Saturday, January 23, 2010

Islands


Piana, Southern Corsica, France
Watercolour 6 x 12


I have been meaning to do a little sketch of a view in Corsica this month through The Virtual Paintout, but haven't had much time lately.  I've wandered around the island and it has many similarities to Newfoundland in terms of topography - well just not the weather perhaps.  Islands tend to be rocky outcrops with links to the sea and land for income. Corsica has the benefit of warm weather for citrus and olive crops and the fame of being Napoleon Bonaparte's place of birth to aid tourism.

To those who don't live on an island, island life seems idyllic and in some ways it is.  In other ways it is problematic with services not as easily accessible as on a mainland.   The isolation of an island creates unique cultures in the arts, whether visual, music, literary or theatre.  Islands usually have flourishing artistic communities and tend to be welcoming places to those who want to become involved.

I wandered through parts of Corsica and found this vantage point overlooking the Mediterranean.  The rocky outcrops of cliffs and the sea stretching out to the clouds on the horizon remind me that all islands are connected to each other no matter where they are.

5 comments:

Gary said...

A truly stunning piece Jeanette. You have such a masterful ability with watercolor - and I feel that I always learn something new as I stare at your work. My family lived in Bermuda for 4 years (I would spend summers and holidays there, as I was in college). The people there called it (lovingly) as the rock. The whole island had its own sense of time - and services, everyone knew when certain shipments would arrive and make due in between times, etc. Great memories.

Jeanette Jobson said...

Gary, islands do have a kind of magic to them. Being isolated from the rest of the world makes it so. Its not quite the same now that the world is at everyone's doorstep virtually and only a plane ride away.

Its funny that Bermunda was called 'the rock' because Newfoundland is also called that too. What else can you call a chunk of ancient stone in the middle of an ocean?

Peggy Montano & Paintings said...

Jeanette, lovely painting. I so like your watercolor paintings.
I hope to join in next month for the VPO.

Carol Bonomo said...

So true, these comments. You have a wonderful way with watercolor. I enjoyed your take on Corsica tremendously.

Murilo S Romeiro said...

I loved your watercolours,
congratulations!
:o)