Watercolour challenge

I am linking up to Tahdah Tuesday with the lovely Lakota!

I have talked about going to France but haven't posted photos yet - it always takes me so long to select, upload and rotate photos, that I always put it off for a couple of days, doing a bit at a time! Anyway, one family holiday activity that CBC's family have introduced me to is 'Watercolour challenge'.  The family went to France (Avignon maybe?) when CBC was little and they went into a French supermarket and bought a couple of sets of kiddie-water colours (you know, nothing special or swanky) and then the kids and J (Mum) found a picturesque spot to sit and they all painted the view.  Then, they got WOMOTM to judge which was the best one (sadly, CBC lost, despite having a charming, very good painting due to the fact he developed a penchant for the pink paint and painted several pink cars into the scene).

Fastforward 20 years or so to rural idyllic location in central France and we had Watercolour challenge with grownup CBC, Monkeygirl, J and respective other halves (me and S) painting the house or garden.


It was late afternoon on the Wednesday, pre-excursion to the Monsegur night market.  We each took our kiddie watercolour set and piece of art paper, lovingly purchased in the Carrefour supermarket and took a space in the garden.

It was a decidedly peaceful afternoon and as we sat there, trying to make muted earthly shades from the lurid pallette of colours by muddying them with black, the wind rustled the leaves on the tree, the hummingbird hawk moths buzzed around contentedly, the sun cast a glow over endeavours and all was right with the world.

It was only when we realised that we'd have to get to the nightmarket sharpish that finally the artists laid down their weapons and compared paintings.

(Clockwise from top-left:  CBC, J, S, MG)

 (and K)

(since I forgot to get a shot of me painting, I took one after.  Ignore the barbecue...)

Upon our return, I e-mailed WOMOTM and the other siblings and respective other halves who were not there to cast their judgement over our masterpieces.  It was a lovely exchange of e-mails, that for all of us competitors, now back at work, could remember the restful, serene afternoon of painting.

So..... cast your vote.  Which one do you think deserves to win and why?  

Watercolour challenge is a great activity and I strongly recommend it to anyone with kids or even a group of adults on holiday together!  We left the paints and remaining paperpad in a drawer for any future guests to the house to try the challenge with instructions in the guest book)