In between highways down in the Turcot interchange, just off the bike path, there is a very long and wide gravel field, its covered in heavy pea-stone gravel. Over the years, plants have started to grow up through the stones, such as several varieties of yellow flowers, some leafy red-and-green plants, tufts of grass, and many of those hybrid poplar trees that grow along the canal. Given enough time this would become a forest, although, eventually the city will come by and mow it all down one would assume.
Gravel field yellow flowers, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025
In this composition, the gravel field was simplified into its colour and textural elements, with more detail on the highway ramps, cars and trucks heading home in rush hour. Standing here, I was completely surrounded by the large, flat field, with just the hum of traffic in the background. It was a big difference from st Pierre where people kept talking to me!
Traffic and gravel field, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025
Using a triangular composition, I painted the gravel field with yellow shrubs in the bottom portion, then cut the highway across the middle on an angle. Montreal's skyline, a row of trees, and a prominent highway sign anchor the rest of the composition. The traffic was painted so as to evoke a sense of chaos and clutter, even though it looked a lot more organized in real life. My initials are on the sign were it otherwise said Angrignon straight ahead, or st Jacques turn off to the right. When we drive back from Ontario, this is where we turn right to go back up to NDG.
Sign traffic shrubs, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025
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