Pie IX Station, Green Line Metro, Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

When I moved to Montreal in 2005 I knew about this station because it is next to Olympic stadium (seen in the background here), and the big Park Maisonneuve where the Biodome and Botanical gardens are located. Usually this is one of the busiest stations on the green line but the tourism is way down and most of the attractions and the sports are closed for now. I thought it was pronounced "pie eye ex" like apple pie, until I learned french and some history, now I know it is pronounced phonetically "pee nuff"" as in pious, and neuf the number nine in french. Its named after a pope or something to that effect.

As I rode down Holchaga street from Joliette station, turned up Pie IX station, the most glorious scene unfolded, it was better than I anticipated. The main entrance had a sweeping elliptical roof wrapped in yellow green and blue paneling. In the background was the ominous Olympic stadium, built for the 76 Olympics and falling apart ever since. I sat right away and got to the painting, instead of fussing over details like I did at Joliette, I established most of the painting using my trusty old half inch hog's hair brush.  Getting the curvature on the roof, and the downward sloping sidewalk were keys to the painting. Capturing the giant stadium without too much detail was also important to focus the viewer on the front doors of the station and staircase. 8 x 10" cold press, watercolour, July 2020

For the next scene I found a small embankment leading up to the wall of the structure, and looked sideways onto the entrance area. A lady sat staring at her smart phone, and an old fellow was walking around playing the guitar. He had seen me painting the first scene, and asked to take a picture of the painting which I obliged. Then he walked off, still playing. The side of the station had a solid wall of creeping vines (seen to the left), and was casting an elliptical shadow. The curvature of the roof line was tricky, as was the angle and perspective on the highway. 8 x 10" cold press, watercolour, July 2020

On the other side of Pie IX street is the secondary entrance to the station, a more conventional concrete box with interesting curved supports at the front. The textures of the concrete were really neat, but hard to capture at a distance. I painted this from the same vantage point as the last one, but looking to my right. It was a great place to sit and paint, up on a grassy knoll, under a tree, and away from the sidewalk. I even sat and had a snack here, enjoying the moment. 8 x 10" cold press, watercolour, July 2020

I also sketched this entrance to Pie IX station from a side angle, it may have made a good painting but there was just nowhere to sit but a narrow sidewalk and a bike path. 8 x 11" sketchbook, pencil July 2020

After finishing six paintings and two sketches I figured it was time to turn around and go home, I was fairly pleased with the results but there was one nagging idea, which was getting on top of the station, around the Olympic stadium  park. Just off the sidewalk, a pathway lead to a series of staircases, embankments, and park areas meant for the large crowds that visit for tourism and sports. I could easily haul my bike up to the top platform, and see down on the Pie IX station.

With very little water left, I captured the curving roof line which is the same one you see in the first painting. What looks like pool water, is actually bright green paint that they used to cover the roof. A concrete enclosure seen in the foreground held grass and white clover flowers. There were even some rolling blue mountains in the distance, similar to what I painted in Sutton. Maybe they were the same mountains since I am looking south east towards Sutton. 6 x 7.5" cold press, watercolour, July 2020

Finally I headed home, but got tempted into one more painting at Park La Fontaine, where I used some lake water to make a painting of the disused fountain and seagulls.