Le Select, a Contemporary Realsim oil painting of Paris -

 

Le Select -

80x80 cm -

oil on canvas

Le Select is one of the historical literary cafés in Paris. It haunts my paintings.  I've painted the elaborate neon sign, those lovely neons which are quickly disappearing. I've painted the terrasse, the garçons during the day, the interior, and a wide night scene of boulevard Montparnasse where Le Select is on one corner. This composition reflects another Parisian cafe scene I did while living in New York five years ago. The Cafe Flore.

Happy New Year

 

- Café à La Tasse -

-100x100-

-oil on canvas-

2015 is the year of the 8.  Balance is in order.

Infinity.

May the year bring you beauty, joy, great paintings, writing, love, and fun.

Bring on the coffee!

Merry Christmas

 

 -Demi Apéro -

 - 80x80cm  - oil on canvas -

Have a Merry Christmas.  I hope you get what you desired.  

Les Gars Dumas 4

 

- Les Gars Dumas -

-120x40cm-

oil on canvas

Four paintings, two dyptichs or a series.

Les Gars Dumas 3

 

-Les Gars Dumas 3 -

-120x40cm-

oil on canvas

Les Gars Dumas 2

 

- Les Gars Dumas -

-120x40cm-

oil on canvas

Les Gars Dumas 1

 - Les Gars Dumas -

120x40cm

oil on canvas

Nearly thirty years ago I saw Manet's Fifer and knew I wanted to paint like that.  Last week I finished four paintings like that.  Here is the first of the Gars Dumas from the hip cafe Dumas in place Contrescarpe, Latin Quarter, Paris.

Another Parisian Cafe Painting -

La Terrasse Saint Jacques

- 80x80cm-

oil on canvas

This canvas is definitely among my favorites from the Parisian cafe series.  This cafe is also one of my favorites even if they serve bitter Cafe Richard.  Since moving to Paris and finding cafe life and discovering of Ivory Black pigment, I've painted several cafe scenes.  There is not much Ivory Black in this, more Titaninium white.  Extra fine.

I like this painting of mine because it blends a contemporary approach with an intemporal subject and it doesn't look like New Impressionism.  I hate new impressionism.  What is it anyway?  Most I've seen is a bad rehash of Impressionist paintings.  If you know of a good New Impressionist painter please tell me.

When I was in art school at the Maryland Institute College of Art, same school Jeff Koons attended, I learned to paint white on white.  It didn't make sense to me. But Jeff Koon's art doesn't either. Now I know why white on white is worth it.  A photo on the web does not show you what I'm talking about.  You'll just have to come see it in person.

This will be available in my upcoming show in Saint Germain-des-Près.  

Eat your heart out.

Cafe de Paris, original oil painting of a Parisian cafe

- Cafe de Paris

120x120 cm, oil on canvas

Behind the glass block is a pink neon that backlights everything.

#Contest - Title this painting -

Waiting for your title

120x120 cm oil on canvas -

Contest:

-title this painting-

-all of the characters in the painting are using a cellphone -

prize: 

-hand drawn postcard of Parisian Cafe scene-

Rules:

• Contest open until 10pm Paris time tonight, that gives you 11 hours
• Suggest a title for this painting directly on my Facebook page here : AngieBrooksby
• only one title per comment
• Please note that the suggested title MUST contain the word rosé, like in rosé wine.  What title would you want it to have if it was hanging in your living room? 
• you can enter more than one title but in a separate comment
• The title with the most likes in 11 hours wins a hand drawn postcard black ink on archival paper 
• Winner chooses one of the available postcards (up to this date: 20 nov. 2014) posted on my blog. 
• In case of a tie, I will chose my favorite title. But you still get to choose the card you like.
• Best way to win is ask your friends to like your comment.
• Postcard sent to the address of winner's choice anywhere in the world within 10 days.
• The last card was sent to Massachusetts, USA

Mon Gars

 

Mon Gars-

oil on canvas 80x80cm -

The French troncate words when speaking. Gars is garçon.  No idea why the s is necessary. The title is a play on words because if you called the waiter 'mon gars' he might throw coffee in your face, especially at a Parisian café.  It's too intimate, unlesss he is your beau. 

This painting is for sale through Carré d'Artistes internet exhibition that starts today. 

 Carré d'Artistes has more than 25 galeries worldwide and works with over 600 artists.  That's some heavy competition.

I'm proud to be among them and absolutely delighted that they have honored me with an exhibit on their website.

If you're an artist and considering working with them, don't hesitate applying. They are one of the best galleries I've ever associated with in my 28 year career of painting.  Everyone who works there is kind, they are open to listening.  Every gallery of theirs that I have walked into is hosted by a kind and receptive person, ready to talk to artists.  Every artist that I've spoken with who works with them is satisfied and has only good things to say.  Enough of my brown nosing.

Wondering which café in Paris I took the image from?  Terrasse Saint Medard. 

4 postcard of Paris - wine at La Terrasse Saint Jacques

4 Wine at La Terrasse Saint Jacques -

pen and ink and black guache on archival paper -

12x16cm -

• for sale, euro 20 (twenty euro)
• posted worldwide to the address of your choice.

• To purchase: please email  Angie at tuscanartist @ yahoo.it 
• mention: postcard number 4 La Terrasse Saint Jacques -
• paypal accepted
• check accepted only if are already on my client list

Contest - choose the title for this painting - win a hand drawn post card

100x100 cm oil on canvas...

Win a hand drawn postcard - pen and ink - of  a Parisian cafe scene.

I will send the winner the postcard anywhere in the world.  

The postcard will be black ink on white archival paper and it will be an original one of a kind, signed, of course.  The details of the cafe (location, name of cafe, date I drew it and anything else that strikes my fancy) will be written on the back of the card.

How to play this contest:  

Post your titles either on my facebook page - Angie Brooksby Facebook  

or here in the comments of this blog. I will post the comments on the blog onto my facebook page.

Comments will be accepted until midnight friday October 3rd (paris time).

The title that has the most likes on my Facebook page will be the winner for the post card.  Votes and likes are accepted until wednesday October 8th.   Voting (likes) for contest closes October 8th at midnight. (Paris time.)

Another Parisian Cafe Painting

 

120x120 cm (sketch stage) --

This is my 101th painting in 2014.  Eighty-eight were small formats and thirteen large.  Before I was working for Carré d'Artistes I'd spend a month on a painting this size, now this size flows out in a week.

The waiter is delivering a bottle of rose to the table in the sunshine.  Nothing new about that but everyone in the painting is fiddling with a mobile phone.

vote your favorite title for the finished painting -

 

Choose from your suggested titles: the poll is on my blog - top left.  

Help me choose a title for this painting

Parisan Cafe oil painting - 120x120 cm (48x48inches) -oil on canvas -

 Any idea what title this painting should carry?  As you can see it is not finished.

L'Heure de l'Apero

l'Heure de l'Apero

Huile sur toile
60x60 cm

This is a view from Boulevard Montparnasse at the Select.   I'm sure the waiter would recognize himself.
This painting will be for sale at the Grand Marché d'Art Contemporain at the Bastille in Paris from 1-5 May stand 102

Fresh Pressed Juice

 

Jus Pressé

70x50cm oil on canvas

I tried to change my style and paint on white canvas but it just doesn't suit me.  So this painting is a mixture  of smearing, veiling and alla prima.  Someone told me that the shirt of the man is too evident.  That is exactly my intent. I'm pretty happy.  

The cafe is on the corner of rue Saint Placide and rue de Cherche Midi in the 6th.  I have to go by and thank the owner for letting me photograph them at work.  Surely the waiter will recognize himself.  

The same person who commented on the shirt also said that the eyes of the waiter should have looked direclty at the viewer.  But that doesn't work in this kind of painting.  The figures if front-on must blend, therefore the waiter's eyes are less evident than the white shirt.

This is part of the new series that will hang in my stand n 102 at the GMAC Bastille from 1-4 May

I love Paris!