Bridge over tranquil waters
Today I visited Pont-Aven in Brittany, which is named after the river that runs through it. This is a real haven for artists, and there are many galleries along its idyllic streets. The town is well known for its association with Paul Gauguin, the post-Impressionist painter, as well as artist Émile Bernard and the École de Pont-Aven art movement.
It's a lovely place to stroll around and take in the picturesque buildings and gorgeous river views. I crossed over a bridge that on first viewing appeared to be made of wood, but on closer inspection it was made of concrete and had been made to look like wood. We stood there for a while and watched a cormorant diving amongst the fish, he seemed to be failing to catch anything but finally he triumphantly emerged with an eel in his mouth. The eel was not giving in easily and the cormorant appeared to lose it a couple of times, but after a few minutes of struggling he swallowed it whole. I gave him a little clap for his efforts and the great show he had provided. Though I felt a little sorry for the eel too!
We found a lovely restaurant right next to the river, Le Moulin du Grand Poulguin. Pont-Aven was known for its watermills, this restaurant still has a working water wheel.
We had a fantastic view from the window of the bridge as we ate our lunch, so obviously I got my sketchbook out and made a drawing.
I used a black fine liner pen to draw the view of the bridge, river and trees. The cidre (cider) and the crêpes helped with the drawing process!
I finished off the picture by bleeding the pen with a damp brush and adding a splash of watercolour.
'The Tree Bridge' 2017
