The day I got to paint on a replica of Claude Monet's floating studio on the Seine

It’s no secret that I’m fond of the water. I’ve sailed with Captain Jack, and two years ago, I had the honor of becoming the first American to paint on an exact replica of Claude Monet’s floating studio.

I was in Giverny painting in Monet’s garden. The head gardener there set it up for me. But I didn’t just get to float along the Seine in the boat. They dropped anchor for two hours in order to give me the chance to do some plein air painting.

Monet’s tradition of painting on the Seine dates back to 1874. Back then, he decided to abandon his studio and vowed he’d never again paint a single stroke except in front of the motif.

One day, Monet got a little boat, fitted it with an umbrella and easel, and set out along the Seine to explore the moods and the effects of light on the river scenery. After that, he invited Edouard Manet to come along with him on a painting excursion. Manet painted Claude working on the boat, and that painting now hangs in the Neue Pinakothek in Munich!

Having painted on a replica of Monet’s boat on the Seine, I can certainly see why he enjoyed the experience so well. But even if you don’t paint, be sure to hook up with Captain Jack for a back bay Eco Tour. It’s an experience you, too, won’t soon forget.