Old Canada Malting Silos

The Lachine Canal used to be the main artery of a dense industrial zone. Much of it has been razed and turned into condos and parks, along with the famous bike path. I have painted this building a few times before, last summer I showed it from the east side with a view of the pink house on top.  Setting my bike up on st Ambroise street I got a good view of the west side of the building in full sun. Tall structures with corrugated steel or maybe aluminum siding soared upwards into the hazy blue sky. Rust streaked down the sides as if applied by an artist's brush. Old crumbling brick walls were adorned with gaping holes where windows used to be. Strewn about the grass were old rusted steel components. Graffiti art provided a splash of colour on the side of the building. The Lachine canal and bike path are seen in the background.  If you could look up, you would be looking straight up at the pink house, which is an art project done secretly years ago. Looking to the right, you would see st Ambroise brewery and its giant back beer-gardens/patio which is just gearing up to open for the summer.  Using rough press paper was perfect for this one, it really allowed me to get that rusty texture. Its a surprisingly airy and delicate scene considering the subject matter.

Old Canada Malting Silos, watercolour 8 x 10" rough press, April 2023 (No. 3595)