Montreal International Jazz Festival ... as seen by an artist

When I left on my bicycle to head down to the Montreal International Jazz Festival on Friday evening, the sun was setting on Walkley street, which normally would have made a good painting but I had bigger fish to fry tonight. Anticipating that I would be on foot at the festival, I remembered to bring the shoulder strap for my bike bag which contains the paint, paper, brushes, and water. The first scene was near the east entrance, the band on stage was playing a soul/jazz funk and the singer said to the audience that she was from Houston. Luckily, there was a 3/4 moon hanging over the skyline and the sky was crisp and clear. In this view, you just see the side of the stage, and one of the overhead lighting installations. 

 Jazz Fest scene 1, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025 

Moving closer to the crowd I found an angle where I could see the stage and the performers (bottom left in yellow and red light). Standing next to a beer vendor stand, I got a good white light just over my right shoulder. A lot people looked and walked past, one person said, good job, keep going! The idea here was to show Montreal... the two skyscrapers in the background with the brilliant night sky... and the jazz fest, illuminated in red and orange light. The crowd is just suggested in the bottom right. As I pained, the brush strokes became synchronized to the music, a fusion of jazz and paint began. 

 Jazz Fest scene 2, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025 

Just down the street (Clarke street, shut off to cars obviously) there was an old Airstream camping trailer converted into a food stand. I checked various angles before settling on this front view. I had to find a spot with a white light over head, and away from all the port-o-let toilets that were just behind me and to the right. It was a complex scene to paint and it took some time. First I established the outline with the #2 brush, then proceeded to fill in the background elements including the TD building lit green, and the pale magenta light from the overhead installations. The foreground food stand needed a metallic shine with texture. Seven figures complete the scene, including two people working in the stand. All the bits and pieces seemed to have come together. My arm was almost asleep after this one! 

Jazz Fest scene 3, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025 

You may be thinking, wouldn't it be easier to take pictures and paint them at home instead of painting on location? Perhaps, but each brush stroke in this painting was synchronized to the beat of the nearby jazz band that was playing full-on jazz 'improvisation style'. That entails a chaotic mix of brass instruments and jazz piano with guitar, every now and then playing parts of a familiar song until blending into another melody and another beat. The similarity between jazz and painting was evident as I painted this one. For example, the building in the top right became a patterned-abstraction in my painting. It was quite the trip. Of course, there were people smoking pot nearby which may have contributed to the effect. 

Jazz Fest scene 4, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025 

Off to the side of the action on st Catherine street, there was a small spot set up for buskers, that is, amateurs who could plug into an amp and do their own thing for spare change. The fellow, seen in the bottom left playing guitar, was wearing sun glasses which I thought was kind of cool especially with the moon overhead. The triangular building is an iconic shape on the Montreal skyline, it had strong orange-yellow light bands. I did a page on techniques of night painting, one thing I mentioned was to stick with it, because the illusion is only complete when the last brush stroke hits the paper. You have to stay with the plan and trust the result. As I rode home, I figured it would be lucky if one of these paintings worked out, and now that I see them in the blog it seemed they all worked out! I hope you enjoyed looking at the art, and maybe get the chance to visit the festival, or at least, listen to jazz some time!

Jazz Fest scene 5, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025