Blois Skyline 16×20″ oil on linen panel

This au plain air oil painting of Blois, France features the iconic bridge with the St Louis Cathedral in the background. A wonderful old Frenchman kept repeating, “oblique, oblique!” It took me a minute to figure out he was talking about the obelisk at the top of the bridge, which I had not yet added. But I was racing to capture the golden hour sun. Timing is everything. I only had a few minutes to put the lights in, which make all the difference. I added the obelisk as well, so the man could sleep at night.

Blois is a friendly, bustling French town, filled with charming street-scapes like this, dotted with grand castles and chateaus, rich in history. Cate and I stayed in an apartment at the foot of the St Louis Cathedral, in an apartment likely lived in by Jews of the 15th century when it was built. There is something to dwelling in historically significant places of the world that is indescribable. I only hope my painting captures a piece of the awe we experienced in Blois.