Olympics Canoe Slalom
I have been following the Olympics canoe competition over the last days, and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. As well as a sportswoman as as an artist. That sport has all to excite all my senses and lust for adventure. It has loads of water spinning and jumping around, and the speed, moves and turns just look fabulous. The result being that I could spend the rest of my life painting it! And if I was younger, I would probably start slalom canoe myself. What a pity I have not known about it earlier in my life!
The painting above features the C1 canoe slalom gold medal, the French Tony Estanguet. I was told by my proud parents that Tony was born in Pau, a town in the French Pyrenees, 30 kilometres away from Tarbes, the town where I was born. And that he of course trains in the Pyrenean wild waters! Hard to believe that it was the first time these days that I saw images from this sport. My God, how much more am I missing in my life!
The Olympics make me realise once more how wonderful sport is, and that I would have loved to dedicate my life to it. Of course, I practised myself many sports, and still do quite intensely, but somehow, I have the feeling I had more within me than that. Oh well, I can at least render homage to the professional sport with my art…
I just finished this one, featuring the GB silver medal couple in the C2 canoe slalom competition. The GB team won the gold medal as well, and of course, it was delirious in the house here! I am not sure though that David Florence and Richard Hounslow will recognise themselves on that painting if they ever come to see it, but it was not really my intention. It is not meant as a realistic portrait, but as an impression of these two guys having that fantastic run and giving us so much pleasure and pride!
I did some more artworks from the Olympics canoe slalom competitions, and if I was listening to my impulsions, I would not stop ever gain to paint that sport. But it is enough now, there are so many other sports to come in the Olympics, and I want to try to feature as many as possible, at least a little bit. A tough job though, difficult to keep up with all these athletes!
These Olympics Canoe Slalom artworks are currently available as Giclee prints in many dimensions, on paper and canvas, as well as greeting cards. Just click one of the two paintings above to access my shop online.