About "Early Morning Café Noir"

This watercolour piece was inspired by my early morning stroll through the cobbled streets of Beaune. Beaune, an ancient French town considered the 'capital of Burgundy wines', is filled with medieval architecture, cafes and fine food markets. This street scene stood out to me with its block colours and distinct areas of light and shade. Whenever I paint I look for contrasting and complementary values. Here, the strong morning light cast dramatic shadows and brought out the warm oranges of the stone buildings to complement the blue sky perfectly.