Well here it is August already and before I go on on with my rambling, I wish to thank you for all the wonderful responses I have gotten. I love hearing from you, it makes my work so much easier. To be honest, though, it is not all paradise. There are days of absolute frustration and often loneliness. Some days I think I will run away and join an ashram in India and meditate all day. But then again that might be just as difficult!!

We have had a perfect summer, warm days and cool nights. The hay has been harvested and hints of autumn are already in the air. The seasons change so quickly here it seems.

I have been working on a painting from a cast in the afternoons. It is a Greek copy of the Three Graces. It has been a learning experience. You can see the painting and the model behind it. The form and structure of the cast are those that we are working on with the live model.

In the morning, we have begun a long pose with Magda (our model) and after doing the block in(the initial sketch on canvas), I did a poster study and a rounding study to prepare for the form painting which I will start this week. It is an exquisite pose and I will attempt to apply all the principles that I worked on with the cast.

Sometimes the studio can be very quiet as I mentioned in a previous post, and as we are in the countryside, often flies come and annoy us and the model with their fly-ness.... (I don't know how else to describe it) buzzing around, in general being a nuisance. One day there was a big horse fly being a bother for a half an hour or so. Suddenly we heard a little tiny fly scream eeee! and realised that the resident spider in the upper corner had captured our marauder, and lo! nature took her course and the quiet of the studio returned.

I have also begun studies for a plein air painting. I am enjoying painting outdoors in the quiet by the river. The ducks come and preen themselves and laugh at my fumbling then are on their way as I sit and observe.

I have done a couple of sketches and a poster study. The thing is, I must wait for an overcast day to get consistency. This is the view I would like to attempt to paint. It is one of the old bridges that mark the gates of the village. It is beautiful!

Nantes, a city vivant, we visited the Museum and enjoyed a "city"day.

No one makes crepes like the French!