Curves Around Rosemont

Montreal is well known for its exterior staircases such as these fire escapes. To paint the spiral I used one continuous brushstroke with a sharp #8, starting with the tip, then applying pressure as the curve formed. Using that technique a convincing spiral can be formed. Then I added the center post, the railing, and the struts. I painted the stairs last... so the whole painting had to be done and dry before the last step. With the strong sun and relatively dry air, the paint was drying fast today. 

Spiral stairs, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, August 2025

Near the Rosemont overpass, there was a gravel path surrounded by natural growth. Everything had a dry olive or sand-colour, due to the lack of rain lately. I liked how the highway zoomed up and away like the cars were going off a ramp. Natural growth often occurs around highways or in various nooks and crannies around the city. 

Path near overpass, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, August 2025

To the south of the overpass there is a huge industrial area with long, low warehouses plastered in graffiti. The graffiti person known as MONET must live around here, but today it was PJD as you see in the painting! Since I blew the sun highlight in the bus painting, I really had to nail it on the skylight above the building. It worked perfectly. Next time I paint a bus windshield reflecting something I will give it a go. 

Pink and red under overpass, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, August 2025

Its hard to tell what they did with the Rosemont station. When I painted it during the 68 Stations of the Montreal Metro series, it was surrounded by construction fences, and by the looks of it they should have left it surrounded by construction fences. I am just kidding, its finished now, but what a strange thing. The station is topped by about ten stories of condo or commercial, each piece with a different brick, and patterns printed over large windows here and there. In the front, tall yellow posts hold the building up over the sidewalk. Its like the developer wanted to fill the plot right up to the sidewalk but the city said no, then they elevated the whole thing on posts. At least it gives people a decent place to live and right over the metro station to boot. 

Rosemont station yellow poles, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, August 2025