Watercolor, Watercolour, Wine
- Tags:
Robert Leedy Watercolors 
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