Hipster hangout and view of hospital

 Ville st Henri used to be a light industrial manufacturing hub with plentiful warehouses and factories. A few of them are still in use, but most of the structures are shelters, community housing, or hipster hangouts like the one in the painting. A collection of old industrial buildings were heavily spray painted with graffiti, and the various structures were connected by a nexus of electrical wires. A few communist symbols were spray painted on some of the walls. I'd imagine the people who live here may well have moved in when the factories were abandoned, squatters is the term. It's the opposite of gentrification.

Hipster enclave, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, March 2025 (No. 4204a)

 

Looking north, there was a view of the mega hospital which I depicted as a pile of lego bricks. The foreground was more interesting, with bright sun illuminating a pole and sign, and some poplar or aspen trees in the mid ground. It was Valliant street. I hoped the weather would be amenable to warm painting but in fact it was incredibly cold with a nasty wind. Luckily I brought the big coat and gloves and small container of salt which I could sprinkle in the water.

View of Hospital from south, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, March 2025