MAIRE OF MEZIN

This is a painting of our Maire.
In France the maire wears a "double casquette" (two hats) because he is an agent of l’Etat (the state) as well as being an agent of the commune.
Confused?
So am I.
Best look it up on Wiki if you're really interested.
Anyway, I did the painting from a photograph in the local paper.

PORTRAIT OF A MEZINAIS

This is a hard blog to write because it's a difficult painting to describe. The subject lives at the C.A.T. residence in Mezin, which will explain the situation quite clearly to anyone who knows France well or has lived here. He was very pleased when I took his photo. He stood to attention and smartened up his clothing by smoothing it out, something, I presume, that he's been taught to do. He used to lead a donkey around the nearby lake before he retired.
I hope he'll like his portrain when he sees it on the exhibition.

THE COLLECTOR

This is Andrew.
He's collected paintings for years.
The painting behind him is Ben Hartley's 'Mrs Ali Baba's Whist Drive Hat' which he bought over thirty years ago.
Lynne is not sure about the drips.
"Not sure" is not exactly what she actually said, but, in case children ever read this blog, I've had to use a euphemism.
It's another example of a painting from a photograph, and it will go on show in my forthcoming exhibition - whenever that turns out to be.

P.S. After much badgering, I've now removed some of the drips. But not all of them, because I feel they symbolise the importance of chance - and the controlling of chance - in a painting.

PORTRAIT OF THE VILLAGE ELECTRICIAN

Gilbert Chini looks as if he's from Central Casting. And he acts that way too. He's also the village 'ladies man.' Or he thinks he is.
I was surprised that he quite liked his portrait. Or he said he did. And he's not the type to mask his feelings.
Anyway, my course is set. I intend to have an exhibition of about thirty: "Mezinais - et autres portraits".
When?
Well, I'm not sure, but watch this space.

PORTRAIT OF THE VILLAGE ELECTRICIAN

ANOTHER PORTRAIT FROM A PHOTOGRAPH

Some years ago, Lynne stated unequivocally that she was finished with sitting as my model. 'It's boring and time consuming and the results are never flattering,' she said, 'so find yourself another model. Or other models.'
Fortunately taking a snap is neither boring nor time consuming and I managed to get her to stand still for a few moments while I took her picture.
Then I painted her portrait from the photograph.
And I like the result.

PORTRAIT FROM A PHOTO

This is a portrait of Yvonne.
I painted it from a photo I took several years ago, and am quite pleased with the result.
Had I been able to show it to her, I hope she would have liked it too.