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The Artist’s Garden at Vetheuil – Claude Monet
The latest project and the largest copy I’ve attempted is Claude Monet’s “The Artist’s Garden at Vetheuil.” This very popular painting seems to hang in every young girls bedroom, according to the buzz of the visitors at the National Gallery of Art. I remember when my daughter went off to college she decorated her bedroom with Monet posters. The attraction of Monet’s art seems to be the varied palette he used to describe light and shadows and its effect on objects. Everyone loves Monet!
Monet planted gardens wherever he lived. He described objects with the colors that surrounded and were reflected from an object but by the time he created this painting in 1880, the painted surface was more important than capturing a spontaneous effect of light and atmosphere.
This painting shows his young son with his toy wagon very spontaneously described as are other members of his family on the steps leading to the house. Monet could create a 60″x 48″ painting in just a few hours in order to capture the days long shadows often leaving the viewer wondering what the object actually is or is that really a person on the steps that lead to the house?
My copy is not yet complete. I am still working on details and color adjustment so I plan to be in Gallery 85 for a few more Tuesdays. Stop by and say hello.
Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son
Tuesday, April 8, 2014, was the fifth day of copying Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son. I love the atmosphere in the Impressionist Galleries. Everyone has been searching for spring this year and we just haven’t been able to find it. However, in the Impressionist Galleries, it’s always spring and I love being there! Visitors are happy and the mood is grand. I can feel electricity in the air when folks enter the galleries to view the magnificent works of Monet, Renior, Cezanne, VanGogh, Picasso, etc. Color explodes inside these rooms and I enjoy every minute I’m there. This is my second copy of Woman with a Parasol. It was so much fun copying it the first time that I decided to produce a second copy, and try to make it even more perfect. But mostly I am simply excited at being in that room.
Monet favored painting landscapes – a subject that was attuned to outdoor painting. Impressionism evolved in the late 1860’s from a desire to create full-scale, multi-figure depictions of ordinary people in casual outdoor situations. It is believed that Claude Monet painted Woman with a Parasol in just 4 hours, very spontaneously as is evident particularly in the clouds and conveyed by a repertory of animated brushstrokes of vibrant color. Bright sunlight shines from behind Madame Monet making her appear in silhouette while color reflections from the wildflowers below touch her front with yellow.
This is the perfect time to visit the National Gallery of Art. The cherry blossoms will be in full bloom within days and spring has decided to finally pay us a visit bringing an abundance of color inside and out. I’m in gallery 85 every Tuesday. Come by and say hello!
New Copy – “Woman with a Parasol”
On Tuesday, March 12th I began a new copy, Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son by Claude Monet 1875. Landscape painting was a subject that Monet favored. His skill as a figure painter is equally evident. Monet delieneated the features of his sitters as freely as their surroundings. He painted in a very spontaneous manner, outdoors, and probably in a single session with the intention to convey the feeling of a casual family outing rather than a formal portrait. It is believed that he painted this masterpiece in about four hours. The brevity of the moment portrayed is conveyed by a repertory of animated brushstrokes of vibrant color with the clouds being the most difficult to replicate because of the freedom and spontaneity of the brushstrokes and his style. I often wonder what Monet was thinking as he painted Woman with a Parasol. In this case I think that Madame Monet is saying, “Claude, hurry it up, its windy up here.”
Woman with a Parasol is one of Monet’s most popular works and attracts a great deal of visitors to the National Gallery of Art. I enjoy the opportunity to be able to speak and discuss this masterpiece with the public.
Girl with a Watering Can
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was one of the most beloved and talented of the Impressionist artists. His works, especially in his early period, are noted for their soft edges and brilliant colors. On Tuesday, November 13, I will complete my first Renoir copy. The Girl With a Watering Can depicts a young girl, dressed in brilliant blue, and clutching her watering can while in the garden. This painting draws a crowd every day. Young and old, her pleasant smile captivates them all and ranks as one of Renoir’s true masterpieces. Interest in the copy has been high with several people stating they would like a Renoir in their home.
The copy is 36″ by 26″ available for sale, certified as an authentic copy of the original brilliant masterpiece at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Painting the copy has been a joy. I can’t count the number of photos that have been taken while working on this icon in Renoir’s life. The young girls smile is so sweet you want to hug the painting. Several people have remarked they look at the painting and get the feeling they would like to jump into the painting so they could walk with this beautiful young lady. Interested? Contact me at sgadra@me.com.
The Dance Lesson – Edgar Degas
A gallery with images showing this copy’s progress.
Sonia Gadra 
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