THIS IS ROBIN

He likes walking, collecting and selling antiques. His wife is an excellent cook. He's been walking in England recently. All over the place, but mostly down the Thames valley.
He's walking to Compostella next week. Thursday 9 September 2010.
We're going with him. Our plan is to walk as far a the Pyrenees this year. Then we'll think about the following stages. Hope we make it.

MÉDECIN MÉZINAIS

There are several doctors in Mézin.
This is one of them.

THIS IS ALAN

Alan is a keen fisherman and hunter.
He's known by everyone in the village because you see him everywhere.
He must spend a fortune in shoes.

LOOK AT THE BIRDIE AND I'LL PAINT YOUR PORTRAIT

Just to emphasise that I do portrait paintings from photographs, I've just done this self portrait with camera.
Lynne thinks the camera is the best part, but I hope it gets the message across.
If you have any suggestions/comments, please email me at:
ray@johnstonesinfrance.com
Then click on the email address at the bottom of the page.

BAR DU COMMERCE

Bernard runs the Bar du Commerce. He's built the business up from almost nothing to be a thriving business with entertainment on several nights during the week. It's a great place for a coffee or a drink.
Crowds of people go there on a Sunday morning for aperos when the produce market is on in Mézin.
See you there next Sunday.

RUGBY - PETANQUE - CATTLE BREEDER

Even in this medieval village in La France Profonde, everyone has a mobile phone (except me).
This is Laurent, talking on the phone. He's a breeder of Blonde d'Aquitaine, cattle, those wonderful looking cows that look as if they've just come out of a car wash.

PORTRAIT OF ZIZI

This is Zizi, who was one of nine children born in a tiny house called l'Octroi in Mézin almost eighty years ago. It was a toll post at one of the arches into the village.
When he applies himself, he's a very good petanque player.
Where he got his nickname from I have no idea, because it is very ambiguous in French.
Maybe he was good at other things too.

HEAD OF TOURISM - MEZIN

This is a portrait of our President of the Office de Tourisme in Mézin.
Lynne says he may not like the painting, but I feel that it's one of the best I've done.
I intend to include it in my forthcoming exhibition, so that's when we'll find out who's right, I suppose.

SUE

Andrew and Sue are our our neighbours in Mezin.
They have collected paintings for years.
I've already painted Andrew.
Now it's Sue's turn.
They're away on holiday in Spain at the moment.
Let's hope they like the painting when they get back.

PORTRAIT OF BOB

The car in the background is the clue.
Bob loves old, mechanical things - especially the deux-chevaux.
Debby commissioned the portrait (of Bob, not the car).
I added the 2CV because of his passion.
Neither of them has seen to painting yet.
Hope they like it.