Hipster Haven and scenes around Peel Basin

I called this brew-pub restaurant the Hipster Haven in a 2023 blog, but its actually called Messorem, I like my name better! The other day, I painted the iconic water tower which is situated over top of the restaurant's patio. In that blog I mentioned that you could find your way to the tower in order to find beer. I am not drinking much nowadays, but I got up close to the restaurant and explored some of the interesting shapes and textures. I got a few whiffs of hops and enjoyed the music too. 

Messorem patio lights, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025

 

Surprisingly, the central pole of the water tower is clad in wood wrapped in green metal bands, like an elongated barrel. It speaks to the age of the structure which must have been made a long time ago. On the right is the big metal chimney with its pleasant rust colour I re-created with burnt umber (PBr7) and some indo blue in the shadow area (PB60). To make the rust appear to glow, I added streaks of pyrrol red (PR254) and yellow ochre (PY43). My initials were stuck into some graffiti. 

Water tower base, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025

 

This old structure is barely standing, it would have been the control tower for the old rotating train bridge that used to be active here. The rotating train bridge is still here, but welded off and just sitting in the middle of the canal (unseen, off to the right). The commuter train rumbled by a few times and I got the colours correct... dark green on top, lime green on the ends, black in the middle with bluish-tinted windows, and cream white on the bottom. Off in the distance on the bottom right you see one of the old factories in Old Port Montreal, and my initials under the bridge.  

Structure near train, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025

 

Here is my latest futile attempt to paint the Farine Five Roses sign, at least I got all the letters in this time! An ominous blue-grey sky was brewing up, and I turned around after this one and headed home just in time to avoid the evening shower. This scene is big, and one day when I am ready I will bring down a bigger piece of paper for the job. 

Farine Five Roses Stormy sky, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025