Ottawa

The concept of 'early works' is all relative, I have been labeling things early works if they were done awhile ago, like before 2005. The label is meant to signify that I am blogging about old paintings, rather than a precise cutoff time. Besides, I don't even know when I did a lot of paintings from the old days. This was done in Ottawa when I visited with some friends from University of Western, we did a road trip from London Ontario and I brought my paint kit. 5 x 7" cold press, watercolour, 2000?

Another scene painted on the same trip- on the left is the old embassy building, the background Parliament again, and a traffic light featured prominently. Even without the signature I would know it's my painting, traffic signals (and pylons) often show up. I was using that cerulean blue, rose madder aureolin yellow, mix for the grey, which was rather heavy and muddy at times. Now I use phthalo green (PG7) and quinacridone violet (PV19) with a touch of burnt sienna (PR101), it is lighter and airier. 5 x 7" cold press, watercolour, 2000

 

I was on a roll, this scene is in the Ottawa restaurant district featuring provincial flags of Quebec and Ontario in unison, and a colourful awning. Most of the scene including the pole in the foreground is back lit creating a lot of heavy shadows. 5 x 7" cold press, watercolour, 2000

 

This is the war memorial, with the tomb of the unknown soldiers which had been just added in the year 2000.  There are quite a few mistakes here on the perspective and the green blob on top that looks like Godzilla, maybe I did one too many paintings this day. I never had fear on a location, no matter how complex the subject appeared to be, I plopped down my chair and went at the scene with aplomb. In retrospect, a scene like this requires a careful drawing, and a bigger piece of paper. I'll have to go back once they ease off on the travel advisories between provinces and give it another go. 5 x 7" cold press, watercolour, 2000