Paris:  An artist’s dream to be sure, I have had the good fortune of being able to visit this amazingly art rich city once a decade for the last four decades – overwhelming in it’s architectural beauty, artistic style and cultural richness, she never fails to deliver a healthy dose of inspiration, wonder and sore feet.  The plethora of galleries and museums is truly dizzying and one can only absorb so much in a week no mater how hard one pushes the limit of a museum pass.

Earlier in the week I visited the Museum of Modern Art, Paris; I was left out of breath and awe inspired by the massive Matisse panels on display; so much so I am having a hard time remembering a single other work of art on display there.  Standing under these massive paintings and feeling the shear power and beauty of these iconic cut-outs, is humbling to say the least and to stand under the works of one of idles.  Priceless!

Monday, May 15th

I took my students on another art pilgrimage to walk in the footstep of greatness; the Japanese gardens of the incomparable Claude Monet in Giverny.  The father of impressionism and the quintessential colourist,   Monet’s most famous painting were all inspired here and the location does not disappoint our group one iota.  Colour everywhere but amazingly balanced with an order and design just like his paintings.  The gardens are a live illustration of the artists term “Simultaneous Contrast” such and important characteristic of Monet’s paintings.

Tuesday, May 16th

All fueled up on art and full of inspiration,  some of our students to visit the Palace of Versaille with a smaller group hanging back with me to draw and paint in the streets.  After a beautiful morning painting our small groups heads to the Picasso Museum to soak up yet another Titian of Modern Art.   Having been such a fan of Mattise I can never look at Picasso’s work with-out at least some consideration to there friendship, rivalry and constant dialogue of visual communications.   When Picasso arrived on the scene in Paris, Matisse was already the central figure in the art world and I believe Picasso would never have been Picasso if it was not for Matisse being Matisse.  Matisse as the leader of the Fauve movement and a staunch believer in creative intuition – Picasso on the other hand had a very much the cerebral perception of art…. and yet Picasso was very intuitive in how he worked and Matisse humbly intellectual.   Picasso’s respect and admiration for Matisse as well as Cezanne can be found in the many works of art in his private collection and on the death of Matisse, Picasso went into a period of depression and was quoted as say “there is no one to paint for”.

Wednesday, May 17th

At the turn of the century in Paris there was no greater hangout for artists than that of Montmarte.  On Wednesday we go for a walking tour of this bohemian neighbourhood and soak up the energy of some of the famous artists who once lived here including Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, George Braque and Pablo Picasso. Nothing captures this iconic neighborhood better than the Moulin Rouge.  Here is our group photo in front of the iconic Moulin Rouge.

Thursday, May 18th

Thursday was classic Paris, starting with a walking tour of  Walking Tour of Île de la Cité, Notre Dame, Sainte-Chappelle, the Louvre and for some the Jardin des Tuileries and L’Orangerie.   I visited the l’Orangerie and Georges Pompidou Art Centre before the group arrived so I lead half the group back to George Pompidou while Margot led the troupes though the l’Orangerie for a look at the massive Lilly panels painted for the state in Monet’s later years.

The Centre Pompidou, is one of the most unique buildings, immediately recognizable by its exterior escalators and enormous coloured tubing. The building has been described as being designed inside out with the building infrastructure on the outside leaving the inside as a massive open space hosting the National Museum of Modern Art known for it’s collection of  20th and 21st century paintings.  In addition to its permanent collections, internationally renowned exhibitions are organized every year on the top floor, where visitors can enjoy a breathtaking view of Paris and its rooftops.  The Centre hosts a massive art library, two cinemas, performance space, lecture hall and of course a gift shop.  The building facade in the photo the blue piping is for circulating air, the yellow for electricity, green for water and the red for circulating people via a series of massive escalators and lifts.