Have you been to Nice, France? What were your impressions?

People rave about luxuriousness of the city, being a Riviera hotspot. But I was most impressed by the volume of art everywhere and how it all seems to work together – in museums, outdoor installations, imaginative public spaces, and in the mixtures of architecture. In my first miniature painting of Nice, I’ve chosen a subject that showcases this surprising harmony.

A walk along the waterfront Promenade des Anglais takes you from one fancy hotel to the next, but I think none is more glorious than the white Belle Époque jewel, Hotel Le Negresco. I had been excited to take my husband to see it during his first visit there in 2014, my second. And he was suitably impressed, snapping photo after photo of the hotel while I got entranced in the vibrant contemporary sculpture of Miles Davis by Niki de Saint Phalle out front. I had somehow missed this fantastic artwork on my last trip.

At first I thought it was an odd choice of sculpture to install in front of this frilly white hotel, but the more time I spent with it, I could feel the energy and warmth it was adding to this intimidating property. Later when I looked back through the photos I had taken, their compatibility was even more evident – the analogy that came to mind was like wearing a brightly-coloured scarf with a classic white blouse. One helped the other – the sculpture injected a big dose of life and the white building accentuated the fun and attention-getting nature of the sculpture. 

So here’s my little homage to harmony and synergy, Riviera-style! 

Miles Davis at Le Negresco, Nice

2.5″ x 3.5″ ink and watercolour

(Available to acquire now in shop here.)