ARTIST'S PORTRAIT * CAROL GILLOT

Artist, Francophile and blogger Carol Gillot at work

Even before I first started blogging, I read about Carol Gillot and her charming watercolor paintings on Rita Konig's Domino blog. I have since been an ardent admirer of her work. She sells originals and prints of her work on her blog and in her Etsy shop. She also authors a charming blog that features all sorts of interesting photos and information on French life and culture from her frequent trips to Paris. Her posts are filled with fascinating tidbits of information, all imbued with her affection for the City of Lights. Today, she has taken the time to give us a peek into her own background and life.

Where were you born?
Abbington Hospital in Pennsylvania at 3 AM
What would you take if your house was burning down?
My favorite old black watercolor paintbox (it was my mother's), my favorite brushes and my passport.
Best childhood memory?
Going with the family for ice cream cones every Sunday and going by myself to the 5 &10 in Jenkintown to browse and comparison shop for my dollhouse.

Your favorite book?
"Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
If you could have only 1 last meal, what would you want on the menu?
Burnt marshmallows, popcorn, coffee ice cream, milk shake, caramel macarons from Laduree, a bacon sandwich and an apple.
Do you prefer hot weather or cold?
Cold weather always!
Favorite artists?
Wayne Thiebaud, Delacroix drawings, Steinberg.
Pet peeve?
People rustling candy wrappers in the theater
Favorite travel destination?
Paris of course, then Rio...
Favorite shop?
Fauchon, when it was open in New York- I used to go religiously every Sunday to worship.
Most visited links?
Laduree
What is the best thing about being an artist?
You get to paint 24/7. It's also the worst thing about being an artist - extreme focusing.
Thank you, Carol! Don't forget to visit her blog here.

PAUL OF PARIS

Recently my blogging artist friend, Carol Gillot, wrote another one of her fascinating posts on PAUL, another landmark tea room and boulangerie in Paris. She painted this beautiful watercolor and also included some great photos from her visit there. It was so fun to see her photos and read her take on PAUL, because it is one of the places that stands out in mind from one of my trips. I love to live vicariously through her blog! She introduces me to places I have not yet been, as well as resurrecting many fond memories covering familiar territory.

(photo by Joshua Harwell)
Carol's post reminded me that my brother had taken some photos there, as we sat with our friends enjoying some afternoon refreshments. This little old man captured our attention. He was completely engrossed in a stack of papers haphazardly scrawled with figures and notes. He is one of those unique individuals you see that stick in your mind and make travel such an interesting experience. I imagined that he might be a professor at the nearby Sorbonne??
I love it when I run across someone else, be it on the internet or elsewhere, who shares a similar experience from their unique perspective. Do you enjoy taking photos of interesting people you see during your travels? Has anyone ever confronted you or dodged your camera lens?