Let's Go!

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a wonderful horse race painting by Degas that I have enjoyed for decades. As part of the ongoing series of artworks inspired by paintings from art history, I thought I would take a new look at his painting, "At the Races: Before the Start". I have been a cyclist for years and have gone on innumerable group rides. I've always felt that we stood around for way too long before setting off on the ride. I seemed a perfect correlation for the spirit of the Degas painting.

"Let's Go!"

44"x66" Oilsticks on paper, 2025

You can learn more (and purchase this painting if you are so inclined) here: 

 "Let's Go!" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Down Under 24, Stage 1: Worth a Shot

The Pro Tour starts with the Tour Down Under, as riders flee the freezing temperatures of Europe for the heat of the Australian Summer.  With most of the the 140 plus kilometer stage yet to race, it was a bit early for Jardi Christian Van Der Lee (EF Education-EasyPost) to attempt a solo break away, but then it could have worked out should others have joined him in the effort.  Still, I and the rest of us, know he is in this year’s Tour Down Under.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3995480-178-194179/Painting/worth-a-shot.-tdu24-1.html

Paris Nice, Stage 6: Finishing the Plan

I'm not sure I will get use to the image of a stage winner saluting an empty roadside.  None the less, Tiesj Benoot (Sunweb) still took a bow for the race photographers.  Benoot had capitalized on the hard work of his teammates all stage long.  He had started the day in third by 1'10" but now is in second, trailing Schachmann by less than a half minute.  With just one stage left to race, the mountain top finish will be a wild scramble to get up the mountain first.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Paris-Nice/3491286-30-272742/Painting/finishing-the-plan-pn20-30.html

Paris Nice, Stage 1: Do You Have the Legs?

Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Tiesj Benoot (Sunweb) had sprinted it out for the bonus seconds of the first intermediate sprint.  While Alaphilippe had won the sprint, the pair found themselves with a small gap over the other fourteen from the leading group.  The Frenchman convinced Benoot to continue the effort with just 26 kilometers left to race back to Plaiser.  They had opened up thirty seconds on those behind.  A move akin to what but Alaphilippe into Yellow in the 2019 Tour de France.  Will it work again?

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Paris-Nice/3487779-3-272742/Painting/do-you-have-the-legs-pn20-3.html

Tour, Stage 8: Everything to Ride For

Having taken second over the top of the Cote de la Jailere (and its 5 bonus seconds), Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) was just one second from taking back the Maillot Jaune.  He was joined by his countryman, Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) who was hoping to move up on the general classification.  Both men were hoping for a stage win, but that would require catching the last man from the early break, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal).  For Alaphilippe, any of the time bonuses for the top three stage finishers would be enough for the Yellow Jersey.  For Pinot, any time on the chasers and the time bonus would move him up the classification.

Both men achieve the GC goals, Alaphilippe is back in yellow and Pinot now sits third overall.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3359456-42-263530/Everything%20to%20Ride%20For%20%20TDF19-42.html

Tour, Stage 8: Everyone Want to Be in the Tour

As the peloton reached just twenty kilometers left in the stage, they rode past a little horse power.  This mare and her fold decided it would be fun to run along with the peloton.  They were both faster for their sprint but weren't able to go all of the way to Saint Etienne.  I loved this because it reminded me of a stage back in the 90s when a horse got loose in the middle of the peloton, fortunately neither the horse nor any riders were hurt during the incident.  You can see a clip of the moment in one of my favorite movies, Amelie. 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3359448-40-263530/Everyone%20Wants%20to%20Be%20in%20the%20Tour%20%20TDF19-40.html

"The Look"

I have been working on this piece for a number of weeks now, and today I managed to finish it.  With the goal of getting the artwork done this week, I have not been able to paint the Criterium du Dauphine.  Although you may be able to tell in these photos that I am listening to/watching the race while I work.  Along with these photographs, I am including a video to give you more of an idea on how this piece looks in person.

Note that you can here stage three of the race playing while I am filming this.  

This piece is sold, but you can see other stained glass and painted sculptural pieces on my website at www.greigleach.com.  I do create works on commission as well.  Shipping is available worldwide.  You can email me through the website to get the wheels turning 

Tour Down Under, Stage 3: Digging Deep

With just two kilometers to race and less than 500 meters to climb, the attacks were bound to come.  It was Michael Woods (EF Education First) who went first hatching the final phase of the team's plan for the stage.  Woods was covered by the ever present Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) with the rest of the peloton desparate to hold onto the Canadian's wheel.  With a bit of climbing and a quick one kilometer descent, it was going to be hard to get around whomever went over the top first.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3285583-128-194179/PaintingDigging-Deep--TDU19-10.html

Tour, Stage 20: New Best

It amuses me when I go back over the paintings, prepping them for posting to this blog.  Sometimes I find interesting mistakes, misspellings or omissions.  Today in my haste to create this painting while taping it for my You Tube channel, I seemed to have omitted the final word in the title.  I had intended to entitle this, "New Best Time," but clearly I did not succeed in that effort.  As Marc Soler (Movistar) approached the line, it was assumed he wasn't going to take over the lead in the stage up to his finish, but he did.  Unfortunately for Soler, it didn't last long.  His time was better about five minutes later and again just two minutes later.  Ultimately, Soler ended the day in 9th place on the stage, nothing to be ashamed of when the top three from the World Championships finished ahead of the Spaniard. 

As I said, this is the painting of today's six watercolors that I filmed as I created it.  As you watch this painting come to life, you can learn about the Tour, the discipline of time trialing and why I create the piece the way I do.  I hope you will subscribe to the channel, so you will know when I post the next video about cycling, artmaking and what inspires me.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3195912-108-251072/PaintingNew-Best--T18-107.html

Tour, Stage 10: Down the Other Side

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step) had been attacking the stage in hopes of claiming the Maillot a Pois of best climber in the Tour.  He achieved that goal when he went first over three of the four high climbs of the day.  As he crested the final climb, the Col de la Colombiere, he had over a minute on the closest chaser, another Frenchman, Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie).  Alaphilippe is a good climber (obviously) but he is a brilliant descender.  He knew he could use that skill to open up a greater lead on the entire peloton chasing in shattered pieces behind.  As he dropped off the mountain he was being told by his race radio that he was gaining more and more time.  He knew that stage was his and as an early title foretold, "he was back in the action."  Had he not lost time on the way to Roubaix, he may have been racing for yellow, but then the peloton probably wouln't have let him go either.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3188900-53-251072/PaintingDown-the-Other-Side--T18-53.html

Tour, Stage 9: Shades of 2014

For those who don't get the title of this painting, it is two fold.  First like Richie Porte (BMC) crashed out of this Tour de France with out every putting a wheel on a single pave, just as Chris Froome (Sky) did back in 2014 (the last time the Tour raced on some of the Paris Roubaix paves).  Secondly, it was stage 9 when Porte crashed out in spectacular fashion last year.  Fortunately for BMC and Porte, his injuries were not anywhere near as severe as 2017.  Porte wasn't the only one who hit the deck here, nor all over the roads and pave of today's stage.  There is a reason the classic, Paris Roubaix, is called "The Hell of the North"  Today it was a hellish ride for many in the peloton.  Others may have suffered physically, but at least their GC hopes are still entacted.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3187624-41-251072/PaintingShades-of-2014--T18-41.html

Tour, Stage 6: Ready to Go

This Tour seems to keep dishing up ill timed mishaps for the GC contenders.  Some have lost over a minute in their bad luck's bad timing.  Jakob Fulgsang (Astana) was a little more fortunate than others to have his late mechanical happen with another twenty kilometers to race.  While he will have to expend more energy than his main rivals, he will be able to rejoin the race without the risk of losing any time on the day. 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3186854-28-251072/PaintingReady-to-Go--T18-28.html

Tour, Stage 3 TTT: Checking on the Others

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) looks over his shoulder to make sure there are enough riders to post the best possible time for the team.  There were.  And the team posted the best time thus far.  Should the time stand, not only did Van Avermaet check on everyone, their efforts (and his) put himself into the Maillot Jaune of race leader.  They also moved the American, Tejay van Garderen, into second.  They also moved their race leader up ahead of almost every other GC contender.

This is the painting that I filmed being created today.  You can see it on my You Tube Channel where I hope you will become a subscriber.  And you can watch it here as well.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3185246-12-251072/PaintingChecking-on-the-Others--T18-12.html

Tour, Stage 2: Feeling the Love

Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) racing a record 18th Tour de France was feeling the love from the French crowds along the road today.  Chavanel was the lone survivor of an early three man break away.  The one dropped of after the first and only climb of the day, with the other suffering with knee pain after hitting it on the handle bars sprinting for the KOM points.  With another 80 kilometers left to the end of the stage, it is unlikely he will stay away for the stage, but he has pulled it off before. Chavanel was awarded with the Most Combative rider prize for his continuing efforts.  Tomorrow he will be sporting a red bib number as a marker of today's effort. Some consulation for not winning the day.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3184871-7-251072/PaintingFeeling-the-Love--T18-7.html

Tour, Stage 1: Bad Timing

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) had the bad luck to have a possible double flat roughly three and a half kilometers from the finish.  Had it happen just a half a kilometer up the road, he would have been given the same time as the lead group.  As it was, he lost a minute and a half on those that finished in the front, although a number of is main rivals only gained a few seconds on him.  It was a rather chaotic finale to the first stage of the Tour, with Foome, Porte, Rolland, and Yates all losing time to Nibali and Dumoulin.  There is never an easy day in the Tour, or on e that goes completely to script.  While the neutral service guys tried to get Quintana back underway, it was his team car that pulled up and got him on his spare bike.  With the use of disc brakes, wheel changes are becoming far more complex, even more so with different designs trying to be serviced by the Mavic mechanics.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3184448-4-251072/PaintingBad-Timing--T18-4.html

Test Video for Live Painting the Tour de France

I apologize for getting the video orientation wrong, but then that is why you do a test ahead of the big event.  As always, I will be painting the Tour de France live, every stage, every day.  I will be sharing each and every painting here, as I do. But new this year will be a youtube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g?view_as=subscriber in addition to sharing each painting here and posting them for sale on my website, www.greigleach.com.

All of the work is created using www.richesonart.com watercolors, particularly, St. Petersburg Yarks cake watercolors with Faber Castel ink pens.  I hope you will subscribe to the youtube channel and follow me here.  And then there is always twitter, https://twitter.com/ArtofCycling.

I'm looking to spending the month of July with you and the complete peloton of the Tour de France.

Giro, Stage 2: Trying Again

After having been thwarded in his first attempt at a break away, and on the climb of the Zikhron Ya'Agov, Guillaume Boivin (Israel Cycling Academy) went off the front of the peloton again.  With over 37 kilometers left to the line in Tel Aviv, it was perhaps a fool hardy effort.  But for the team, it was a chance to show their colors to the Israeli fans along the roads, and the millions watching around the world.  Again, it was unlikely that the ProTour teams sprinter's were going to let a lone attack succeed.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3158039-7-249297/PaintingTrying-Again--G18-7.html

Giro, Stage 1: Getting Close

The title does not refer to how close these two riders were together as they came to the line.  But rather, just how close Jose Goncalves (Katusha-Aplecin) came to taking over the lead from Rohan Dennis (BMC).  Goncalves was just 12 seconds off of the Australian champion's pace, as he caught Dennis' teammate (who had started a minute earlier) on the climb up to the finish line.  In the end, Goncalves was fourth overall, just off of the podium, a respectable day out none the less.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3157931-3-249297/PaintingGetting-Close-G18-3.html

Tour Down Under, Stage 6: What Can We Do?

Finally, it was this duo of Logan Owen (EF Education First-Drapac) and Ben O'Connor (Dimension Data) who got a solid lead on the peloton.  Their two minute lead also meant that they sucked up all of the bonus seconds out on course all put ensuring that Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) would go out the over all winner of the 20th Tour Down Under. 

Owen appears to be asking O'Connor whether they should continue with the effort or admit defeat to the closing peloton.  Or perhaps he was asking if the Dimension Data man had any power left in his legs, since Owen left on his own on the next lap.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. To purchase this artwork, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3099886-116-194179/PaintingWhat-Can-We-Do?-TDU18-29.html

Tour Down Under, Stage 6: The Ones that Got Away

With the first couple of groups pulled back by the peloton, it was these three that seemed to be getting free on the streets of Adelaide.  Truls Korsaeth (Astana), Laurent Didier (Trek-Segafredo) and Logan Owen (EF Education First-Drapac) were able to open up about a minute in the early laps of the downtown circuit.  Question is... Will they be let off of the leash?

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. To purchase this artwork, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3099885-115-194179/PaintingThe-Ones-that-Got-Away-TDU18-28.html