Michael Gage

Ink and watercolour, 26 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Late afternoon; so cold now even the selfie-stick sellers have gone home. Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

Paris: Place de l'Opera. A cold grey afternoon. The busker tailors his songs to the passersby -- Where are you from? OK:

"Take me home, country roads
To the place I belong
Wolverhampton, mountain mamma
Take me home, country roads."

Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

Paris: Au Lapin Agile: the nightclub in Montmartre frequented by Picasso, Modigliani, Apollinaire, and Utrillo. Five years ago, I tried to draw this view, but it was a freezing cold day in the middle of winter, and I had to give up after a few lines. This time round, it's a bit warmer, so I return to exactly the same bench and start again. Ten minutes later, the white van parks in front of the building, and stays there for the rest of the afternoon. I might have to come back again in another five years...


Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

Paris: Square Louise Michel, in front of Sacré-Coeur. There are a lot of steps up the church, so I'll use the excuse of "I have to draw this", and sit on the bench halfway up.



Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

A tiny garden in the shadow of the Abbey of St Germain des Pres. The green stone to the right is a memorial to the 11,000 children deported by the Nazis. In the centre, a portrait bust which looks ugly from the back. From the front, it's even more confusing: it's clearly a woman's head, but the label reads "Guillaume Apollinaire". After I finish the drawing, I go into the church, and find that the bust is a Picasso -- full story here: http://www.theparisblog.com/the-apollinaire-sculpture-that-never-was/



Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

Tip for sketchers: The front (west end) of Notre Dame is far too busy to stand still, let alone sit and draw. But the round the back, it's almost deserted, and -- even more important -- there are plenty of benches.



Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

The statue of Marianne; the base is covered in posters, flags, flowers, and candles in memory of the Paris attacks. A quick sketch, as it's getting late.

Paris: Canal Saint Martin -- but there's no water! They're cleaning it and repairing the locks for the first time in fifteen years, so this is a rare view of the empty canal. See also this article in the Daily Telegraph.



Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm.

At last, some sunshine, so spent the morning in this park carved out of a stone quarry. In the lake, an island linked to the "mainland" by a bridge designed by M. Eiffel, and topped with a Roman temple.

Some of the benches are designed to look like constructions of books, in reference to the area's literary history.


Ink and watercolour, 50 x 21cm. Click to enlarge.

Every few minutes the view is blocked by groups of students entering and leaving; should have chosen my seat more carefully.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

View of Croydon's new purple skyscraper, from Park Hill. Ink and watercolour, 31 x 23cm.

Ink and watercolour, 26 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 26 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Back to the pile of pallets by the motorway that I first drew a few weeks ago.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Lingfield park: Even though it's turned cold and wet again, the daffodils are starting to appear.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Sheds up at the allotments. 13 x 9 cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9 cm.

Ink and watercolour, 13 x 9cm.