Heading downtown from Westmount I crossed the Decarie and went to check out the view of the Decarie expressway. I've painted it before to good effect, there is a little nook to stand in next to the sidewalk on Botrel street at the cross with Notre Dame avenue, nearby the community gardens. I was mesmerized by the red glow on the highway signs, it took a moment to realize it was from the red traffic light behind me up on Notre Dame, when it turned green the whole sign lit up like it was neon green, then it turned yellow and looked different yet again. When illuminated red, the white lettering was red while the normally bright green background was dark, nearly a black-green. The passing cars, aside from being very noisy and smelly, were reflecting all kinds of light sources including the red glow of the traffic light behind me, the headlights, the highway lamps, and a little from the 3/4 full moon that was due south east tonight. Sizing up the scene I thought, what a pain-in-the-ass painting to do at night, but enjoyed the challenge of it. I tried to make the background elements a little like Van Gogh's starry night even though there were only street lamps to be seen and no stars in particular.
Decarie traffic red glow, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, September 2025
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