landscape – Gary J. Kirkpatrick Art and Travel Blog

In the Saone in Lyon

08/04/202407/04/2024 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Il Barbe is an island in the Saone River. It’s springtime and the river flow is up, overflowing some of the riverside sidewalks.

On the island was the home of a 5th century abbey. It was dismantled during the French revolution. Today there are beautiful stone houses and a magnificent church. See watercolor painting below.

There’s been a bridge to the island since the 17th century. There’s a modern one in place now.

Houses on ile barbe, water color — Houses on Ile Barbe, Lyon, France. This area is private so we had no access. Looks really neat. Photos above show it from the river side

We got there on a local bus. You can get weekly tickets for €22 via the app, which I learned about as we were standing in line to get the paper version, which is €5 more. Once installed and you buy the tickets with your credit card, you simply click on your phone to activate the screen light (you do not have to unlock) and hold it over the scan pad at the metro entrance or inside the bus.

A Magic Summer: Loving Vincent

27/12/202312/10/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Scenes from our boat travels in the beautiful countryside of the Netherlands. Small towns, harbors, rural scenes. Original art for sale.

A Magic Summer on our boat in the Netherlands set to Starry Night by Lianne La Havas from the movie Loving Vincent.

Canal at Kahlenburg

27/12/202308/10/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Kalenberg, Netherlands — Canal at Kahlenberg, 18 x 24 cm 7″ x 9.5″ on Fabriano 300 gr watercolor paper

Another of the gorgeous fairland canals of the Netherlands.

One Lane Canal II

27/12/202310/09/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Rich with charm, Wergea is a tiny village in Friesland, We passed through on our boat Viking via their one lane canal, the only canal in the village. Tranquility, harmony of architecture, bikes on the lanes. In good weather the Netherlands is one of the best places on earth.

One Lane Canal, watercolor painting

27/12/202319/08/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

wergea wc — Wergea, Netherlands 18 x 24 cm 7″ x 9.5″ on Fabriano 300 gr watercolor paper

We passed through this tiny town on this one lane canal in this tiny town in Friesland, rich with charm.

Reeds and a Stork

27/12/202305/08/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Reeds abd a Stork — Reeds and Storks, watercolor, 18 x 24 cm, 7 x 9.5″ on Fabriano 300 gr watercolor paper

We have been mooring in the deep countryside of Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. Reeds, still used for making thatched roofs, line the canals. Among the wildlife are storks, who nest on the tops of trees. Their black tails help make them more visible from a distance. They have even made some special nesting spots for these large birds.

Rhectern Castle

27/12/202328/06/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Rhectern Castle lies on the Overijsselse Vecht River near Dalfsen, Nederleands. It is privately owned, dating from the 12th century. You can not visit the interior and are kept well back. It’s a lovely bike ride from the village.

The Dock at t’Leuken (watercolor)

27/12/202314/05/2023 by Gary Kirkpatrick

Church on the Sambre

05/12/2022 by Gary Kirkpatrick

church on sambre — Church on the Sambre (Belgium) , 24 x 32 cm, 9.5 x 12.5″ watercolor 300 gram paper

Another in the series of paintings from a summer on the canals of Northern France, this ancient church on the Sambre River sits right on the river beneath a tree filled slope.

Castle on the Sambre II

05/12/2022 by Gary Kirkpatrick

castle on Sambre river vers 2 — Castle on the Sambre II, 24 x 32 cm/ 9 1/2 x 12″ watercolors

Aboard our boat Viking we cruised the canals and rivers of Northern France and Belgium. Chateau, forests, hills, water scenes at every turn. I depicted scenes such as this in a style mixing realism, impressionism and expressionism. This is a second version of this gorgeous and charming bit of history on the Sambre.