Saturday, June 28, 2025

Remains of the lake and other scenes

The island of Montreal in the 16th century was covered in lakes and rivers including the 4 km long Otter lake, or Little st Pierre lake. Eventually the Lachine canal brought the end of the lake, which is now occupied by highway 20, the Turcot interchange, and some light industrial zoning. For years, I have rode past this inconspicuous looking drainage ditch near the truck depot beside the canal, the ditch was part of the Turcot project that saw a complete rebuilding of the road and restoration of much of the nature surrounding the highways. Now this ditch is surrounded in lush greenery and trees. In some ways, it represents what remains of the lake. 

Remains of the lake, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025

 

Where the highway off ramp rises up over the canal, there is a tall retaining wall that got covered in massive sections of graffiti. In this case its my initials, and the year spray-painted on the bike path. Unlike graffiti artists, who commit vandalism, I put paint on the paper not the walls! The main subject matter was actually the interesting plants growing in the strip of grass next to the retaining wall, there were a variety of cone flower plants and other types.  

Growth near path, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025

 

I don't usually paint graffiti very specifically, but in this case it seemed funny that someone put a friendly looking cartoon ice cream cone on the supporting pillar under the bridge. Just past this post is the Lachine canal bike path and the canal itself. To make the concrete colours I use a lot of umber (PBr7), it is a paint with the colour of tea with milk, and the consistency of chunky mud! 

Ice cream graffiti, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, June 2025 

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