On a recent visit to France, I was fortunate enough to visit the Museum Marmotton Monet in Paris, then take the train to Giverny to see the beauty of Monet’s home and gardens. It was an overcast threatening day in June and the estate was crawling with tourists. There wasn’t time to stand for even a minute to sketch, so I had to use my eyes, look fast, take photos and notes to get the impressions I was hoping to paint. I was most impressed with the lush garden looking back toward Monet’s home. Since it was such a white sky day, the colors in the garden were vibrant. This is the first painting I’ve done of his garden. Kathleen Elsey