With the bike path fully open I could make my way down to the end of Lachine park, and found this great view of ice chunks piled up on the shore line. It reminded me of a painting I did of
Iceland, as part of my World Inspired Landscapes series. In real life, the ice had a most excellent blue-green tint which seemed to glow against the otherwise gloomy brown and grey background of st lawrence river and south shore. Of course, I used phthalo green (PG7) and phthalo blue (PB15) along with perylene green (PBk31) for the ice, and tints of yellow (PY154).
Blue-green ice chunks, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, April 2026
Geese were flapping about and floating near the shore expectantly, looking for handouts no doubt. I will have to practice painting geese again its been awhile. We have plenty of them, they fly up here to spend the Spring, Summer, and Autumn.
Goose icy shore, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, April 2026
The sun was still high in the sky although going down fast... it was a neat effect of backlighting on piles of ice chunks, a pastel mixture of green, pink, yellow and pale blue. To create the sun-beam reflection effect, I applied clean water and dabbed with a clean rag (cut up shirt). I cut up my old white T shirts after they have had the biscuit and they graduate to being paint rags.
Backlit ice chunks, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, April 2026
I've painted this train bridge many times from various angles. Today I cropped the main support post which is made of stone, and featured the iron-oxide rust using yellow ochre (PY43) and burnt ochre (PR101). Most of the canal is still covered in ice, although big patches of it are getting thin and showing water.
Rusty train bridge, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, April 2026
